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4.47 AVERAGE
4.47 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship
Loved it! I feel this was the perfect medium for this story, not that the book was bad but when reading it I often thought the type of narration and structure was more suited for a graphic novel
challenging
emotional
slow-paced
I read this novel in middle school, but I don't think I really understood or appreciated the beautiful writing that describes such a horrific and traumatic event. This was my first graphic novel and I LOVED it. It was hard to put down, but at the same time, hard to read. I found myself crying several times during this book, experiencing the pain that Melinda endured during her freshman year in high school. The graphics/illustrations that accompanied this powerful story made it that more unforgettable.
A tough read for sure, but an important one. The illustrations made it all the more haunting. I really appreciated the resources at the end so teens who have experienced sexual assault have somewhere to go for help.
emotional
sad
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:
Complicated
I haven't read the classic 1999 novel about the aftermath of a sexual assault that this graphic novel is drawn from but, even knowing that this came from a full length novel, I didn’t feel it in any way skimped on the emotional or narrative depth. See my full review here.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I'd read/listened to the original format of Speak, two years ago (required reading for my son's 10th grade English class) and it was up again now for bookclub. I saw there was a graphic novel ... I'd actually noticed it before, but hadn't been sure I was interested in it. But with the bookclub discussion coming up, I thought I'd grab the physical copy from the library and bring it. It ended up making more of an impact on me than I'd thought. I got started on the graphic novel before I finished my re-read ... and I realized I didn't remember how it ended (final confrontation). The graphic novel really made that stick in my memory! The graphic novel also really brought out the "bunny" symbolism that runs throughout the book. I really noticed it when I went through for my re-read of the original.
Even though the graphic novel is longer (page wise, 384 compared to 220 on the original), it still had to leave a lot out. There were a few spots where I felt it was a little lacking, felt incomplete. Other spots felt MORE ... The "marking period" ... report cards, were very effective illustrated, as was the "writing on the wall" (in the bathroom stall).
I'd noted the differences in the Table of Contents in the Kindle copy vs the Audiobook (while the headers were still mentioned, only 1 out of every 6-7 were included in the audio TOC ... made it a little more difficult to find my spot from Kindle to Audio). Here, there was NO Table of Contents whatsoever. The "header" would be there (top left of the pages when a new "topic" was introduced) but again, very difficult to find my spot going from the Kindle copy to the graphic novel (I like to compare/contrast the two, see what didn't make the cut, what words were written exactly the same).
I showed the graphic novel to my son (who'd read the book for class two years ago). He said he didn't like it, because he already had a visual in his head, and it didn't really match.
I do think the graphic novel would be strong enough to stand on its own, even if one hadn't read the original. There is some language and flow that doesn't come across, but then again the visuals really bring some things to life and make them much more memorable.
Even though the graphic novel is longer (page wise, 384 compared to 220 on the original), it still had to leave a lot out. There were a few spots where I felt it was a little lacking, felt incomplete. Other spots felt MORE ... The "marking period" ... report cards, were very effective illustrated, as was the "writing on the wall" (in the bathroom stall).
I'd noted the differences in the Table of Contents in the Kindle copy vs the Audiobook (while the headers were still mentioned, only 1 out of every 6-7 were included in the audio TOC ... made it a little more difficult to find my spot from Kindle to Audio). Here, there was NO Table of Contents whatsoever. The "header" would be there (top left of the pages when a new "topic" was introduced) but again, very difficult to find my spot going from the Kindle copy to the graphic novel (I like to compare/contrast the two, see what didn't make the cut, what words were written exactly the same).
I showed the graphic novel to my son (who'd read the book for class two years ago). He said he didn't like it, because he already had a visual in his head, and it didn't really match.
I do think the graphic novel would be strong enough to stand on its own, even if one hadn't read the original. There is some language and flow that doesn't come across, but then again the visuals really bring some things to life and make them much more memorable.
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No