Reviews with content warning for Emotional abuse - Speak

Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

28 reviews

ivy_is_sleepy17's review against another edition

informative tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

Many questions. I’d like to have read more about the consequences of Andy’s actions and a more magical ending other that Melinda completed an art project.

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gimmiiie's review against another edition

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emotional sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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te_ss_i's review against another edition

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dark medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

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phantasmfiend's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes

4.0

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maurice_greenware's review against another edition

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dark emotional informative sad tense

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No

2.5

I would be a pretty good book if the main character wasn't so misogynistic throughout the book! I can see how this book would have helped people who've been sexually assaulted, and I applaud the author for creating a book that has helped people with their trauma. I feel like if I had read this book a couple years ago, when I was just getting out of an abusive relationship, it would've really helped me understand what I had been through. so props to the author for sure, I just personally didn't like the writing a lot .

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laheath's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Excellent portrayal of a young girl dealing with being raped at a party before the beginning of high school. She almost completely stops talking to anyone and loses most of her friends due to a misunderstanding about why she called the cops at the party. It's a long time before she tells anyone what truly happened. Her art class and teacher help to save her as she learns how to express herself for an assignment. She also slowly regains her voice to protect future victims and to defend herself.
The faculty members represent a full range of support, or lack of, found in high school. I would have liked more resolution with the parents though. Told in first person, her emotions, her feelings of isolation and her feelings of fear at each future encounter with her rapist at school are often raw as reflected in the words and in the writing style. Nothing in the narrative dates the material so it remains timely. The afterword by this author and by author Jason Reynolds is a must-read.

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