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4.47 AVERAGE
4.47 AVERAGE
Trigger warning: Rape
I don’t know what to say. I loved “Speak” when I read it back in 2015. I felt for Melinda and wanted to hug her throughout the story and loved how Anderson takes a long road to showing us what happened to Melinda and how her life became unraveled before her freshman year of high school. The graphic novel does a great job with showing us Melinda in the present day and her memories of her friends and of a party that changed everything via the illustrations by Emily Carroll. The illustrations add so much to this story and I am glad that I read “Speak” first and then this graphic novel next. I already knew the story that Anderson was going to tell. Seeing it via another medium made it even more powerful.
“Speak: The Graphic Novel” follows the main character, Melinda. Melinda is starting her freshman year in high school and the novel quickly shows how alone she feels. She is unable to speak and as we follow her through four quarters at Merryweather High School we find out what led Melinda to lose her voice and how in the end she gets it back.
Melinda has so much pain in her and I am blown away again by the fact that her parents were this clueless. The only person that seems to be aware of Melinda is her art teacher, Mr. Freeman and a classmate of her David Petrakis. The character of Heather was self-absorbed and I cracked up at the scene we had in the novel (with Melinda telling Heather no) was done again in this with Heather’s face not processing being told no.
The writing was so good. I think that doing this novel with illustrations was actually brilliant. Considering that Melinda finds her voice again via her art and art class in school I thought it was great to see.
The graphics just made me want to go and buy this book in hardcover though.
The graphic novel shows us Melinda’s room, her secret hiding place at school, and her art classes. Everything feels tight and slightly claustrophobic.
The ending really resonates and I can’t believe this book is already 20 years old. The themes in this book made it in my mind a true classic that I can see people reading for years.
I don’t know what to say. I loved “Speak” when I read it back in 2015. I felt for Melinda and wanted to hug her throughout the story and loved how Anderson takes a long road to showing us what happened to Melinda and how her life became unraveled before her freshman year of high school. The graphic novel does a great job with showing us Melinda in the present day and her memories of her friends and of a party that changed everything via the illustrations by Emily Carroll. The illustrations add so much to this story and I am glad that I read “Speak” first and then this graphic novel next. I already knew the story that Anderson was going to tell. Seeing it via another medium made it even more powerful.
“Speak: The Graphic Novel” follows the main character, Melinda. Melinda is starting her freshman year in high school and the novel quickly shows how alone she feels. She is unable to speak and as we follow her through four quarters at Merryweather High School we find out what led Melinda to lose her voice and how in the end she gets it back.
Melinda has so much pain in her and I am blown away again by the fact that her parents were this clueless. The only person that seems to be aware of Melinda is her art teacher, Mr. Freeman and a classmate of her David Petrakis. The character of Heather was self-absorbed and I cracked up at the scene we had in the novel (with Melinda telling Heather no) was done again in this with Heather’s face not processing being told no.
The writing was so good. I think that doing this novel with illustrations was actually brilliant. Considering that Melinda finds her voice again via her art and art class in school I thought it was great to see.
The graphics just made me want to go and buy this book in hardcover though.
The graphic novel shows us Melinda’s room, her secret hiding place at school, and her art classes. Everything feels tight and slightly claustrophobic.
The ending really resonates and I can’t believe this book is already 20 years old. The themes in this book made it in my mind a true classic that I can see people reading for years.
Ik ben echt gesprint door deze graphic novel!
Hij was echt beter dan het normale boek vond ik, enige wat ik jammer vond is dat hij vertaald was naar het Nederlands.
Maar het was echt zo een goed verhaal :)
Altijd heel verfrissend lm weer een graphic te lezen
Hij was echt beter dan het normale boek vond ik, enige wat ik jammer vond is dat hij vertaald was naar het Nederlands.
Maar het was echt zo een goed verhaal :)
Altijd heel verfrissend lm weer een graphic te lezen
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
This is a tough but important story. It felt a little rushed at the end. I appreciated the slow way in which the authored built the aftermath of trauma in the beginning of beginning and middle of this book. Melinda’s story is sadly all too common.
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
I think this book is so heartbreaking but the graphic novel just didn’t hit the same for me. It still made me cry and it’s such a heartbreaking thing to watch a girl spiral with depression after something so terrible happened to her. The way Melinda was able to overcome what happened to her and to be able to come to terms with it is inspiring and she deserved to find that light in her again. She deserved to find that kindness and compassion that nobody had given her while she struggled to breathe.
I think for me personally while the art style was perfect for the graphic novel adaptation of this book, the graphic novel just felt like part of the story was lost.
I think for me personally while the art style was perfect for the graphic novel adaptation of this book, the graphic novel just felt like part of the story was lost.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Just as emotional, possibly added layers now that there's illustrations, as the novel. The story of a young woman fighting herself, family, friends, school as she struggles with forgetting a painful memory. There are so many moments when people came close to reaching through her silence, but it took a whole school year for her to figure out her own, new voice. Highly enjoyed this graphic novel.
emotional
informative
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Vomit, Toxic friendship
emotional
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes