Reviews tagging 'Hate crime'

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

1 review

im_just_vidu's review

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

If there's a word I can highly relate to, it would be "silent". I've been the quiet kid throughout my whole life. And also, the outcast. I was not the famous kid or others' favorite one. The only difference between me and Melinda was that I was the nerd and at the top of the class every time. I got good grades, and that's how people knew me. "Quiet nerd" who doesn't speak. Even now, my mom tells me to "speak". When she gets angry and scolds me, she gets tired and tells me "At least argue, so I don't feel bad". Yeah, that's how I am. So I can 100% relate to most of Melinda's story.
When you hit a new point of introversion, you kinda forget how to fight for yourself. You forget how to say "No". So when people come with a plastic smile and ask "can you do this?" you either automatically say yes or say silently that they take it as a "Yes". And that's so sad. Growing up I don't think I've ever had best friends who thought the same way as me. The friends who won't be there anymore when they don't have any use for you anymore. I'm glad that she was not bullied very hard as it happens in most cases. But sometimes not having someone to call your "friend" is also another kind of pain. A pain famous kids might not understand.
I see myself through, Melinda. When she closes a part of her brain because you don't want to feel the way she did, she forgets how to cooperate with things. I think that is what was going through with Melinda as well. And when you have really unsupportive parents who don't even care about you, that's a cherry on top. I liked this story for how relatable it is. How truthful it is.
I hope people won't force others to step out of their comfort zone just because they are quiet or weird. And also I hope everyone gets the courage to speak up for themselves.

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