Speak

Rating:
Summary: Great book!
Review: The latest addition to my bookshelf is Speak, a novel by Laurie Halse Anderson. It is 198 pages long and was written and published in 1999. This book is about a girl named Melinda whose first year of high school has a devastating effect from an event that happened towards the end of the summer. She had called the cops during the night of a wild party held by some seniors. No one ever found out what caused her to make the call. After the night of the party, Melinda keeps to herself and does not talk much at all. She starts her freshman year at Merryweather High School without any friends or people to talk to. Even her best friends have turned away from her. As the year progresses, Melinda's grades slip and her voice is completely gone. The only place where she can express herself is art class, where her understanding teacher helps her recover from the emotional shock. It isn't until near the end when the reader finds out why she called the cops in the first place. The secret that she had been hiding for a whole school year was that Andy Evans, a popular senior at Merryweather High, had raped her the night of the party and still taunts her about it. When her ex-best friend, Rachel, starts to go out with him, Melinda warns her about him and tells Rachel what happened (through a note), but she doesn't believe her and goes to the prom with Andy. The Monday after the prom, Melinda hears that Rachel had ditched Andy on the dance floor and told him about how she knew that he had raped her friend- she decided to believe Melinda after all. The same day, Andy Evans corners her in a closet and finally gets a sound out of Melinda when he tries to rape her again. The whole school finally hears about what really happened and she becomes a heroine during the last two days of her freshman year.

This was one of the best novels that I have read so far this year. Anderson did a fantastic job of writing it. She catches the reader's attention in the very first paragraph and keeps it until the last page. Since the events do not unfold all at once, the reader has to slowly find out about Melinda's past. Anderson describes each and every thing that goes through Melinda's mind clearly, She recreates the whole high school setting very vividly and extremely accurately by describing the exclusive cliques and how the students stereotype each other every day.

I would recommend this book to anyone in the eighth grade and up. It shows people what high school is really like in the real world instead of an almost-perfect one, which is what many teen novels are based upon. The cruel characters in the story remind us about some of the pains in our own lives so it is easy to place yourself in Melinda's shoes.

I think that everyone would be able to relate to Melinda because every teen, at some point, goes through a period where they keep their thoughts to themselves and do not confide in anybody. Melinda stays in this isolated condition throughout most of the book. Her refusal to open up to anybody is something the reader will never forget. Anderson teaches some very important lessons to readers through this novel, one of which is that it is okay to speak up about your past.

This book is one that will last in my memory and was definitely worthwhile to read. It made me want to cry and laugh at the same time. This well-written book is a must-read for every teenager and parent out there!

Rating:
Summary: Important aspects of Speak
Review: I was really surprised when I read Speak by Laurie Anderson. When I glanced at the organization of the book, I was dismayed. It wasn't in chapters; It had sections called "Halloween" and "Pruning." The book was also divided into four major parts called grading periods. I thought, "This is going to be stupid or interesting." Luckily, the latter describes it.
As I read the book, I realized the how important the organization was. Melinda, the main character, graded herself at the end of each grading period, except for the last one. This allowed the reader to see what Melinda thought of herself. It was also appropriate because the novel deals with a teenager-the main setting is a school.
Even more important than the organization is the symbolism. I love the symbolism of the tree. The tree is the object Melinda must work with in art class. As she completes her project, she sort of becomes the tree. Trees cannot live long with a dead limb and neither can she. She has grown and must free herself from a traumatic experience in the past. She does this by facing her attacker in the end (and truly saying "no").
What impressed me most about the book were the characterizations. The teachers were portrayed perfectly. In most schools, there may be a Mr. Neck, a teacher who doesn't want to listen if the opinions oppose his own. There may be an English teacher (Hairwoman) who dissects every piece of symbolism in a novel.
The characterization of Andy was great too. I realize there are boys like him, unfortunately. But the most impressive thing about the book is the voice of Melinda. She is humorous, sarcastic, but very depressed. Reading this book made me aware that many girls who are depressed may be going through similar situations.
This book contains humor, symbolism, but most importantly, real-life issues that young adults need to be aware about. Maybe by reading this, they will have empathy for the "outcast" and reach out to people who are depressed.
I rarely give a book five stars, but this was a book that really got my attention. I recommend it especially for teenagers.

Rating:
Summary: WOW
Review: Girls if you haven't read thins book yet it is a must. This is one of my favorite books of all times. This book helped me through some hard times in my life and i'm truely greatful to the author for writing a great work like this.

