Shout by Laurie Halse Anderson - A Review

 

Hello everyone!!

Today we are reviewing Shout by Laurie Halse Anderson which is a searing poetic memoir and call to action from the bestselling and award-winning author of Speak. It was published in March 2019 by Penguin Young Readers Group. 

This is a very powerful book and very different from what I usually read. It is a poetic memoir written in free verse. In it she talks about rape and sexual assault and shares her reflections and thoughts through her personal experiences sharing (personal) stories from her life. 

It's an important book for any reader and especially those who can associate with the #metoo nd #timesup movements. 

The first half of the book is a memoir of the author's upbringing, including her rape and her struggles. The second half was more powerful and strong. The poems talk about sexual abuse and the way society treats those who find the courage and strength to talk about it.

TW for rape, PTSD, abuse, alcoholism, substance abuse

Rating: 4 Stars (It's always difficult to rate a memoir because it is somebody's life.)

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Bestselling author Laurie Halse Anderson is known for the unflinching way she writes about, and advocates for, survivors of sexual assault. Now, inspired by her fans and enraged by how little in our culture has changed since her groundbreaking novel Speak was first published twenty years ago, she has written a poetry memoir that is as vulnerable as it is rallying, as timely as it is timeless. In free verse, Anderson shares reflections, rants, and calls to action woven between deeply personal stories from her life that she's never written about before. Searing and soul-searching, this important memoir is a denouncement of our society's failures and a love letter to all the people with the courage to say #metoo and #timesup, whether aloud, online, or only in their own hearts. Shout speaks truth to power in a loud, clear voice-- and once you hear it, it is impossible to ignore.

See you in the next post and don't forget to keep reading!!!

Athina