Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson ~ YA Fiction Book Review

I did something I never do – I started reading a book based on the recommendation of a stranger I met in the book store. Two days and only five pages later, I needed a quick reading fix. Something short, something easy, but something good.

I had this award winning slice of Young Adult fiction sitting on a shelf, so I grabbed it and devoured it on a weekend afternoon. This story was edgy, dark but funny, emotional but not tear-jerking. It was just what I needed.

Laurie Halse Anderson  has a gift for the teenage psyche. She does an incredible job of developing the character, and then letting her grow and evolve in a natural way, not the way a mom, teacher or adult would dictate. And while I’m not sure I would have liked this book when I was a young adult (I was on a strict diet of Michael Crichton with a side of Anne Rice and Stephen King – I liked my fiction to be a far cry from my reality), I appreciate the depth and craftsmanship that went into now. Five stars.