Just Listen

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen is a contemporary YA coming-of-age novel published in 2006. The story follows protagonist Annabel Greene, a 16-year-old model who is isolated at school due to a secret trauma that ended her friendship with Sophie. While Annabel tries to forget the past, her older sister, Whitney, deals with anorexia and bulimia. Her eating disorder weighs down the family, and Annabel can’t add another burden on them. When Annabel meets Owen, a music-obsessed classmate who teaches her to be honest, she finds the courage to finally explain what happened at the end-of-the-year party that left her devastated and destroyed her friendship with Sophie. Through the power of music and Owen’s encouragement, Annabel learns to listen to herself and finally opens up about the whole truth, even in court.

Before publishing Just Listen, Dessen had written six best-selling YA novels, including Keeping the Moon and This Lullaby. Just Listen won the 2007 ALA Best Books for Young Adults award and the 2007 Margaret A. Edwards Award.

This study guide refers to the 2006 paperback edition of the novel published by Penguin Group/Viking.

Content Warning: This book addresses sensitive topics including eating disorders, depression, sexual assault, and rape.

Plot Summary

High school junior and model Annabel Greene watches herself in a commercial for the local department store. On TV, she’s a cheerleader, a star student, and a handsome jock’s girlfriend. Annabel remembers the director’s vision as the “girl who has everything,” but Annabel thinks her life is far from perfect. She leaves to attend her first day of school after her summer of isolation and coping with a traumatic incident that occurred in the spring.

Though she doesn’t enjoy modeling any longer, she can’t bear to tell her mother, Grace, who finds joy in planning her three daughters’ modeling careers. But after the night that Annabel can’t bring herself to discuss, she doesn’t like being seen, judged, or touched by modeling staff. Years earlier, when her grandmother died, her mother experienced a deep depression. Grace spent days in bed, grieving and dazed. Slowly, Grace overcame her depression to help her girls’ careers. Annabel is afraid to take away Grace’s lifesaving activity of management.

Annabel’s older sisters, Whitney and Kirsten, move to New York City and compete for the same modeling jobs. Bold, talkative Kirsten and private, brooding Whitney fight often, but when they return home, Kirsten shares that Whitney doesn’t eat and works out often. After Annabel discovers Whitney passed out on the bathroom floor, Whitney’s anorexia and bulimia become obvious. Months later, the sisters are still not speaking because Kirsten revealed Whitney’s eating disorder to their parents. Whitney lives at home through her recovery, and the family is so focused on her recovery that they don’t notice that Annabel is struggling.

On the first day of junior year, Annabel fears her ex-best friend, Sophie. She is the target of Sophie’s wrath, she tries to ignore her daily insults of “slut” and “whore.” Annabel is an outcasted and chooses to remain antisocial and silent about the truth. She sits beside Owen Armstrong every day during lunch, a giant, quiet boy who always listens to music. Last year, Owen punched another classmate, then attended anger management and returned to school.

When Sophie’s college-aged boyfriend Will appears one day during lunch, Annabel can’t deny the past. Will chats with her as if nothing happened, but Annabel’s body reacts. Her stomach drops, she sweats, and she barely controls her rising vomit. After racing away from Will, Annabel is caught by Sophie, who warns her to stay away from her boyfriend, yelling that she should have had enough of him. Annabel snaps and pushes Sophie away, then throws up behind the school.

Owen sees Annabel get sick and offers her kind words and tissues, and their friendship soon flourishes. Owen introduces Annabel to more music than she knew existed. Since Owen never lies, his honesty inspires Annabel. She admits that she lies to protect others’ feelings and that she hates conflict. Owen tells her that anger isn’t forever. Annabel explains that in her experience, anger is forever—like with Sophie and her sisters. Owen insists that rifts end, if only Annabel can speak up.

After Owen burns her multiple CDs, Annabel offers her honest opinions about the songs. She feels empowered, comfortable, and surprised with how she can tell Owen her candid reactions to music, then her thoughts and feelings. Owen gives her one CD titled “Just Listen” but tells her to save it for last after she’s been “enlightened.” He explains she should not think or judge, but just listen to that CD. She agrees, and their friendship grows closer through music and Annabel listening to Owen’s weekly radio show.

One day when Annabel visits Owen at home, she finds Owen’s sister Mallory, who idolizes her, having a fashion show sleepover with friends. Owen takes pictures of his sister and her friends, and he snaps one of Annabel, citing her natural beauty and sweet personality. They share their first kiss but are interrupted by Mallory. Later, Annabel takes Owen through a car wash because she says music always sounds better there, and he needs to test her theory. They share a passionate kiss in the car as the music plays.

When Kirsten comes home on college break, she and Whitney find closure. Kirsten has become quieter, listening more than talking, due to her communication classes. Whitney has started gardening and writing as part of her therapy, and she invites Kirsten and Annabel to meet her therapy group at a coffee shop.

At the coffee shop open mic, Whitney shocks her sisters by sharing her writing. She writes about being the middle child, the gray in between, the quiet one who holds so much inside. Whitney describes the day she broke her arm, and Kirsten carried her on her handlebars back home. She details her love and appreciation for Kirsten as her protector, and for Annabel as her kind, innocent baby sister. Kirsten and Annabel are touched, and Annabel feels motivated to share her truth after witnessing Whitney’s bravery in reading a personal story to strangers.

Emily, a fellow model, comes to the local fashion show with red eyes from crying. Annabel overhears rumors that Sophie found Emily with Will in his car and freaked out. With one shared look on the runway, Annabel knows Emily has had the same horrific experience with Will. She vomits after the show. Unlike Annabel, Emily speaks up about Will raping her. Emily finds solace and support from others, not the shame, guilt, and fear Annabel feels. Annabel has worried that no one will believe her because Sophie didn’t when she tried to tell her the facts.

At school, Emily asks Annabel to testify in the trial. She says Annabel has been weird for months and suspects that Will raped her too. After Emily leaves, Annabel realizes someone knows the truth; she sobs for the first time since Will assaulted her, releasing her pent-up emotions.

After a fight with Owen, Annabel withdraws again. Annabel listens to the “Just Listen” CD, and it’s blank. She has a profound moment of listening to herself and finding her own voice. She drives to Owen’s radio show and confesses everything about the night with Will. Owen is sorry for what she endured and understands their fight about honesty now. He encourages her to make a difference by testifying. He also encourages her to tell her family the truth.

Annabel finally shares her trauma with her family, keeping her eyes on Whitney whenever she feels overwhelmed. Kirsten cries, Whitney and her father call the attorney for her, and her mother is tougher than expected, holding her hand and supporting her instead of crumbling.

Soon after, Annabel appears in court and testifies against Will. Owen promised he would come to the trial, but he doesn’t appear. With her family behind her, Annabel tells the court the story of Will raping her. She notices Will has a black eye covered by makeup. Later, Owen shows up and apologizes for missing the trial. He explains that he couldn’t stand what Will did to her, so the night before, he went to the club where Will’s band was playing. He punched Will, giving him a black eye, and was grounded by his mom. Annabel forgives him, kissing him for his protectiveness. A week later, Owen and Annabel host his radio show together, playing one of their favorite songs.