I was assigned this book to read last year in grade 9 and it is one of my favorite school issued books that I have read to date. This book is very haunting and shows that even though someone might not speak it doesn't mean that their mind is blank.

Melinda is starting freshman year at Merry weather High School with no friends, a reputation, and a terrible secret. Melinda called the cops at a summer party, and experiences a traumatic experience. Melinda is speaking less and her friends are abandoning her. Her silence and physical pain she endured at the party causes her to slowly fall apart. Emotional trauma, depression, and isolation consume Melinda. Speak is a novel of Melinda’s journey of pain, suffering, and recovery. Melinda is a realistic and believable character, as it written by the author’s unfortunate experiences. The rich language and self-deprecating humour makes it a solid novel. The writer is able to write in an accessible language which makes it easy to associate with its teenage viewers. Melinda’s monologue is able to create a relatable character that can voice to those who have endured sexual abuse. Speak will educate its audience about the suffering of sexual abuse. Speak communicates to the readers that sexual assault can happen and somewhere you don’t anticipate it to happen and how it can affect a person. Melinda did not know it would occur when she went to the party. She was confused, lost and afraid. Melinda isolated herself and stayed silence, resulting in emotional turmoil. Laurie Halse Anderson is able to deliver her message effectively by writing engaging and truthful monologue. No one seems to care and listen to Melinda and the readers are able to sympathize for Melinda. The novel is well written because it’s very similar to how people actually view high school: Her attitude towards school, classes and teachers. Some may criticize this story for being too gloomy or saying that Melinda too depressing. The story of what occurred at the party also unfolds slowly throughout the book instead of saying it outright, which I disliked. The book was slow. The character is a silent withdrawn and plot stays the same, until the ending. Also, the conclusion felt unrealistic. Even though she finally started speaking up, usually there’s no one jumping in to save you. Your problems don’t eventually get solved on its own, unless you do something about. I think it puts across the wrong message to those who might find themselves in a similar situation. Although despite what I disliked about Speak, it is a terrific novel and a must read.

Ever wondered what a teen’s like is like? Ever wanted to know how dramatic their lives really are? Well in this novel it will tell you a lot about what happens in a teen’s life and how hard it can get. Situations in a teen’s life switch from good to bad in a blind of an eye. Teenagers often find themselves in really dramatic situations. Melinda the main character in the book experiences and she can’t seem to get herself out of them. She decided one night in the summer, that she was going to go to a party and have some fun, but she ended up in a bad situation. She got raped by a guy at the party. Melinda learned quickly that she needs to rethink her actions: be careful of whom you decide hang around; be who you are and not to be fake just to fit in. Melinda tired fitting and it got her nowhere, besides a place where no one wants to be. After she was raped she had no friends. But once she told the truth about what happened to her at the party. No one believed her until they caught him trying to rape her again. Then everything completely turned around for Melinda. The Arthur was trying to say by making this novel was that not everyone appears to be who they are. You have to be aware of that. Melinda was just trying to have a good night and wasn’t thinking that a guy would take advantage of her. I feel this book would be good to have in a high school, so then teens will be aware of what can happen if you’re not careful. So many teens go to these parties and drink and don’t realize that disturbing events can happen.

