Speak enters the world of Gossip Girl in this modern immigrant story from New York Times bestselling author Kelly Yang about two girls navigating wealth, power, friendship, and trauma.
They’re called parachutes: teenagers dropped off to live in private homes and study in the United States while their wealthy parents remain in Asia. Claire Wang never thought she’d be one of them, until her parents pluck her from her privileged life in Shanghai and enroll her at a high school in California.
Suddenly she finds herself living in a stranger’s house, with no one to tell her what to do for the first time in her life. She soon embraces her newfound freedom, especially when the hottest and most eligible parachute, Jay, asks her out.
Dani De La Cruz, Claire’s new host sister, couldn’t be less thrilled that her mom rented out a room to Claire. An academic and debate team star, Dani is determined to earn her way into Yale, even if it means competing with privileged kids who are buying their way to the top. But Dani’s game plan veers unexpectedly off course when her debate coach starts working with her privately.
As they steer their own distinct paths, Dani and Claire keep crashing into one another, setting a course that will change their lives forever.
Told from the alternating perspectives of Claire and Dani, this gripping novel explores the dark side of privilege and the courage it takes to speak out.
Dual POV Narrative: Jump between the worlds of Claire, a wealthy Shanghai heiress, and Dani, her fiercely ambitious host sister, as they navigate the same elite high school from two totally different realities.A Powerful Look at Consent: This unflinching, ripped-from-the-headlines story confronts difficult questions of power, privilege, and the fight to be heard when the world wants you to stay silent.Class and Privilege: From the debate team to the social scene, Dani fights for her future while Claire grapples with a world where money can buy anything—except safety.Frenemies to Friends: Forced to live under the same roof, rivals Claire and Dani start out as enemies. But when their lives begin to unravel, they might be the only ones they can trust.
