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A review by acdom
How to Speak Boy by Tiana Smith
3.0
In reading the description of this book, it should be everything I love: YA, speech and debate, Boise, enemies to lovers, secret pen pals. But, in the end, he writing was blah (more much more telling than showing), there was no chemistry between the main characters, and there were so many annoying plot details I just couldn't get over. I appreciate the effort, but it just wasn't for me. I'm just going to spoiler cut everything below.
-I don't understand why Quinn hates Grayson so much. I get that they're competitive, but he hasn't tried to burn her house down or get her to throw a round. She's so preemptively angry with him about absolutely nothing. As teammates, even if they're competing in the same event, they'd help each other out and deal when one takes a better rank over the other. There's no reason for her to hate him so much.
-Why doesn't Quinn just tell her friends she's staying in state and going to BSU? She lies to them about it for no reason other than to serve the ending plot drama. And why would Carter care so much that she's leaving? It feels so over the top and dramatic.
-There are big jumps in time that clearly just move the plot along, instead of actual events moving the plot along.
Speech and Debate Issues
-I've been part of this community as a coach and judge for a decade and I know there are differences in speech and debate in other states, but there were so many things that annoyed me...
-Why are the kids in charge of getting food sponsors and organizing volunteers for the state tournament? State is put on by the local speech and debate association and they take care of those things? Not to mention an earlier tournament was canceled because they had no food sponsors. I've never seen that happen, again where are the adults in charge of things?
-"Students were on their own for dinner at all the meets." Uhhhh, at an out of state tournament? Where the hotel isn't close to any food? And they have to way of getting there? And with no adult supervision? I have so many issues with this.
-The ending drama about missing the final round made no sense. Grayson found Quinn while the round was still going on. You can still show up and compete if the round hasn't ended. Kids are often double entered at tournaments, so they show up late to rounds all the time. I've had rounds I've judged where I've had to wait around when all the other kids have finished for the final speaker to show up to compete. You don't get penalized for this and you certainly wouldn't be disqualified from a final round.
-No way would Coach (does she have a name?) have told Quinn if she won state. That's so uncool to take away the surprise and shitty to other competitors.
-They aren't called score sheets, they're called ballots. Maybe this is a nitpicky state thing?
Spoiler
Plot Issues-I don't understand why Quinn hates Grayson so much. I get that they're competitive, but he hasn't tried to burn her house down or get her to throw a round. She's so preemptively angry with him about absolutely nothing. As teammates, even if they're competing in the same event, they'd help each other out and deal when one takes a better rank over the other. There's no reason for her to hate him so much.
-Why doesn't Quinn just tell her friends she's staying in state and going to BSU? She lies to them about it for no reason other than to serve the ending plot drama. And why would Carter care so much that she's leaving? It feels so over the top and dramatic.
-There are big jumps in time that clearly just move the plot along, instead of actual events moving the plot along.
Speech and Debate Issues
-I've been part of this community as a coach and judge for a decade and I know there are differences in speech and debate in other states, but there were so many things that annoyed me...
-Why are the kids in charge of getting food sponsors and organizing volunteers for the state tournament? State is put on by the local speech and debate association and they take care of those things? Not to mention an earlier tournament was canceled because they had no food sponsors. I've never seen that happen, again where are the adults in charge of things?
-"Students were on their own for dinner at all the meets." Uhhhh, at an out of state tournament? Where the hotel isn't close to any food? And they have to way of getting there? And with no adult supervision? I have so many issues with this.
-The ending drama about missing the final round made no sense. Grayson found Quinn while the round was still going on. You can still show up and compete if the round hasn't ended. Kids are often double entered at tournaments, so they show up late to rounds all the time. I've had rounds I've judged where I've had to wait around when all the other kids have finished for the final speaker to show up to compete. You don't get penalized for this and you certainly wouldn't be disqualified from a final round.
-No way would Coach (does she have a name?) have told Quinn if she won state. That's so uncool to take away the surprise and shitty to other competitors.
-They aren't called score sheets, they're called ballots. Maybe this is a nitpicky state thing?