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A review by bethreadsandnaps
Speech Team by Timothy Murphy
4.5
4.5 stars
I really enjoyed this! After hearing several critical reviews, I was apprehensive that this would be for me. But it was!
Our main character Tip was treated horribly by his speech teacher Mr. Gold back in 1987, and he has carried that with him into adulthood. After he finds out that Peter from the speech team committed suicide and cites Mr. Gold as a reason in his suicide letter, Tip gets the rest of the speech team (Nat, Jennifer, and Anthony) to visit him in retirement to tell Mr. Gold how his words affected each of them.
I think this novel will speak to those who carry high school nostalgia and grudges from adolescence with them into adulthood. As the novel unfolds, I found that I could identify with this group of characters more and more. I'm not sure I could "see" their high school friendship, so that part didn't come through as strongly as I wanted to see.
Overall, though, this exceeded my expectations!
I really enjoyed this! After hearing several critical reviews, I was apprehensive that this would be for me. But it was!
Our main character Tip was treated horribly by his speech teacher Mr. Gold back in 1987, and he has carried that with him into adulthood. After he finds out that Peter from the speech team committed suicide and cites Mr. Gold as a reason in his suicide letter, Tip gets the rest of the speech team (Nat, Jennifer, and Anthony) to visit him in retirement to tell Mr. Gold how his words affected each of them.
I think this novel will speak to those who carry high school nostalgia and grudges from adolescence with them into adulthood. As the novel unfolds, I found that I could identify with this group of characters more and more. I'm not sure I could "see" their high school friendship, so that part didn't come through as strongly as I wanted to see.
Overall, though, this exceeded my expectations!