Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
Speak is the first Laurie Halse Anderson book that I’ve read and it certainly won’t be the last. I loved the way in which Speak was written. I’m not exactly sure how to describe it. It’s very minimalistic. Short and to the point. It was refreshing to discover a very stylized book, at least a style that I haven’t come across lately.
In Speak, it’s the first day of high school and Melinda has seven new notebooks, a skirt she hates and a stomachache. This school year is going to be nothing like last year because Melinda has lost all of her friends due to the fact that she called the cops at a end of the summer party. People hate this girl. Due to the trauma of what happened to her at the party, Melinda becomes withdrawn, quiet, a poor student and a bafflement to her parents. We slowly discover exactly what happened to cause Melinda to call the cops at the party. You have a general idea of what happened and really feel sorry for Melinda, but once it’s revealed, man, you feel even more sorry for her. I really wanted to get inside the story and kick some sense into all of the high schoolers who treated Melinda so awful. You think you have friends, and then, bam!, they turn on you in just a second. It’s amazing how age gives you a new perspective on the time you spent in high school. People can be so mean to each other. I realize that Melinda was dealing with trauma, but I really wanted her to speak up for herself!
This story was dark and serious. I loved an author who can take a serious subject and present it so perfectly. Highly recommended for young adults and adults alike.
Visit Laurie Halse Anderson’s website.
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Category: Book Reviews, Fiction, Young Adult
Tags: A-D Author, banned, National Book Award, Printz, Q-T Title
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I’m going to look out for this one. I think a lot of the YA stuff I’ve been reading these is days has been quite fluffy and happy, but I forget there’s a lot of good serious stuff as well.
on August 27th, 2008 at 12:48 amWasn’t this made into a movie?
on August 27th, 2008 at 7:19 amYes, this was made into a movie. I watched it on TV and enjoyed it. It starred the girl who was cast as Bella in Twilight. I’ll have to look for this book.
on August 27th, 2008 at 7:58 amI loved this book. You might say it was a book that changed my life–in that it was the first “YA” book I read, and it prompted me to go out and get my degree in library science and specialize in children’s and YA literature. I’m always so happy when I see people discovering this one.
on August 27th, 2008 at 8:56 amThank you for cluing me into the movie. That’s why I love receiving comments, I had no idea! Now I need to go see it.
Here is the trailer:
on August 27th, 2008 at 9:10 amWow, it looks great. I just finished Sweethearts last night and I loved it! I will look for this one, too.
on August 27th, 2008 at 9:28 amI read this earlier this year and loved it. I passed it on to two others who also loved it. I thought it seemed so real.
on August 27th, 2008 at 1:28 pmYou know I almost picked this book up awhile back and now I’m not sure why I didn’t.
on August 27th, 2008 at 1:54 pmI watched the movie (for Kristen Stewart xD) and I ended up loving it =]
I guess I should go pick up the book now =]
on August 27th, 2008 at 1:55 pmA powerful book. I wouldn’t say that I liked it, but it pretty much ripped my heart out. I read a couple pages of Twisted one day as well, and that seemed like an interesting one.
on August 27th, 2008 at 4:51 pmI thought this book was great. I can’t believe high school kids would treat each other so mean- but then again I can, because I did go to high school once. No idea it was a movie. Going to have to check that out!
on August 27th, 2008 at 8:02 pmI enjoyed this book so much. Quite a powerful story.
on August 27th, 2008 at 9:27 pmahh! sounds awesome! and that movie looks awesome too! and it has kristen stewart in it! another plus!!!
on August 28th, 2008 at 1:38 pmI loved this book, but her others don’t compare to it.
on September 1st, 2008 at 2:15 pm[...] Dreams, My Life as a Polygamist’s Wife)51. Maw Books (Escape)52. Maw Books (Far World)53. Maw Books (Speak)54. Maw Books (The Alchemist)55. Mindy Withrow (The Maytrees by Annie Dillard)56. Nicola (The [...]
