in a sentence: the freshman year of high school sucks when you have no friends, a weird thing with chewing your lips, and a horrible secret that renders you silent.melinda enters her freshman year of high school having ruined the end of summer party for everyone - she had called the cops. the real reason for the call surfaces mid-novel, though is pretty predictable early on. even though i've been out of high school for 5 years, i can feel her awkwardness and share her frustrations with the dynamics of high school through the vivid self dialogue.
as the adult reader, i hurt for her. i want her to get better, to share, to do SOMETHING. but the novel is so real, leaving melinda to react as i expect an actual girl in her situation might.
i listened to this on audio book, so i think how i heard and experienced things might have varied verses if i had read it. through the audio book, i was connected, concerned, laughed out loud, and was completely immersed in the emotional roller coaster that was this novel. it rocked!
favorite quote: again, since i don't have the book on me, i'm going on memory here. i did love when she said the "top ten lies about high school". those were so clever, funny, and true.
fix er up: the use of art and gardening for her to "find her voice" seemed a bit cliche to me...not that it isn't a venue for those who are having a hard time finding what they want to express.
Title: Speak
Author: Laurie Halse Anderson
Genre: Drama, Problem Novel, Printz Award Winner
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