As I promised, this time a book I enjoyed, Just listen by Sarah Dessen. If you are sensitive to spoilers please don't read as I can't figure out if what I've written includes spoilers.


As with the other couple of Sarah Dessen books I’ve read, when I try to describe the plot, it always sounds very like very typical teenager fare that would not have wide appeal. In this case Just listen is a story about relationships between sisters and about a teen girl, Annabel, who has to face her past. But the story ends up being truthful and meaningful rather than simply run-of-the-mill obvious.

As Annabel progresses through a new school year it becomes clear that her desire to be nice and avoid confrontation means that she silences herself. As Annabel says towards the end of the book, freaking out can be a long simmering refusal to look at a problem and act rather than a dramatic explosion of feeling. I think there’s lots of people (especially women) who would relate to this type of self-imposed suppression of feeling but I can’t remember the last time I read a book that so clearly expressed the problem. The realism of the story extended to the slowness with which one sister recovered from anorexia and the increasing closeness between the family members.

Despite the theme of overcoming silence, the book ends up emphasises importance of listening (as one might expect from the title). Annabel only moves forward when she is brave enough to stop and listen to herself. One sister has always been talkative and bubbly but finds she communication more clearly when she allows more silence into her life.

So, overall, a good book from the week. And I didn't even mention the lovely romance, the passion one character has for music and lots of other worthy things!


I’m in a bit of a book drought here now: Amazon books are running late being delivered*, the busy weekend has meant no bookshop visits and I won’t be able to get back from work tomorrow in time to get to the library. Maybe I’ll sneak off to a cool London bookshop at lunch (suggestions happily received – I’ve heard of Forbidden Planet but that’s all!).

*And I've reached the end of my gift vouchers, so I have to start thinking about where to get books over here. Which makes any bookshop advice (not just for London) most welcome! Are there any chains that are ebil and I should avoid? Any noteworthy independents I should visit when travelling?

Tags: books, dessen, young adult