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4.47 AVERAGE
4.47 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
sad
informative
reflective
fast-paced
I remember reading this book when I was in high school and I really enjoyed it. It’s really powerful and when I saw there was a graphic novel adaption I was ecstatic. The illustrator did a great job of expressing the emotions through out the book and the story was just as well written here as it was in the original text.
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence
Moderate: Toxic friendship
Second time reading it, still hard to get through. I love that this story comes in a graphic novel format now so it can be more accessible to teens who choose that medium. This is a story about sexual assault, so prepare for triggers if you've been through something similar. I never told anyone who could do anything about my experience, and I regret it. They should be held accountable for their actions, and it is NOT your fault. Please tell someone.
Rating 3.5/5
For those of you who are unfamiliar with this story, it follows Melinda, a high-school freshman who is being ostracized by the entirety of her high-school for calling the cops during a party that took place at the end of summer. But what they don't know...is that Melinda was raped by an upperclassmen during the party.
As she begins her high-school career, Melinda is not only dealing with the trauma of her sexual assault, but the loss of her friends as she finds herself to be the school leper. Falling deeper into her depression, her grades plummet, her parents won't get off her back and on top of that, she has to see her rapist everyday at school.
However, through an art class project, she learns to work through and accept what happens to her, speaking out about it and fighting back.
I first read Speak ages ago when I was around the age of the main protagonist (we are talking 15+ years ago. Yes, I am that old).
Needless to say, I did not remember absolutely anything about this story, other than the main plot point of a young girl being raped at a party. So when I saw the graphic-novel adaptation of Speak in the bargain section of Books-A-Million, I felt that it would be a great way to revisit the story without actually re-reading the book. And I was right!
I flew through this story, not only because of the format, but because I definitely felt it was oddly compelling. However, I knew going in that graphic novels are not a format that I connect with. Because they read so quickly, I never find myself connected to the characters, and I typically find the story told in a clunky and haphazard way. Not only that, but I feel as though the format lessened the impact that the story was supposed to have. It just didn't flow as well as if I were reading a traditional novel, in my opinion.
However, I am glad that I gave this a shot and was able to re-visit the story. Perhaps one day I will pick-up and read the actual novel again and will be able to appreciate this version a bit more.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with this story, it follows Melinda, a high-school freshman who is being ostracized by the entirety of her high-school for calling the cops during a party that took place at the end of summer. But what they don't know...is that Melinda was raped by an upperclassmen during the party.
As she begins her high-school career, Melinda is not only dealing with the trauma of her sexual assault, but the loss of her friends as she finds herself to be the school leper. Falling deeper into her depression, her grades plummet, her parents won't get off her back and on top of that, she has to see her rapist everyday at school.
However, through an art class project, she learns to work through and accept what happens to her, speaking out about it and fighting back.
I first read Speak ages ago when I was around the age of the main protagonist (we are talking 15+ years ago. Yes, I am that old).
Needless to say, I did not remember absolutely anything about this story, other than the main plot point of a young girl being raped at a party. So when I saw the graphic-novel adaptation of Speak in the bargain section of Books-A-Million, I felt that it would be a great way to revisit the story without actually re-reading the book. And I was right!
I flew through this story, not only because of the format, but because I definitely felt it was oddly compelling. However, I knew going in that graphic novels are not a format that I connect with. Because they read so quickly, I never find myself connected to the characters, and I typically find the story told in a clunky and haphazard way. Not only that, but I feel as though the format lessened the impact that the story was supposed to have. It just didn't flow as well as if I were reading a traditional novel, in my opinion.
However, I am glad that I gave this a shot and was able to re-visit the story. Perhaps one day I will pick-up and read the actual novel again and will be able to appreciate this version a bit more.
This was so beautiful, I can't wait to read the original.
this book is so special to me how did i not know there was a graphic novel.
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes