Hi friends, happy Wednesday – I hope everyone is doing well. Today I’m going to be reviewing Laurie Halse Anderson’s now Speak.

Speak by: Laurie Halse Andersen: After a summer party gone wrong, Melinda is starting off high school as an outcast. When she calls 911 after being raped, everyone is upset with her for calling the cops, not knowing the whole story. Suffering in silence, Melinda refuses to talk. Over time she comes to realize that she should use her voice to speak up about what happened to her. This was a hard hitting and poignant novel. This really showed and taught that it’s better to talk about issues instead of staying silent. The way this story was told left the reader not only wondering what happened to the main character, but left the reader feeling sad and melancholy. The metaphor of the tree was so well done and incorporated into the story; it really gave the story a deeper meaning and gave the reader more of an appreciation for the story and the character. Even the sub plots with David were really thought out and well executed. The pacing was good; it wasn’t too fast where the reader was flying through the plot; it wasn’t slow either where the reader was trudging to get through it; it was a really nice balance. The characters were well developed and thought provoking; they felt very real, and acted in a manner that reflected teenagers. Even the subtler side characters felt added into the story well. The growth of Melinda was heartwarming to see. As much as this was a heavy novel, it was still a good and important read that ended with the feeling of hope.