Book Review: Want to Go Private? by Sarah Darer Littman

Want to Go Private? by Sarah Darer Littman

Hardcover, 336 pgs.

Published: August 1st, 2011 by Scholastic

Reading Level: Young Adult

Source: Amazon Vine

 Abby and Luke chat online. They've never met. But they are going to. Soon.Abby is starting high school—it should be exciting, so why doesn't she care? Everyone tells her to "make an effort," but why can't she just be herself? Abby quickly feels like she's losing a grip on her once-happy life. The only thing she cares about anymore is talking to Luke, a guy she met online, who understands. It feels dangerous and yet good to chat with Luke—he is her secret, and she's his. Then Luke asks her to meet him, and she does. But Luke isn't who he says he is. When Abby goes missing, everyone is left to put together the pieces. If they don't, they'll never see Abby again.

 Wow.  This is a book that certainly leaves an impression.  It's one you don't easily forget and I have a feeling I'll be thinking about it for years to come.  It's very powerful, emotional and at times difficult to read.  The author doesn't hold back, she tells it how it is.  The whole scary situation and the horrific events that can happen.

As an adult it was difficult for me to see how Abby could be so easily deceived by a guy that so obviously seemed to be a predator.   But then I stepped back and thought of when I was 14, how eager I was for attention and approval and for someone to listen to me and suddenly I could see how Abby would be blind to it.  I would never have gone as far as she did and I think it seemed a bit out of character for her, but I guess it just shows how desperate she was for someone to listen to her, care for her, understand her.  And her obsession with him, I got that part of it 100%.  It's easy to focus your mind on one thing, one person and that becomes your everything.   And while Abby allowed herself to be naive she also knew the dangers of the internet.  So Luke was careful as he slowly reeled her in and gained her trust.  Still naive of her, but still understandable as well.

I loved the way the author laid the story out.  The first bit (close to half?) is Abby having a hard time as her and her best friend drift apart, she feels like she has no friends, her parents are always on her case, her sister is a tattle tale brat and life is just not going so well for her.  Then she meets 'Luke' in a chatroom and he is there for her and listens all the time.  Their relationship progresses, she becomes obsessed and thinks she's in love and then things take a step further and she agrees to meet him.  Once she meets up with him we are no longer in Abby's head and we switch perspectives between her bratty sister Lily, her best friend and even her one time date, Billy who has liked her the whole time.  We see what everyone else is going through as they try to figure out what happened to Abby.  Where did she disappear to?  What are all these secrets they are discovering?  We see the hurt, the anger, the sense of betrayal they feel and the loss as well.   Then later we are back in Abby's head, we discover what all happened in just sneak peaks of her memories and we see the turmoil she's going through.  We see all sides (well, except Luke) and it was brilliant.  I think the author couldn't have done it any better because we see how it affected others as well as Abby.  And we see how her, her family and her friends deal with it, come to terms with everything and find some sort of healing.  We see it all from beginning to end.  

The author doesn't hold back on some things that actually had me blushing a bit and it wasn't easy to read.  I think it was necessary in order to get the point across, but it just seemed a little much for a young adult book.  But it was honest.  I mean, that's exactly how it is, that's how grown men talk and what they would say and do.  And while there is sexual talk and we know stuff that goes on it's not like we get all the descriptions.  It's mainly what Luke says to her, and then later things she's reliving in her head.   I think this is a book that teens to need to read, and adults as well, especially adults with teens but I would use caution with younger readers.  I would say some middle graders should read it, but for others it would be a bit much.  I DO think they really need the strong message though, so I guess I'm torn.  That's up to the parents and what you think your child needs and/or is ready for.   

Overall this was a fantastic book and it will be stuck in my head for a very long time, I very highly recommend it if you enjoy real life young adult contemporary that doesn't hold back on the issues.

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Disclosure: I received an advance copy of this book for review purposes.  All opinions expressed are my own and I was not paid or influenced in any way.