Book 2: SPEAK By Laurie Halse Anderson

Book 2: SPEAK By Laurie Halse Anderson

1.BIBLIOGRAPHY

Anderson, L. H. (1999). Speak. Farrar Straus Giroux. ISBN 9780374311254


2. PLOT SUMMARY

In the book Speak a teenage girl , Melinda experiences an unnamed, traumatic incident that leaves her emotionally devastated and a social outcast at school. After Melinda calls the police during a summer party, her friends, including her best friend, Rachel, abandon her. The reason behind her actions is initially unclear, but as the story unfolds, readers learn that Melinda was raped by an older student at the party. The trauma of this event has left her unable to speak about it, leading to her social isolation and deteriorating mental health. As Melinda navigates her way through the school year, she struggles to find her voice and express her pain. She is constantly haunted by the memory of the assault and is unable to confide in anyone about it. By the end of the book, Melinda has transformed from a silent victim to a survivor. She completes her tree sculpture, symbolizing her journey towards healing and self-acceptance. Ultimately Melinda finds the courage to stand up and speak up to her former friends.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Speak is a wonderful book that all young adults should read at least once, in case they find themselves dealing with something similar that Melinda had gone through and cannot find their voice to speak up about it afterwards. Even teens who had not faced sexual abuse can still relate to the feeling of isolation and distressed expressed by Melinda. The author Anderson told this story with heartbreaking honesty and devastating insight, Speaks shows the cruelty and reality of high school students. The fragility of friendships, how warning signs are missed and how the ones who need it the most, often fall through the cracks. Speak is well-written, poignant, and evokes deep emotion, told with heartbreaking honesty and with devastating insight. Speak is well-written, moving, and evokes deep emotions.


4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

“An uncannily funny book even as it plumbs the darkness, Speak will hold readers from first word to last.”

—The Horn Book, Starred Review

“A frightening and sobering look at the cruelty and viciousness that pervade much of contemporary high school life, as real as today’s headlines. . . . The plot is gripping and the characters are powerfully drawn . . . a novel that will be hard for readers to forget.”

—Kirkus Reviews, Pointer Review

“Melinda’s pain is palpable, and readers will totally empathize with her. This is a compelling book, with sharp, crisp writing that draws readers in, engulfing them in the story.”

—School Library Journal

“A story told with acute insight, acid wit, and affecting prose.”

—Library Journal


5. CONNECTIONS

Other YA books written by Laurie Halse Anderson

  • SHOUT
  • Wonder Woman: Tempest Tossed
  • Speak: The Graphic Novel
  • Catalyst
  • The Impossible Knife of Memory
  • Wintergirls
  • Prom
  • Twisted

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