Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

7 reviews

kodi_rae's review

dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

My first time rereading this since the first time when I was probably around Melinda’s (the protagonist) age. I remember really liking it then and it’s even more devastating now with time and experience. The claustrophobia of the mind and your own silence. 

While I’d like to think society has grown a bit since Speak was first published, I’m glad it still exists and can maybe provide validation and healing to those who need it. Does anyone else remember the movie with a young Kristen Stewart? Maybe I’ll pay that a visit too. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Grief, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Bullying, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Gaslighting, Rape, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Self harm, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Blood

im_just_vidu's review

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Abandonment, and Sexual violence

ryan_rajp's review

dark emotional hopeful sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Violence, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Blood, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Ableism, Animal death, and Alcohol

booksanna's review

dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I read the visual novel, but still felt the need to write a review on this extraordinary book. As a teacher I felt the book was very realistic and true, it just felt like a life instead of a book. You see Melinda heal and grow herself throughout the book. I remember when she opened the window and started healing. The imagery and figurative language in this book paints a real and emotional picture of a teenager after traumatic event. I love the art teacher and loved his side of the story. This book teaches that sometimes actions speak more than words. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Bullying, Suicidal thoughts, and Rape

Moderate: Abandonment, Panic attacks/disorders, Dysphoria, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, and Toxic friendship

GRAPHIC MENTIONS OF RAPE HAS MULTIPLE TRIGGERS

saraellenme's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic friendship, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment, Self harm, Panic attacks/disorders, and Mental illness

Moderate: Toxic friendship and Abandonment

Minor: Alcohol and Emotional abuse

cepbreed's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad 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

4.75

Such a wonderful read, I was so hooked I finished it in one night. I really liked the way the author structures the chapters and gives them all titles of their own. Melinda was a very relatable character, she's human, her actions are frustrating and she's tragic. The reader can't help but want to support her and relate our lives to hers. Somehow the author managed to encompass the high school experience accurately. Teens are caustic and biting but we're all selfish humans. The only reason this isn't a 5/5 is because it was wayyyy too short. I really wanted to see her take her much needed revenge.

Songs: 

• High - Slow Pulp
• Afraid - The Neighborhood

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Rape, Sexual assault, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Bullying, Misogyny, and Gaslighting

aremii's review

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Abandonment and Alcohol