Title: Speak
Author: Laurie Halse Anderson
Published: April 1, 2001 (originally published October 22, 1999)
Blurb (taken from Goodreads): Melinda Sordino busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops. Now her old friends won't talk to her, and people she doesn't even know hate her from a distance. The safest place to be is alone, inside her own head. But even that's not safe. Because there's something she's trying not to think about, something about the night of the party that, if she let it in, would blow her carefully constructed disguise to smithereens. And then she would have to speak the truth. This extraordinary first novel has captured the imaginations of teenagers and adults across the country.
Disclaimer: This book has a trigger warning for rape, depression, and self harm. If you suffer or are bothered by any of those things I don't recommend this book to you.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Review: I want to start this review off by saying that this is not a rape book. This is not a book about rape. Yes it deals with our main character having been raped at a summer party, but Speak is so much more than a book about rape (much like how The Fault in Our Stars is much more than a book about cancer). The emotions in this book are so raw, the symbolism is great, and the writing is beautiful. You grow with Melinda as she struggles to understand her rape. You watch her heal and I feel like that's important. Melinda's rape silences her. This is a story of how Melinda learns to speak. I think another important aspect of this book is that Melinda sees her rapist almost everyday, because they go to school together. She's a freshman and I believe he's a senior, although he could be a junior, I'm not sure. I think Melinda seeing her rapist everyday is important because situations like that happen to girls quite often. Laurie Halse Anderson writes her teenagers as if she's still a teenager herself. I really loved reading this book and it really changed the way I look at people.
I feel like Speak is such an important book that young girls and even adults should read. I encourage victims of sexual assault to read this book so that they know that they are not alone in what they had to suffer through.
Buy this book from Amazon | Barnes & Noble
If you or someone you know is a victim of sexual abuse please visit the anti-sexual assault website, RAINN, for help or more information.
Author: Laurie Halse Anderson
Published: April 1, 2001 (originally published October 22, 1999)
Blurb (taken from Goodreads): Melinda Sordino busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops. Now her old friends won't talk to her, and people she doesn't even know hate her from a distance. The safest place to be is alone, inside her own head. But even that's not safe. Because there's something she's trying not to think about, something about the night of the party that, if she let it in, would blow her carefully constructed disguise to smithereens. And then she would have to speak the truth. This extraordinary first novel has captured the imaginations of teenagers and adults across the country.
Disclaimer: This book has a trigger warning for rape, depression, and self harm. If you suffer or are bothered by any of those things I don't recommend this book to you.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Review: I want to start this review off by saying that this is not a rape book. This is not a book about rape. Yes it deals with our main character having been raped at a summer party, but Speak is so much more than a book about rape (much like how The Fault in Our Stars is much more than a book about cancer). The emotions in this book are so raw, the symbolism is great, and the writing is beautiful. You grow with Melinda as she struggles to understand her rape. You watch her heal and I feel like that's important. Melinda's rape silences her. This is a story of how Melinda learns to speak. I think another important aspect of this book is that Melinda sees her rapist almost everyday, because they go to school together. She's a freshman and I believe he's a senior, although he could be a junior, I'm not sure. I think Melinda seeing her rapist everyday is important because situations like that happen to girls quite often. Laurie Halse Anderson writes her teenagers as if she's still a teenager herself. I really loved reading this book and it really changed the way I look at people.
I feel like Speak is such an important book that young girls and even adults should read. I encourage victims of sexual assault to read this book so that they know that they are not alone in what they had to suffer through.
Buy this book from Amazon | Barnes & Noble
If you or someone you know is a victim of sexual abuse please visit the anti-sexual assault website, RAINN, for help or more information.