Anderson, Laurie Halse: Speak

[calico_reaction]

Comments

[gothayesd51708]

I actually was very disappointed in this book. It just didn't live up to my expectations, I suppose. The movie is pretty awful. The only redeeming thing in it was the art teacher (Steve Zahn).

[calico_reaction]

Just for the sake of context, do you mind if I ask what your expectations were, and how old you were when you read it? I'm 28. :)

[gothayesd51708]

A lot of people on LJ told me how wonderful this book is and how I needed to read it. I, like you, like to read YA fiction and was really curious about this book. I just think it fell short in a lot of respects. However, I wonder if I need to reread it again since it was 3 years ago when I read it (I was 23 then). :)

[calico_reaction]

For me, I knew what I was getting into and I've got a friend whose gone through date rape, so I'm familiar with the healing process and also what people can go through after it happens. I read it knowing exactly what I was getting into (you probably know how I feel about the use of rape in fiction), but also, I'm coming to books and newstories like this from the standpoint of a possible future parent, and it really, really makes me think about what I can do to not only protect my children, but make sure that if I can't, they don't go through THAT experience. You know?

[ebenstone]

I had the pleasure of playing the role of the Principal in a stage production of the book at the school I teach at. It was very cool and Laurie is a sweetheart! (The drama director cast all adults in the adult roles.)

[maribou]

I read this book in 2005(I'm 32 now, so I would've been 28 then) and I also thought it was very powerful. Because I tend to distance myself here and there in the middle of such books as a coping mechanism, I also think, actually, that the language, voice, etc ARE really good - and that's part of what makes it such an important book. Because even though it is about a Serious Issue it doesn't feel all after-school-special-y (to me) the way books on that and similar subjects did that I came across when I was a teenager, or some books (not that I can think of titles, mind you) that I've come across lately do.

[themachinestops]

Not rape, per say, but actual date rape.

I am sure I am reading this incorrectly, but can you clarify? As I am sure you know, date rape IS rape.

[calico_reaction]

Date rape IS rape, no doubt, but the person was specifically looking for instances of DATE rape, which is its own classification of rape.

Sorry for the confusion.

[chicklitter]

Okay, yeah, I've definitely gotta pick it up. I knew rape was involved, but I didn't know the exacts of it. The fact though that boys would walk up to the author and not understand why Melinda was so upset? That's just sad and disturbing.

[literate_junkie]

I was sixteen when I read this book (I'm nearly 18 now) and I always wanted to read this book because of the movie