Review: Want to Go Private?

by Sarah Darer Littman
publisher: Scholastic
date of publication: August 1, 2011
format: ARC
pages: 336
source: from the publisher
Amazon / Goodreads / B&N

From Goodreads:

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.

What I Thought

Warning: there are some minor spoilers, so proceed at your own caution

This book is somewhat of a departure for me, as you may already know. However, when I heard about this book, I knew that it had something important to say. Thanks to Scholastic, I had the opportunity of reading a review copy of this book so that i could share just how important the message is with you all.

Abby's story is every bit as heart-breaking as you would imagine it to be. She is a lonely, awkward teenager who finds herself feeling disconnected from everyone: her family, her classmates, even her long-time best friend. The feels misunderstood and wishes for those around her to just let her be herself. This leaves her vulnerable to Luke, who quickly swoops in and wins Abby over. The process behind this, known as "grooming," is insidious and horrifying. However, I wasn't entirely sure about the quickness with which Abby complied with Luke's requests. It didn't seem to take very long at all for him to jump right to the more perverse things and for Abby to go along with it. The end result, however, is a frightening scenario that serves to remind parents and teens alike of a very important fact: there are some dangerous people on the internet and it could happen to anyone.

As they play a significant role in the story, I will next address the language and sexual content. Several scenes are very graphic and, as such, have the capability of making the reader uncomfortable. While the inclusion of these elements hits home the point that these situations are not okay and should bring forth alarm if encountered, I wouldn't recommend that a teen read this alone. This is a book that should be read along with a parent and discussed at length. Discussion in conjunction with the reading of this book and utilization of the book's website (found HERE) is key and will help to make sure that the message is received loud and clear: be careful and don't acquiesce to requests such as these.

One of the most poignant aspects of the book had to do not with the reasons Abby felt as she did (though those elements are very important, as well). Sarah Darer Littman does an excellent job of showing the effect of Abby's disappearance on her family and friends. Contrary to what Abby believes, those closest to her truly do care for her well-being. Watching them go through the torturous days that follow as Abby remains missing is heart-breaking, frightening, and incredibly angering that they are being subjected to this nightmare. Nothing will ever be the same for any of them, which is an excellent illustration of all of the facets of an occurrence such as this.
Want to Go Private? is very important in the role it has to play. Not only does it tell a story, it also sends a very important message that needs to be heard by both teens and adults. The dangers depicted could befall anyone at any age, thus it is imperative that this message to be taken to heart. Though Abby's progression into the trap that Luke sets for her may seem very rushed at times, it presents the ramifications of such actions, none of which should be ignored or taken lightly. This is an excellent presentation of a warning that I highly recommend. I give Want to Go Private? 4 hoots.






Obligatory legal statement: This advance reading copy was provided to me free of charge by the publisher in exchange for a fair and unbiased review. Many thanks to Scholastic for the opportunity of reviewing this ARC.