by Laurie Halse Anderson

5 Stars

Freshman year for Melinda Sordino is an absolute nightmare. After busting an end-of-the-summer party by calling the cops, she begins high school as an outcast. She finds herself being rejected by her friends, avoided by fellow students, and unable to reveal a terrible secret that is constantly haunting her. Melinda feels lonely and depressed during the school year, as she has no one to open up to, and she feels that no one truly cares about her. Melinda goes through months and months of school unable to speak up about the truth of what happened at the summer party, but when she finally builds up the courage to do so, everything changes. 

Speak is a very emotional novel that talks about sensitive topics. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it as the overall message was very powerful. Not only does the novel touch on real-world issues, but the author also offers real solutions to Melinda’s pain, which can be very beneficial to readers that may be in a similar situation to her. The characters were undoubtedly realistic and relatable, and I felt connected to each of them while reading as they were all described so precisely. The storyline was very creative, and the ending was a phenomenal way to conclude the novel. Speak will surely grip teen readers and can open up several discussions regarding the themes and topics addressed in the novel. Overall, Speak was an excellent book to read, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys motivational coming-of-age novels. 

Emily K

View in Library Catalogue: Print | Graphic Novel