Rating:
Summary: A must read!!! very realistic!
Review: Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson is a fantastic book. I was sucked into it by the second page or so. Melinda is battling the truth about being raped inside her own head, and she's not talking much because no one at school will really talk to her except an annoying friend that only comes to her for help. Melinda is an outcast because she called the cops and "busted" an end of the summer party, and no one knows what really happened except her. The only way to express her feelings without making more problems is art, which is the only subject that she is not currently failing. Andy Evans, evening after hurting her at the party, still bugs her and plays with her mind at school. For Melinda, there seems no need to talk, until it was about to happen to her again. She has to choose to either speak, or not to. Laurie Anderson is letting people everywhere learn that its okay to speak about bad things that might have happened in the past. Anderson also is teaching us about rape, and letting us know that it can happen at anytime and that you can't always prevent it. I think that this is a great book and that people 12 and older should read it. I learned a lot from this book, and so can other people. It's a must read for females everywhere.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: Speak is about a high school freshmen named Melinda who is desperately trying to blend in and ignore the severe emotional damage of being raped. All of Melinda's former friends have abandoned her and she must adjust to her first year of high school alone. Melinda's artwork is her only outlet because she has shut down all other parts of herself. Her grades are suffering, her hygiene is suffering and her health is suffering. As the book progressed, Melinda slowly allows herself to admit that she was raped and that she is terrified and angry. As she admits this to herself, Melinda begins to allow herself back into the real world.

This book is heart wrenching and funny at the same time. Melinda's sarcastic wit keeps you smiling through out. The book's climactic ending has the reader cheering through their tears. It is a definite read for anyone age 13 or older.

Rating:
Summary: Unrealistic
Review: This book made me mad. It's well written, and has an OK premise, but it's extremely unrealistic. Adult reviewers stating that this book is so sad because it's something that could happen inreal life must have had the most horrible childhoods in existance. I am extremely thankful to know that I have such good people in my life, and can rest assured that I would never be alone through such an upsetting time.

I can't understand why Melinda was so sad about losing such horrible friends. Talk about a blessing. Just because they didn't know the whole story behind her decision to call the police does not excuse their behavior. Although I can understand one or two bad friends deciding to cut someone out of their lives for a stupid reason, an entire group of people casting someone aside is complete nonsense. I was offended by the fact that I was supposed to be deeply affected and think that most schools and teenagers are like the ones in Melinda's life.

On a positive note, Melinda was realistic. On the off chance that anyone could ever actually be unlucky enough to be in her predicament, I'm sure that many would behave just as she did. Her actions, choices, and the things she thought were understandable, and made the story bearable. I only made it through the entire thing because I actually felt so deeply attatched to her.

Rating:
Summary: Totally engrossing
Review: I couldn't put this book down, I got totally swept up into it and zipped right through it. Throughout it you can feel Melinda's pain, the pain so many high school girls have felt, of being ostracized. The author has great insights and presents them honestly and without judgment. If you liked this you might also like "An Egg on Three Sticks" by Jackie Moyer Fischer.

Rating:
Summary: "Speak.."
Review: "Speak.." is probably the best book i have ever read.
I dont normally read but "Speak" got me hooked after the first 5 pages!!
Speak is about a freshman named Melinda who goes to a crazy party over the summer with tons of High-schooler Melinda gets drunk and raped. After she realizes what happened she freaks out and calls the cops, but when the cops answer she hangs up. Someone sees her calling the cops then the cops show up. The rest of her freshman year is torcher everyone hates her for calling the cops Melinda has no friends all of her old friends hate her shes all alone melinda becomes a total outkast because no one knows the truth. To find out what happens read this book. This book is a GREAT book i would totally recommend it!!

Rating:
Summary: My review on Speak
Review: I loved this book. This book is about a girl named Melinda who had a great life until one summer when she went to a party with her friend Rachel and ends up getting raped and calling the cops. She tells no one what had happened to her the night of the party, there for she goes through her first year of high school alone and silent because nobody wants to be her friend anymore. I really liked the end of this book I don't want to give it away but let's just say she finds a way to let her fear of people knowing go and expresses herself in a way that she feels she has not been able to, and the best part is she doesn't regret it.

Rating:
Summary: A must read for all ages
Review: Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson is truly an amazing book. Laurie brings the readers into the life of a young girl named Melinda. Melinda faces many major problems that occur everyday in today's society: being ostricized, failing classes and family pressures are some examples. What makes this book unique is the way Melinda deals with her problems; she stops talking. Everyone must communicate in one way or another, and Melinda communicates through her art.
Art is the one class she isn't failing, the one class she enjoys, the one class where she can really express herself. Art is more then just her way to communicate it's also her way to escape. Melinda is forced to face more than any one should have to face at any age, let alone hers, and she's forced to do it alone. As I read I could almost feel Melinda's pains and worries, this book is powerful and moving and it really make you think of how improtant communication is to our society. Laurie catches her readers at the first word and keeps them in suspense until the last letter.