#26- Speak
Rating-8.5/10
This was one of those books that going into the project I knew I had heard of and knew the story but couldnt remember whether this was from hearing from friends or seeing the movie. I guess in some ways it felt very anticlimactic because I knew the climax storyline (its on the description of the book, so everyone knows its) and so it wasn't a surprising read. That being said, doesnt mean the book wasnt good.
Speak follows the story of Melinda, a high school freshman who has a secret inside that is eating her alive. She was raped at the end of school party in 8th grade, she was 13 and drunk and called the cops after it happened, too traumatized to say anything they came and broke up the party. No one knows that Mel was raped and therefore she gets the reputation of being the class loser, who called the cops and busted every at the end of year party.
The following year in school she has no friends and since that night continually says less and less until she isn't speaking at all. Through the guidance of her teachers, parents, and hesitant friends Melinda eventually finds the courage to move past this rough time in her life and speak out against what happened.
I think that this story doesnt resonate as deeply within me as it does with other people because I have been extremely lucky throughout life and was never pressured by boys to do things I didnt want to do. Hell, I didnt even kiss a boy until I was 16 years old. I was sheltered and respected and for those reasons while this book made me extremely sad for Melinda, it didnt make me realize anything about my own life. (which are generally my favorite sorts of books)
I have heard stories from friends and acquaintances who were really changed by this book, that they had been sexually abused or traumatized in a way and this made them tell someone or move past it. I think for that reason this book can't be rated in numbers or stars, because for some people it was everything.
Side note: I couldnt read the book without picturing Kristen Stewart (who plays Melinda in the movie) and I kept thinking to myself how perfectly she worked as that character, another movie before book adaptation that I wasnt upset reading. Hooray for that!
Great review! I get what you are saying about it not resonating with you because you've been lucky enough to not be able to relate. I felt the same way. I was still deeply moved by it, perhaps I could relate to being a quiet person in general, so I connected wtih Melinda in that way.
ReplyDeleteI loved the movie. Whenever people hate on Kristen Stewart, I'm reminded that no one else could have played Melinda so perfectly, so her lack of emotional expressions worked to her favor in Speak. =)
her complete lack of emotion works well for this character! Still not a huge fan of her in general, but she nailed this book.
DeleteI totally agree about Kristen Stewart. Her lack of emotion helped a lot here!
ReplyDeleteWhat I liked best about this book was what Melinda said in the narration that she never said out loud. Her reactions to certain things could be either heart breaking or hilarious depending on the situation, and I thought the film suffered from not having that. I thought they should have used a voice over narration to get those feelings in there.
ReplyDeleteI havent watched the movie recently, so I will have to re-watch and see. I can see where it would be a critical part of the movie and would be lacking without it.
DeleteI completely agree with you. It was a good read for me but it didn't resonate with me the way that it did with others. I actually read this book with my ninth graders when I was in the classroom. The girls loved it, but the guys didn't. I thought it was going to be an awkward read in a large setting but it wasn't.
ReplyDeleteI believe that this book was one of the optional summer reading books for us in ninth grade as well (it was quite a while ago now, I chose my sisters keeper so I dont remember the other ones). I can't imagine that boys would have much in common with the narrator, although I think a lot of the books on this list are also aimed more towards girls.
DeleteI read this book all in one day and cried at the end, finding it to be so powerful and well-written even if it didn't make me reflect much on my own personal life.
ReplyDeleteI agree, it was very well written and the feelings that it brings about are very moving!
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