Speak

Reader reviewed by ambs

when one girl feels that she must stay silent and no one will ever find out what happended to her, she finds it hard to watch all of her friends change and when one of them starts to get close to this guys she finds it hard to stay silent anymore. with a teacher always on her back and a haunting memory always in her head she finds it hard to speak. when she is able to tell the world her story she relizes that it isnt so hard to speak after all.

to find out what she must speak about ull just have to read the book, i mean i gave it a 5 it was so good.

Reader reviewed by FxOxG

Speak is a moving story by the author Laurie Halse Anderson. The book is about a troubled girl,Melinda Sordino, who is named an outcast for calling the cops on an end of the summer bash. What no one realizes is that Melinda has a secret to hide my harsh than the high school social ladder.
This is a touching tale of courage and understanding. I reccomend this book to most people.

Reader reviewed by KL

This book was recommended to me when I was at a writing conference and ever since that day (in 2001) I have heard it recommended countless times at conferences. Recently I saw the movie on Lifetime (it's also available in video stores) and the film really brought the book to life. I especially thought the casting of the teachers was excellent. They were exactly the way the were written in the book.

The book takes you inside the character's head and although she's not speaking much publically, it's almost like you're listening to her thoughts in a very different way than I've ever seen done before. In many books you get inside the character's head, but it's almost like we're just tapping into something and she's not aware (or doesn't care) that we are there.

I would recommend this book highly, but only to older high school students. I would highly recommend this to college students because this is the sort of situation that they are likely to face in college at a time when they may not see themselves as naive or suceptable to this sort of situation anymore.

Reader reviewed by xbitemynailsx

This is a GREAT book. Especially for teens. It is about a girl who is at a party and gets raped. She becomes a big misfit because she calls the police and tells the truth. It is definately a realistic book. I loved it and would recommend it.

Reader reviewed by ******

I loved this book. Everyone who reads this book can relate to it because it is told exactly how a teen girl would say it. She describes her school and teachers in a great way, that is also humorous, I loved how the ending was not at all how I'd imagined it. It had a great twist on it. I think all girls from 12 and up should read this.

This was a sad book for me. I have read my share of books with ostracized main protags but Speak really taps into the realistic aspects of a party gone wrong and the horrible outcome that plagues Melinda.

High school is harsh. Drama is a shark in the ocean of teenagers. Unfortunately, Melinda feels the wrath of the shark attack. The swarm of loneliness that sinks inside her when everyone abandons her for calling the cops at the party she happens to unfortunately attend.

Once you read this book, you can truly see why it accumulated so many literary awards in the first place. Laurie Halse Anderson creates Melinda, a realistic teenager who combats abuse, loneliness, and fear in a sanctuary that condemns her for a crime that was a matter-of-fact cry for help from Melinda.

For sometimes, fear clouds the truth, hides it from the world and is unseen. High school drama is the shark, and the truth is attacked by those masses of razor teeth.

Reader reviewed by Courtney

Speak is an amazing book that will grip readers and won't let them go. Everyone can relate to Speak in some way or another and readers will take away some life changing lessons.As i read Speak it felt like i was really there witnessing what had happened to Melinda. I hated to see this book end.

Reader reviewed by Kelsey

I had to read this book for school, and I usually don't like books that I am forced to read but this book was the exception. I loved this book I found myself not wanting to put it down. It grabs your attention and makes you feel like you have to know what is going to happen next. This book was so true, and reminds you so much of a high school today. It was so well written that you could feel the characters emotions as if you were there with them. I highly recommend this book to everyone of all ages. After reading it i also recommend the movie but read the book first because the movie isn't as good and will ruin it. I give this book two thumbs up.

Reader reviewed by Tiffany Bianco

Summary: Last summer Melinda Sordino was involved in a life changing experience at a high school party. In a panic she called the police but no one knew why she called. Now no one wil talk to her. She goes through most of her freshman year with people harassing her about last summer. Finally, her secret of why she called the police is out.

Opinion: My favorite character in speak was Melinda Sordino. I liked the way she overcame all her problems. She spent most of her freshman year alone but never quit school. I enjoyed this book mainly beacause the main character was the same age as me and I could relate to her problems.

Recomendations: I would recomend this book to teenage girls because they would probably relate to it very well because the main character has problems at school and home that normal teenagers would have in real life.

Reader reviewed by Amber

This book was very good. it is about a girl who is rapped and how she deals with it. At times this book made me mad because you could tell something was wrong but no body was doing any thing about it. she lost all her friends, because the called the cops on the end of summer party and her parents are blaming it on a being a teenager. so the only one left to help her is herself, but first she most find her voice to confront her rapper. it is a really good book.