Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Title: Speak

Author: Laurie Halse Anderson

Where I got it: A lovely girl that was apart of a secret Santa with me bought it and sent it to me!!

Why I read it: Because it's one of my all time favorite books ever!

Rating: A+++++++++








Good reads description:

Since the beginning of the school year, high school freshman Melinda has found that it's been getting harder and harder for her to speak out loud: "My throat is always sore, my lips raw.... Every time I try to talk to my parents or a teacher, I sputter or freeze.... It's like I have some kind of spastic laryngitis." What could have caused Melinda to suddenly fall mute? Could it be due to the fact that no one at school is speaking to her because she called the cops and got everyone busted at the seniors' big end-of-summer party? Or maybe it's because her parents' only form of communication is Post-It notes written on their way out the door to their nine-to-whenever jobs. While Melinda is bothered by these things, deep down she knows the real reason why she's been struck mute...

Laurie Halse Anderson's first novel is a stunning and sympathetic tribute to the teenage outcast. The triumphant ending, in which Melinda finds her voice, is cause for cheering (while many readers might also shed a tear or two). After reading Speak, it will be hard for any teen to look at the class scapegoat again without a measure of compassion and understanding for that person--who may be screaming beneath the silence.


First let me start off by saying this is my SECOND time reading this book!! And of COURSE it was just as good as the first time. Actually, it may have been even BETTER than the first time through!!! Even though I knew what happened to Melinda to make her stop speaking, it was still a great book. And I didn't remember some of the events in between the beginning and the ending, so it made the book that much more interesting to reread! 


If you've never read this book, then you need to.. NOW! You need to go out of your house as soon as you're done reading this post, and buy it. Then, you need to go buy all of the other books she's written and read them!! That's how good this book is!! 


I think my favorite thing from the book is how it's written. Laurie wrote it in the voice/eyes of the main character, Melinda. She didn't write it as if someone else was telling the story, it was Melinda telling the story. She starts off from when she was at the party, up until the very last day of school for the year. She is the one speaking the entire time, or rather, telling the story. It never gets chopping, or confusing, which makes the book amazing. Not many authors are able to do that. 


The book makes you kind of sad, and makes you feel sorry for Melinda, makes you want to jump into the pages and be her friend and knock out those who are immature and won't speak to her. It also makes you laugh a few times from the quirky-ness of Melinda and her family. 


All in all, it's an AMAZING book, written amazingly, the story is told amazingly, and you MUST read it! Read it once, then read it again!! I promise, you won't be unsatisfied! 


Here are a few interesting facts that you may not be aware of, and if you've read the book, you may still not be aware of this..


But this book was on the Banned Books list!! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT!? I was FURIOUS when I found this out!! Some people asked schools and educators to take it off the shelves because it gave teenagers and young adults the wrong idea!! WHAT!? Definitely not true at all! So, if you've heard this, and you're the type of person who believes that a banned book isn't a book to read, IGNORE IT! This book, as all books, does not deserve to be on ANY banned books list! It's NOT poorly written, it has no graphic, or questionable material in it. So, please read!


And for those of you who have read it, or will read it.. Did you know that Laurie has been thinking about writing a SEQUEL to the Speak!?! I didn't know this until I read this 10th anniversary edition!! She said she's thought about it, but she said that she won't start writing it until Melinda speaks to her. Until it randomly comes to her like it did with Speak it's self. So, lets all keep hoping, wishing and praying that it comes to her and a sequel is written SOON! 


PLEASE, if you've read this book already, or when you do.. LEAVE feedback! I want to know what you liked, or dislike about the book. Would you give it to  friend, or recommend they go buy it themselves? Let me know!


My Rating: