Roman is a spoiled teenager living in LA with his mom, but he doesn’t realize just how good he has it. When she cheats on her wealthy boyfriend, Kirk, they must leave his mansion. Kirk is the closest thing to a dad that Roman has ever had. Roman even looks upon him as his dad, and now he has to leave. Roman is about to find out what living in the real world is like, and for this, he blames his mom.
He and his mom go to Chicago to move in with his grandparents. Instead of having his own room, he now has to sleep on a lumpy sofa. And his “bed” doesn’t magically make itself while he is eating breakfast; he must make it himself. He has to go to a new school, starting there well after the school year has begun. He’s convinced himself that he isn’t going to enjoy any of this.
His priorities begin to change. Walks are something he now enjoys. He is convinced that he isn’t going to make any friends at his new school, but he does. One of them invites him to attend Spoken Word with her, and much to his surprise, he discovers that poetry isn’t so bad.
Through the poetry of Spoken Word, he learns how to put his feelings into words. He learns how to make friends.
This story is told through Roman’s eyes, so as I read this book, I really felt for him and what he was going through. How hard would it be for any of us to be thrown from a wealthy lifestyle into one where the wealth doesn’t come from money? Any of us would be confused and maybe even angry. How much more would this affect a teenager who is already going through many changes physically and mentally?
But in the middle of all the changes going on in his life, he begins communicating with his real dad, something he has always had a desire to do. Then he gets the chance to meet him.
I was sent a copy of this highly recommended book in exchange for an honest review. If you would like to read this book yourself, I’ve provided an Amazon link for the book below.
Amazon Link: Spoken
Recommended Article: Melanie Weiss Interview – Teenagers, Poetry, & Spoken Word
the-bookworm.net
Favorite Sentences:
Then I toss in some deodorant, because I don’t want to stink when I wake up tomorrow who-knows-where.
Like a stupid burger’s going to make any of this less awful.
Through teary eyes, I take a mental picture, wanting to soak in this great big reality I thought would never end.
If you’d told me my favorite thing about high school would be a Polish girl with pink hair, I would have said you were crazy.
Should I open up this can or worms after it’s been sealed so tight all my life?
New Words Learned:
anti-ode – a poem that examines your basis of your feelings of opposition and attraction
https://www.pw.org/content/antiode
black pudding – blood sausage
rally – In ping pong, this is the time during which the ball is in play. The two players will continue to alternate hits until a point is scored. There is no time limit on how long a rally can last, but as soon as the ball goes out of play or hits the net, the rally comes to an end.
http://www.sportsdefinitions.com/table-tennis/Rally.html
Spoken Word – poetry intended for performance
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/learn/glossary-terms/spoken-word
water closet – a compartment or room with a toilet
About the Author:
Melanie Weiss is a debut author of the Young Adult novel Spoken. She is a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and worked as a journalist for newspapers and magazines for 20 years. She began writing her novel, Spoken, shortly after her younger child left for college in 2015 and she became an “empty nester.” She currently manages a scholarship foundation at her local high school that provides scholarship support to more than 60 graduating high school seniors each year. Spoken is her first novel, but it won’t be her last.
