A book review by Claire McCabe
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
My mom first told me to read this book. It has been sitting on her bookshelf for years now, but she herself had never got around to read it. So she asked me to read it and tell her if it was good, and it certainly was.
The author had an odd way of explaining how she came up with the main character, Melinda.
She said that one night, in a nightmare,she heard a girl sobbing. She checked on her kids, but they were the ones. They sobbing was a bad dream, all in her head.She said she sat down at the computer and began to write what she was hearing. the next morning she listened again and the character of Melinda Sordino unfolded.
Melinda has gone almost completely mute. The summer before school she busted a party by calling the cops, and now everyone, and all of her friends, hate her. But what they don’t know is what happen to her at the party. Melinda struggles with depression and loneliness, and the traumatizing event that occurred at the party. One of my favorite things about this book is that you do not find out why she called the cops in the party until that last third of the book. Melinda doesn’t tell you until she is ready. A large theme in the book.
The title “speak” comes from the fact melinda has told no one about what happened to her, and it also applies that she has gone almost completely mute. Her parents are worried, her teachers too , but not her friends. Well, her old friends. Her grades are slipping, she sometime just skips school, and has no friends because of one incident.
I would highly recommend this book to adults and teens alike. It is the brutal truth about the horrible things that can happen, and the fact that you need to speak up. This book has educated millions, and has even become a movie. It shows serious issues and what we can do, to help people to speak.
Comments (1)
AKabodian said
at 8:18 pm on Mar 16, 2013
Did I tell you that I met the author, Laurie Hulse Anderson? She's a riot. Just hilarious. She spoke at a conference and then I had to read this book. Loved its honesty and willingness to deal with tough issues. You should check out some of her others.
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