Speak (Laurie Halse Anderson)
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, is about a freshman girl named Melinda Sordino, a complete outcast in her school because of an instance last summer when she had called the police at a party. However, no one knows the real reason behind her actions: at the party, she had been assaulted by a senior. The novel opens on the first day of school, and ends with the culmination and reveal of her secret.
Speak will appeal to a teenage audience with its vivid, keen descriptions of the gritty reality of high school life. Its passages are surprisingly accurate and skirt the line of cheesiness in a way very few young adult novels do.
Anderson uses art beautifully as Melinda’s coping mechanism, as an outlet for her pain and trauma. She shows how one individual, the art teacher, helped Melinda stand up and finally speak. Melinda’s journey is both poignant and hopeful, with the moment when she finally finds her voice an intense, powerful climax that leaves the reader feeling a sense of catharsis.
Melinda’s emotional hurt is tangible through Anderson’s short, compelling sentences, with not a word wasted and an intense first-person narrative. Readers are touched and empowered through Melinda’s journey.
One part that the novel missed out on for me was a slight feeling of the plot being rushed, especially the ending. Additionally, the symbolism was sometimes forced, almost clumsily overdone. This did subtract from the realism and impact of the novel. However, the climax was not compromised, and I think that the pacing was a minor details that was probably necessary to keep the novel as it was: short, compact, powerful.
Anyone that is looking for a quick read that packs a punch and leaves one with quite a bit to think about should try and pick up Speak.
- Tracy Li
Great review! I had previously read Anderson's Seeds of America trilogy, and from what you have said, it seems her short but affecting style of writing is consistent in Speak as well. I liked how you were not afraid to go into what you didn't like about the book rather than just outright praising it. It sounds like a very interesting novel about courage and fear.
ReplyDeleteGood review! I like how you reflect on the deeper meaning of the book beyond just its plot. I've read both Speak and its graphic novel. I'm usually disappointed with graphic novel adaptations but Speak's has stunning art that really helps to convey Melinda's emotions. I'd love to hear your opinions on the graphic novel!
ReplyDeleteI've read Speak before and I liked how you reviewed the book and brought out some of the deeper meanings inside the story. I also liked the fact how you both praised and criticized the story which showed that although the story is good, it is not the best.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very well-formed review and the book that you chose sounds pretty interesting and quite original. I really like the way that you described parts of the book, both negative and positive and I also enjoyed how you mentioned that the book gave the reader a lot to think about afterwards because some books can seem like you read them and never thought about them at all, but this seems like a good refresher.
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