Speak

Speak By Laurie Halse Anderson
Speak depicts the story of Melinda Sordino, a teenage girl enduring a tragic depression through her first year of high school. Because she is disowned by everyone around her, Melinda's tension and distress surmounts that of the usual high schooler. Everyone, including her old best friends, rejects Melinda because she called the cops at an end of summer party. Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak both depressed me and sparked my imagination with an engrossing, somber story.

The story takes place in a modern high school that accommodates a spectrum of various cliques, none of which admit Melinda, of course. The cliques range from preppy girls, who engage in every goodwill program that they possibly can, to girls who choose oddball religions and adorn themselves in peculiar outfits. A new girl at school attempts to make friends with Melinda, but Melinda's pessimism and sorrow drives the new girl away to become a part of the preppy clique.

Laurie Halse Anderson wrote the book using the first person view from Melinda. This technique places the audience where we may comprehend every emotion and thought produced during her depression. Anderson's representation of teenage unhappiness and constant misery is precise. This makes her story seem very authentic and believable, which are two qualities that are vital to the book's appeal.

The characters, such as Melinda's parents, her teachers, and her old friend, Rachel, were all portrayed in believable ways, also. Melinda's parents are frustrated with their daughter's behavior and confused because they are oblivious to the extent of her problems. This discouraging situation proves itself to be genuine in all aspects. Melinda's teachers bear convincing personalities, too, and some of their desriptions were very amusing. Melinda's old friend, Rachel, believably conveys distrust and anger in her dialogue.

Speak perfectly presents Melinda's intruiging and dismal struggle with depression. Anderson describes Melinda's tale in an absorbing and riveting manner, and I found myself locked in a page-turner and enthralled in the drama. I recommend this book especially to younger high schoolers, but anyone interested in melancholy stories will enjoy Speak.