A review by drraytay
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

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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