Narrator is quite emotionally self aware. They just know exactly how they feel (or can communicate in unique ways that they aren't quite sure how they feel, which is equally as important). at the same time, the writing itself felt boring and childish. If you opened up a journal of a thirteen year old girl, I feel like it's be more invested in plot than some of this. Just so much of what I ate and this class was boring/we talked about science or i sat and watched this. Like I don't need a play by play of your day. That's what vlogs are for. Ultimately, I think this would've been easier to emotionally connect with when I was younger.

Also would like to add that whenever moments felt emotionally intense or raw, it was undercut by dry statements. I mean, our narrator is forced into a janitors closet with her rapist (who proceeds to grope and threaten her) and the next page we're just in art and we've passed by all the rumors and reactions to the event? ( )

What started as "I'll read a little during breakfast" turned into "I can't put this down." That this book is banned in so many places speak volumes ... volumes that do not say good things about those who advocate for its removal.

There are so many comments along the lines of, "Every girl should read this." I'd say, "So should every guy." ( )

Melinda Sordino busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops, so her old friend won't talk to her, and people she doesn't know hate her from a distance. The safest place to be is alone, inside her own head. But even that's not safe. Because there's something she's trying not to think about the night of the party that, if she let it in, would blow her carefully constructed disguise to smithereens. And then she would have to speak the truth.

Lately I've been too busy to read like I used to, but tonight I read all of Speak in one sitting when I was supposed to be doing schoolwork. If you haven't read this book yet, get on it. ( )

This book hurts, not because it was awful, but because it could be any school in America. It could've, and was, my high school. Although I was fortunate to not experience what the protagonist, Melinda, experienced, high school was far from a pleasant time in my life. Laurie Halse Anderson accurately describes how horrible high school can be if you break one, or, more of the social codes, and how cruel teenagers can be.

It can be a difficult read, but it is well worth it. ( )