on September 6th, 2008 at 2:46 pmI plan on teaching this withthe “coming of age” unit for my ninth graders. I like how melinda characterizes the teacher and labels the cliques. I hope to do projects that address rape, date rape, teen pregnancy and underage drinking.
on September 11th, 2008 at 12:17 pmI LOOVVED this book! I also read Fever 1793, also good. I recently heard of the movie…can’t wait to watch it! Kristen Stewart is playing Melissa…can’t wait to see her acting ability since i am skeptical of her ability to play Bella in Twilight….Awweesome Series btw…..so u should read it! XD
on September 28th, 2008 at 11:48 amThis book was actually really good. I just got done reading it for my English class, so whoever reads it, I believe you will think it is awesome. I am also about to read another book by this author.
on September 29th, 2008 at 4:36 pmIs this a true story???
on October 8th, 2008 at 7:08 pmWhitney – No, this is not a true story. The book is fiction.
Hey all – I saw the movie! I really enjoyed it. My husband loved it!
on October 9th, 2008 at 11:53 pmI have a 15 yrd old daughter that suffers from anxiety and read this for her English class and made her very nervous becuase it made her think of cutting and other bad thoughts. My wife is helping her cope with these feelings but I am wondering if anyone has thid type of reaction, or if anyone can give us some advice. She is going to wathc the movie tomorrow in school but is extremely nervous about watching it.
on November 18th, 2008 at 8:58 pmJohn – Well, I’m no professional but it’s heartening that she is able to share these thoughts with you. Since writing this review I have watched the movie and thought it was well done but am unsure what someone’s reaction to it would be if they can relate to the character. A book that I have reviewed about cutting is called Cut by Patricia McCormick; http://blog.mawbooks.com/2008/01/25/cut-my-brothers-keeper-by-patricia-mccormick/.
on November 19th, 2008 at 1:13 amHi Natasha, I greatly appreciate your feedback. I will find out how my daughter did when she gets home from school but I agree that we are lucky that she confides in us. I think that makes a big difference.
on November 19th, 2008 at 11:11 amAs it turns out and as I was hoping, my daughter wacthed the film and for the most part enjoyed it. She said she closed her eyes in the parts that made her uncomfortable. I wish I could get more info from her but it’s sometimes hard to get more than a 3 word response from my daughter which is typical for a 15 yrd old.
on November 24th, 2008 at 3:00 pmJohn – I remember when I was 15. I thought I would rather die than confide in my parents! Now as a parent myself, I can only hope they will. Good to know she enjoyed the movie. I thought it was well done. My husband also enjoyed it. FYI – the main character Kristen Stewart plays Bella in the new Twilight movie.
on November 24th, 2008 at 4:54 pmI loved the book.The way it was writen amazed me.I couldnt put it down. I know that high school can be hard ecspecially if something like that happened.I can kinda relate.
on December 9th, 2008 at 6:31 pmI admit, this book was good. I mostly enjoy war books and all that stuff but this isn’t half bad. The movie sucked though, all fake and you could tell.
-DJ Unknown, Chicago, Illinois.
on December 11th, 2008 at 6:05 pmValerie – High schoolers can be cruel. I’m glad that I made it through unscathed.
DJ Unknown – I liked the movie just fine. I thought it was a good adaptation of the book.
on December 14th, 2008 at 10:06 pmI loved this book. It was depressing but it makes you realize how good you have it. . .
on January 19th, 2009 at 5:58 pmAshlyn – I’m so glad you enjoyed this book.
on January 20th, 2009 at 9:15 pmWow, I didn’t know there was a movie. It looks pretty good too. I noticed Kristen’s boyfriend is in it. I wonder if that is where they met? It also has D.B. Sweeney (he’s Doug Dorsey in The Cutting Edge). I love that movie so that’s pretty awesome. Of course the book sounds good as well.
on March 30th, 2009 at 4:21 pmWhere did the story took place.
on April 15th, 2009 at 5:17 pmi think this book was very touching and it really spoke to me in some ways.. it told me never to keep things bolted up.. i need to have someone to talk to about things. and not be afraid to speak up…
on April 17th, 2009 at 12:45 pm