Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
Trigger Warnings: Abandonment, Ableism (use of the r-slur), Abusive teachers, Alcohol (underage), Bullying, Dead animals, Dissections, Emesis, Ethnic slurs (anti-Romani), Gore (used metaphorically), Neglectful parents, Slut-shaming, Rape, Self-harm, Suicide (mentioned)
About this book:
“Speak up for yourself–we want to know what you have to say.” From the first moment of her freshman year at Merryweather High, Melinda knows this is a big lie, part of the nonsense of high school. She is friendless, an outcast, because she busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops. Now nobody will talk to her, let alone listen to her. As time passes, Melinda becomes increasingly isolated and practically stops talking altogether. Only her art class offers any solace, and it is through her work on an art project that she is finally able to face what really happened at that terrible party: she was raped by an upperclassman, a guy who still attends Merryweather and is still a threat to her. Her healing process has just begun when she has another violent encounter with him. But this time Melinda fights back–and refuses to be silent.
My Review:
The writing is straightforward, making it easy to understand Melinda’s feelings. The story is told from her point of view, so readers can connect with her experience. As the book progresses, Melinda starts to face what happened and slowly finds her voice. The ending is hopeful, showing that it’s possible to heal. Speak is an important book that talks about tough topics like sexual assault and the importance of speaking out. The author captures the pains and troubles of everyday high school life with such raw emotion that I couldn’t help seeing myself and others I know in the characters. Heather, the temporary friend who’s just waiting to be snapped up by a cooler group, reminds me of someone that I used to know very well. (A few people actually). It was a quick read, but it’s also the kind that makes you think about it long after reading.