Speak

Laurie Halse Anderson's novel Speak is truly moving and brings up taboo topics like sexual assault and bullying in a classy, but distinct manner. 

Summary

Melinda Sordino has been ostracized by her entire school. She called the cops on an end-of-summer party where she was sexually assaulted, scared, and didn't know what to do. There was illegal alcohol use at the party, so a lot of kids got arrested. Would she tell the cops and the kids at her school why she called the cops? Never. Melinda decides to keep her rape a secret, as the boy who sexually assaulted her is one of the most popular guys in school. Even her closest friends she attended the party with do not speak to her anymore. 

When her academic performance begins to fail, her counselor and parents try to step in. Melinda spends most of her time in an abandoned janitor's closet that she makes her 'home' while at school. The only other place in which she feels comfortable is her art class and with her art teacher. After many months of stealing away, skipping class or even whole days of school, letting her grades drop, sinking into depression, shutting out her parents, not having any friends, not talking to her counselor, Melinda finally admits to herself that Andy Evans, or IT, raped her the night of the party. 

Will Melinda share her truth with her former friends? Will she begin to heal? Will she find solace in her art teacher, Mr. Freeman? Can she defeat...IT?

Review

While I wouldn't say this is a pleasure read by any stretch, I think it is important to read, especially in today's world. (This isn't a spoiler alert is it? I mean with this kind of book you're just kind of along for the ride and not waiting for the big cliffhanger at the end, right?) When Melinda lets her guard down to her friends, parents, and teacher, this time instead of being violated  she feels complete. It's a good kind of exposure. It's catharsis. She finally gets all of those pin-up emotions out. 

This is not a fun book to read. It has some mature content while still certainly being YA. But, this book taught me about a world I have never known (and hopefully) will never know. This IS moving. I don't regularly review YA novels like this, but this is a good book from a genre on the rise: trauma, wrong-doings, and how authors grew from owning their truth (kind of like memoir, but in fiction...if that makes sense...).