Speechless by Hannah Harrington
Release Date: September 2012
Publisher: HarlequinTeen
Source: Received from publisher
Quick Thoughts: Really enjoyed Speechless. A strong story about the consequences of gossiping and bullying
Rating: 4/5 stars
Thank you to the wonderful people at HarlequinTeen for supplying me with a review copy of Speechless. This does not alter my review in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.
This is the first book I have read of Hannah Harrington's, though I have been trying to get my hands on a copy of Saving June!
I want to stop here and look at the cover. It in its self sends is so powerful and thought provoking that I just couldn't wait to dive into this book.
Speechless is thought provoking young adult novel, about the consequences of gossiping and bullying. Teens these days are faced with these everyday, becoming victims of gossip and bullying. Hannah gives a powerful voice to those being bullied. As in the case with Speechless the topic of bullying is Homophobia. Hannah approaches this issue with great care and a well thought out plot line.
Chelsea, the school gossip, and main character, finds herself in a very awkward situation. Having walked in on a boy from her school making out with another boy at a party, she instantly runs downstairs to tell her friends what she saw. Something that Chelsea ordinarily wouldn't think twice about. However, as soon as the words leave her mouth and she see's the reaction of the 'popular' boys at the school she regrets ever opening her mouth.
Chelsea later finds out that the boy from her school has been hospitalised. He was walking home from the party that night and was attacked and brutaly beaten up, winding up in hospital.
The last thing Chelsea says is to the police, revealing who beat up the boy and why. This begins Chelsea's vow of silence. After being the school gossiper for so long, and having now realised what effect it can have, she no longer wants the words to come out of her mouth to cause something like this again.
Chelsea carries on with her school year, becoming shunned by nearly the entire school. Now finds she is being bullied herself. In the only class she has a chance of escaping from all of that is art. But on the first day back at school she realises that Noah's best friend, Sam is in the class with her, not only that, the only seat left is the one next to her. This is going to be a total train wreck. Or so she thinks. You guessed it. She meets a boy, Sam. But he's not just any boy, he's Noah's best friend. Yikes! She feels guilty as hell but finds that Sam
Speechless is a captivating story about a girl who was once a gossiper and bully herself, becoming the victim, allow with others in the story. Chelsea along the way tries to figure out who really matters, and how to be the type of person she doesn't hate and to just be happy. Through her journey of silence she makes new and unexpected friends and finds herself happier than she has ever been.
I really loved this book and I just chewed through it so fast. Speechless keeps a good pace, that kept me interested throughout. Chelsea really grows as a character through this book and props to Hannah Harrington for achieving this really effectively!! Love love loved!
So, have you read Speechless? What were your thoughts?
Happy reading!
- Amy
