Speak

About “Speak”

A 1999 young-adult novel by Laurie Halse Anderson. Melinda begins freshman year at Merryweather High as an outcast after calling the police on an end-of-summer party, becoming increasingly isolated and nearly silent. Through an art project she confronts what happened at that party: she was raped by an upperclassman who still attends the school, and after a second violent encounter with him, she finally fights back and speaks up.