I read the book Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson. The story takes place at Merryweather High school in Syracuse New York. Most of the story takes place inside the school but some parts are outside the school. The main character is Melinda, a 9th grader who is just beginning high school. She has a big secret that she is hiding and it’s killing her. In the beginning of the book Melinda explains how all her old friends hate her now because of something that took place over the summer, but she does not reveal what it is. She talks about how her grades are dropping due to depression and anxiety and many people are giving her dirty looks and saying rude and hurtful things to her. Towards the end of the book, Melinda finally reveals that she was raped
