She says what is nice, but not what is true. Annabel has been used to holding back and telling people what she thinks they want to hear, as opposed to giving her honest opinion. Owen is committed to always telling the truth, and pushes Annabel to tell him what she really thinks. Much better!Īlthough I am in my late twenties, I definitely identified with one of the main themes of Just Listen. So, to save the book from unfair detriment, I put a hold on the ‘regular’ book version and finished out my reading in that format. Also, the reader seemed to give unnecessarily poetic emphasis to solid, but workaday sentences and this seemed silly to my ears. The reader’s interpretation of Mallory, Owen’s fashion-crazy little sister, was hilarious but I disliked her voicing of Owen. I actually checked out the audio-book format first. However, bloggers have consistently praised Sarah Dessen’s books and a review from Ana at Things Mean A Lot finally pushed Just Listen onto my to-read list. Usually my forays into young adult literature stick to fantasy and dystopian novels. It doesn’t help that Annabel’s family has had a rough couple of years with her mother’s depression, her sister Whitney’s depression, and Annabel’s increasing reluctance to continue her part-time modeling work.Ī burgeoning friendship with fellow outcast and avid music lover Owen Armstrong promises to shake up Annabel’s outlook on her life, if only she will let herself open up to it.

How does Mrs.Recommendation from: Ana from Things Mean A LotĪnnabel used to be friends with popular Sophie, but the beginning of a new school year finds Annabel a scorned outcast for reasons kept a mystery until later in the book.

What is it about the memory of the bicycle accident that resonates so much with Kristen and Whitney?.

Would you consider Owen a truly angry person? Why or why not?.

Why does Emily's confidence following her rape make Annabel rethink her own actions? How does it inspire her?.Do you think that the dynamic between the Greene sisters is an accurate portrayal of normal family relationships? Why or why not?.Why do you think Annabel initially became friends with Sophie? Why did she stay friends with such a mean, manipulative girl?.How does the book reveal to us the difference between Annabel's perceptions of how people feel about her-for example, Clarke and Owen-and what they really see?.

Why do you think the author decided to wait until almost the end to reveal the details of Annabel's rape?.

Just listen by sarah dessen