I am a horror movie lover and have been for most of my life.
Many of my fondest childhood memories involved watching movies with my dad
whose sole purpose was to finally find one that could scare me. You name it and
I watched it from age 6 and up including Friday the 13th, Jason and
Halloween. To this day there are few movies that measured up to the impossible
task, but this book terrified her.
I'm pretty sure that Need was not intended to be a horror
story, but when I finished the book I was shaking.
Need is a book about the creation of a social network for
students at fictional Nottawa High School. Similar to how Facebook first started,
users, have to be invited to participate. Students join the website to request
“needs” which they will receive for actions they complete. Initially, this
action is as easy as inviting another person to join however soon things take a
sinister turn. Kaylee, the protagonist, joins the site to help her brother who is
in need of a kidney transplant. The book shows the point of views of several
students who participate on the site for various reasons. Each chapter
highlights the characters’ experience with the game and later the consequences
of their choices.
The Good
This book felt authentic! Social networks are a part of
everyday life for most people between the ages of 12 to 65. I can’t name
someone who doesn't have a Facebook, Twitter or Instagram account. I was around
when Facebook first started and remember the desire to be invited to join. It
took months and a new school before I finally scored an invite. That’s part of
what makes this book so compelling. Everyone wants to be seen and receive the
approval of their peers which is what motivates many of the characters in the
book. While other students are requesting concert tickets, new phones, and high
grades, others use their requests to get revenge against rivals or former love
interests.
The characters were
interesting and the author weaves a tale that is given life through her rich
characters. Kaylee appears cut off from
her family as her father has abandoned them and her mother is primarily focused
on her younger brother's health but she’s not your typical heroine. Kaylee has done so really crappy things to get
attention including faking an illness to gain access to the medical records of
students to find a match for her brother. The town looks at her as an outcast
which is understandable considering her actions make them feel uncomfortable.
Her only friend is Nate, a popular student who is also in love with her. Personally,
I love when there is no character who is more "right" than another.
The other teens in the book should feel uneasy around her because of Kaylee's
willingness to invade their privacy and get in their faces about an
uncomfortable subject. Kaylee is also right to be frustrated with the lack of
support of her community which could cause her to lose her brother.
Another thing I loved was that the plot was well crafted
providing action and twists that made the book a really fun read.
The Not So Good
After finishing the book, I'm feeling less compassionate
towards teenagers. The author captures the very worst in teenage behaviors. The
teens in this book are frivolous, selfish, and even cruel. Many of them get an opportunity to change
course and fix their actions yet few take the chance. Some characters are ultimately remorseful but
not enough to provide a balance.
I don’t know if this is a commentary on today's generation
but this group was painted in the worst possible light.
This book begs for a follow-up. The end of the story finds the main character
feeling alone and kind of lost after suffering so much betrayal. I very much
want to know if she recovers because I’m not sure I would have.
The Verdict
It started off slow but once it picked up, I felt like I was
watching a mix between a teen slasher film and psychological thriller. Also,
when you find out who is behind NEED the twist is well worth the wait.
On the other hand, I'm still freaked out over how these kids
were willing to do anything just to gain free stuff. I shouldn’t be surprised
with the rise of reality tv stars but it was
terrifying to realize something like this is not as unthinkable as it
once was.
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