Speak
by Laurie Halse Anderson
vReview by Scott Sobocinski
I never understood how someone
could read a book in one sitting.
Sure, there were books that I became
addicted to and stayed up reading into
the wee hours of the morning. And
who hasn’t slinked their way into the
soft glow of the refrigerator and snuck
off a thin midnight slice of French silk
pie? Despite our cravings, treasures
such as books and pie are meant to
be savored, not gobbled up in one
sitting…
I used to think that way until I
read Speak, a young adult novel by
Laurie Halse Anderson that was also
a National Book Award Finalist in
1999. This was the first book that I
read in one sitting, and it happened by
accident. It was just that engrossing!
It’s 198 pages gives the false impression
of being a paltry read, but it teems
with themes of angst and depression,
identity and alienation, past affecting
present, trauma, and courage.
Melinda Sordino is a high school
freshman in Syracuse, New York, and
has recently become a social outcast.
She was once a popular, sociable girl,
but now her grades are slipping, she
dresses differently, and is withdrawn. Ideas abound, but no one
knows the real reason why Melinda suddenly “got weird.” She
has also become mute, and so the story is carried by her internal
monologue, written in a stream-of-consciousness style that is
layered with pessimistic humor, fragmented thoughts, and a secret
that she simultaneously wants to shout from the top of her lungs,
but also wants to forget about.
Despite the fact that we experience
everything from inside Melinda’s head,
we only slowly discover that she is
suffering, in silence, from profound
psychological trauma. Melinda is a
victim of rape. She feels powerless and
ashamed 7 days a week, 5 of which she
must endure passing by her attacker
in the school hallway, and even sits in
some of the same classes. Slowly and
painfully, she learns to accept the scars
of the past, and to not be ashamed.
When Melinda sees the potential
danger of her attacker going to prom,
she breaks her silence, and it snowballs
into a stirring climax and poignant
conclusion.
Rape is a difficult thing to write about,
especially for young adult readers.
Anderson, however, ultimately turns a
dark story arc into a story of recovery.
Melinda’s character is relatable for
anyone who has experienced alienation
in high school or adulthood. For those
of us who are not victims of sexual
assault, Melinda’s story also provides
a small window into what victims
deal with – the hyperawareness; the
insomnia; the isolation; the guilt; the
shame; the self-doubt; the crisis of identity; the anger.
If I had to choose one book to hand to the folks who are
habitually dismissive of young adult literature, this would be it. If
you’re looking for a quick and compelling read, give Speak a try.
You can find the print and audio version of the book at the library
today.
HERVOICEvMARCH/APRIL 2018v25