Speak: (National Book Award Finalist)

I actually printed this book and I couldn't help but read the whole entire thing as it was coming off my press. It was painful and real. It went inside the head of this poor girl that was just trying to explain what happened to her but couldn't until the right opportunity presented itself. Then she could finally breathe to speak. This is a must read.

This book is a very interesting portrait of a teenage girl's life, although not nescessarily a realistic one. In the beginning we wonder as a reader what Melinda, our heroine, has done that has caused her alienation. When we later find out that she called the police at a party over the summer, one wonders why virtually everyone ostracizes her. This seems like something that would eventually be forgiven and forgotten, but instead she is left alone to fend for herself in this high school that is so very cruel. I will digress from that summary by saying this; I enjoyed reading the book, to a point. It is very well written, but after the first hundred-or-so pages one wants to tell Melinda to stop whining and just talk to someone. Her endless soliloquy's get a bit tiresome. Altogether, okay book if you're happy, very good book if you're in the mood for sadness.

As a freshman myself, I was required to read this book for english class. It was surprisingly entertaining, even humorous in some places. I recommend it, not so much for a student to read individually (it can be boring) but more for teachers to assign to their students, as they can relate to it in many ways, as well as the large amount of symbolism that would normally be missed.