Review: Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson & Emily Carroll

Many followers of this blog may remember my review of Speak, Laurie Halse Anderson's brilliant novel about a young woman who suffers through her first year of high school in the wake of a sexual assault that she refuses to talk about. Twenty years after Speak was first published, it has been superbly reimagined as a graphic novel. Coupled with Halse Anderson's haunting narrative, Carroll's illustrations expertly detail Melinda's inner turmoil and sense of isolation during a bleak time. And what makes this one work so well is that it truly brings to life how Melinda's art project offers her a transition from being a victim to being a young woman who is both empowered and a survivor.

There is very little I can say about the plot of this one, as I have already said it in my previous review, except to add just how well this story translates into graphic novel form. This one can easily be read on its own, or as a companion to the original.

Highly recommended.

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