*BOOK REVIEW* Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

         

~Speak is Unbelievable~

I must admit, the story at first was awkward. There are no real chapters, just headings. Some "chapters" were only 2 paragraphs made up of no dialogue. Now before you write this review off as someone ranting, I must say, this book has made me breathless. I've read a few books where the characters are in, or have been in these kind of situations. None compare to "Speak". 

The story opens with Melinda, a nobody, an outcast, the mystery. To me, at first, Melinda was a very grey character. She had no real momentum in the story. That is why my curiosity was peaked. Melinda is the character you can't figure out, mostly because she can't even figure herself out. She is broken, confused, and silent. 
Since the story was about Melinda being a reject i figured Laurie had something bigger bubbling under the surface and boy was I right. I originally theorized about what could have made her this way and I immediately knew this was a from of PTSD. Now it is not said in the book that this is what Melinda has, this is just my observation. 
The summary of the story explains an incident which caused Melinda her bad reputation. The cold air that set the stage was due to a cop-bust on a party, the cop-bust Melinda caused. Hence the social reject she becomes. 
Slowly, you experience her difficulties with the teachers at school, her parents, keeping friends, and particularly in going unnoticed. So you begin to see Melinda cloud up like frosted glass. Melinda drifts into silence. 

Though this character's dialogue is short of nothing, and pretty much ceases completely in multiple chapters, she is the loudest character I've ever read about. This character has a secret, and that secret frames her and molds her into a piece of art. Melinda is a sculpture on display; a model for all those keeping silent. Melinda teaches you to 'speak.' 

Speak for everyone. Even speak for those you don't know are there. Speak for the ones that don't know you exist. Speak for the beautifully silent. But most importantly, speak for yourselves.  
                                        ~TO NEVER STAYING SILENT~

~Sydney