Reviews tagging 'Body shaming'

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

11 reviews

drraytay's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

This book is certainly a product of its time. There were a lot of instances of body shaming and slut shaming and even an instance of the well known ableist slur everyone was using in the 90s and 2000s. None of these instances added to the story in any meaningful way. This story is still an important one though for teens and adults alike. Any form of sexual assault feels incredibly alienating and silencing and Laurie Halse Anderson did a phenomenal job at showing that. 

Trigger warnings for rape, toxic friendships, toxic parents, bullying, slut shaming, body shaming, fatphobia, with brief ableism and minor self harm. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic friendship, Body shaming, Sexual assault, Fatphobia, Rape, Sexual violence, Mental illness, Bullying, and Ableism

te_ss_i's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Rape, Cursing, Ableism, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Violence, and Grief

maurice_greenware's review

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Rape, Emotional abuse, and Mental illness

Moderate: Bullying and Body shaming

Minor: Ableism

antidietleah's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Body shaming, Rape, and Sexual assault

anthos_'s review

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Rape, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Toxic friendship, Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Body shaming

Minor: Self harm

hannahhicken's review

emotional inspiring tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Toxic friendship, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Cursing, Grief, Self harm, Sexual assault, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, Rape, and Toxic relationship

kodi_rae's review

dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

My first time rereading this since the first time when I was probably around Melinda’s (the protagonist) age. I remember really liking it then and it’s even more devastating now with time and experience. The claustrophobia of the mind and your own silence. 

While I’d like to think society has grown a bit since Speak was first published, I’m glad it still exists and can maybe provide validation and healing to those who need it. Does anyone else remember the movie with a young Kristen Stewart? Maybe I’ll pay that a visit too. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Grief, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Bullying, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Gaslighting, Rape, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Self harm, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Blood

orchidd's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense 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

reading the reviews on this site for this book reveals the persistent need for this book to exist. i applaud the author’s trust of teenagers to handle difficult content. i found this book a very quick read but one that will stay with me for a while. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Bullying, Self harm, Sexual assault, Body shaming, Rape, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, and Mental illness

Moderate: Racism and Fatphobia

madradstarchild's review against another edition

challenging inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Moderate: Bullying

Minor: Vomit, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Xenophobia, Mass/school shootings, Blood, Alcohol, Self harm, Eating disorder, Body shaming, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Racism, Misogyny, and Fatphobia

readsandrants's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

I started off hating this book. And I do mean hating, I think at one point I even called the main character a passionless dull main character with questionable opinions. I was so ready to hate this book, not that I had wanted to, I had originally been excited for this book because someone who has very similar reading taste to mine absolutely raves about it and when I saw my teacher assigned it for summer reading I was thrilled. The first couple of chapters felt robotic, and the opening line was a bit of a cringe worthy sentence. But I actually grew to really love this book as it went on, though it was nothing I had thought it would be when I first heard about it, it was still a really great book nonetheless and I will be one of those annoying people who do nothing but rave and recommend this book to everyone they meet.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape

Moderate: Body shaming, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, and Xenophobia

Minor: Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, and Vomit