Have you ever taken a look into the life of a teenager who struggles in a social atmosphere? The novel “Speak” by Laurie Halse Anderson is an empowering story about a girl who is a social outcast. This text tells what happens to a girl when she goes to a party. What happens after is just as shocking. For most teenagers, maintaining a social life and keeping your grades up is a struggle. But when you take away friends and your social standing, what happens? Melinda found this out the hard way. She went from a typical teenager, friends, social life, and to top it off, she was popular. It took one night at a party to fall from top of the social ladder to the bottom. Melinda became a social outcast thanks to one party, one phone call, and one boy. This text is written in the perspective of Melinda. She seems to be a typical teenager, until you take a deeper look into her life. There was a point in time for which Melinda had it all: the trust of her parents, friends, grades, and a social status. It took one mistake at a party and she lost it all. It was at the party that Melinda found herself drunk and raped. After having called the police and therefor crashing the party, Melinda lost everything. In my opinion the theme of this text would be to do always do what is morally right, even if you are standing alone. Melinda didn’t tell anyone what had happened to her until near the end of the story. When she finally tells the person who used to be her best friend her plans fail and she wasn’t believed. This was devastating for Melinda, after finally trying to do the right thing and protect her old friend. She was back to square one, with no one. It isn’t until Andy tries again that people realize that what Melinda had told Rachel was the truth. I enjoyed reading this novel. For me it was something easy to relate to. Not only were there topics in the story that relate to what had just recently happened with Amanda Todd. But there were also parts of the text that I could relate to myself and what has happened in my own past. I would most definitely recommend high schools to have this book as an English class assignment. It shows what can happen with teenagers at parties where alcohol and other influences are involved.

I thought this book was very well written. I was very moved by the subject matters and the characters. A must read for anyone who knows teens...insightful as to what can be secretly happening in their lives.

I just finished 'Speak' and I must say: One of the best books I've ever read. I think everyone should experience reading this story, even if it's a theme or genre you usually don't go for. I just, can't explain how emotional I am about this book. I just loved it, I mean I can l can barely write this review right now because I'm in tears. I was devastated when I finished this book. Devastated. I didn't want it to end. I fell in love with Melinda (and Ivy), and you'e constantly rooting for her to stay strong. The ending which must have been so hard to write, was spectacular too. I think everyone can relate to this book in some way or another. Definitely 5 stars. I cannot wait to read Laurie Halse Anderson's other books.

I saw this book and thought there could be great potential with the topic, but some spots were just so dry, and boring I was like skimming through it. The part where she finally speaks out is great though :) And the characters were very realistic

I just loved this book! The subject is touchy, but you learn so much along the way. Broken teenagers often hides dark secrets and we have to try to understand them before judging. I feel this book reflects how young people can act in this kind of situation. I recommended it to a friend who barely reads in English, and she loved it! A must-read! One of the best from Laurie Halse Anderson, alongside Wintergirls!

Speak is one of the most refreshing and realistic books I’ve read. It takes the reader from the start of grade 9 to the end of a very intense and lonely year. Melinda is quiet and outspoken she curls inside herself when she can’t think of anything to say or do.She is desperate to find and tell the truth but is held back by emotions and memories so frightening it will leave the reader shocked and speechless. Melinda goes about her year with all of her old friends hating her while they separate into clicks. Melinda not only is quite and outspoken but she is also quite humourous in her own way. This book has it’s laughing moments which brings you up and helps you realize that Melinda wasn’t always a depressed wreck, She had lots of friends and had lots of plans. Than the worst possible thing happened to her and she was wrenched from her great life and thrown into the unknown of sadness, lying, despair and loneliness. Melinda has to crawl her way up the hole she was pulled into and finds herself through art and the truth. This book will leave you captivated and wanting more details of Melinda and her story. This book is an amazing look at teenagers and how bad things can happen to anyone. I will read this book over and over and never grow tired. I will recommend this book to everyone.

Melinda is starting high school without any of her friends from middle school. They have all shunned her. She doesn’t talk very much – really only when necessary – but manages to make a friend in the new girl at school, Heather. At home, her parents are constantly fighting, and Melinda just tries to avoid them when at all possible. It was very good. Laurie Halse Anderson seemed to be able to portray 13/14 year old Melida amazingly well. It was told in first person, present tense. It took me a while to figure out why it “felt” a little different than most books; I think it was the present tense, and I thought it was done very well. I was a little disappointed that I happened to glance at the back of the title page before I started reading it and see a subject heading from Library of Congress that I would call a spoiler. It would have been nice to not know that as I read, but even still, I thought the book was very, very good.