Marika G. (marika) reviewed on 1/23/2010 + 20 more book reviews

At the beginning of Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, Melinda is a freshman, just beginning her first year of high school. Already a tenuous time for any teenager, Melinda has just had an unfortunate experience that turned her friends against her and alienated her from the entire school body. Her unpopular decision to call the police during a high school party has led to Melinda's daily torture in school. She is ridiculed, ignored, taunted, and bullied by her classmates. Melinda crawls further and further inside of herself, refraining from speaking and neglecting to care for herself. Her absent parents and unaware teachers seem ignorant of the pain in Melinda's life. Melinda's art class is the only refuge she can find from a life filled with anger and hurt.

This book is a terrific and amazingly accurate portrayal of bullying in a high school. Melinda's character is well-developed and her feelings jarring and realistic. Anybody who has had trouble fitting in with peers in a school setting will understand Melinda's despondency. A mood of melancholy solitariness permeates the novel and her loneliness and self-defeat is haunting. Although fictional, I was moved to tears while reading about Melinda's high school experiences. In my opinion, given the culture of public high school, this is an important book to read.

Back to all reviews by this member
Back to all reviews of this book
Back to Book Reviews
Back to Book Details