Scan barcode
renuked's review against another edition
5.0
I can't stop thinking about this book, so this review is going to be a little different. People told me it wasn't their favorite Marchetta book, or that it bored them. But for me, it might be my favorite of her contemporaries. Because maybe it's a little slow. But, personally, I felt like I was reading about me.
Let's get personal. As I type this review, I am in eleventh grade. I have no clue what I'm doing with my future. I have a little brother I love. And so many other parallels. I get confused just like Francesca. She's a little lost. But she has friends who love her and a family who is so special. It was just startling to read this. It made me feel really grateful, but also very aware of how everything can change in an instant if I'm not careful.
Moving past all my love for this book, let's talk about the book itself. Like I said Francesca is a little lost. She has a vibrant mother who plunges into depression, and the rest of her family struggles to function. Her school is majorly boys - and so with her fellow female classmates she battles sexism and favoritism. But she doesn't know herself. She is bland and she is afraid that one day she will slip into nothing. Isn't everyone?
The characters are so fresh and funny. Thomas, Tara, Siobhan, Justine, Jimmy, and of course, Will. I loved them all from feminist Tara, to bully Jimmy, to slutty Siobhan, to shy Justine, all the way to disgustingly funny Thomas. Loved 'em. They were just regular kids, goofing around and dealing with the pressure of growing up.
Ahh the writing is classic Marchetta. A little slow, a little lyrical, and very reflective. I feel like all of her writing changes based on the characters too. It's funny for Thomas, languid for Francesca, and inflamed for Tara. Her writing is the character. She's just fantastic.
Finally. Will Trombal is a cutie pie. That's all I have to say.
I'm sure that not everyone is going to understand this book. Not many other people are going to go "Wow Francesca is ME". But think for a second about a book where you just related and connected to the main character. This was that book for me, and I could not have read it at a better time in my life. I will recommend this book until the day I die, and I don't care if it doesn't speak to you. It will connect with someone, someday, somewhere feeling a little unsure like me, and that is what makes this book special.
Let's get personal. As I type this review, I am in eleventh grade. I have no clue what I'm doing with my future. I have a little brother I love. And so many other parallels. I get confused just like Francesca. She's a little lost. But she has friends who love her and a family who is so special. It was just startling to read this. It made me feel really grateful, but also very aware of how everything can change in an instant if I'm not careful.
Moving past all my love for this book, let's talk about the book itself. Like I said Francesca is a little lost. She has a vibrant mother who plunges into depression, and the rest of her family struggles to function. Her school is majorly boys - and so with her fellow female classmates she battles sexism and favoritism. But she doesn't know herself. She is bland and she is afraid that one day she will slip into nothing. Isn't everyone?
The characters are so fresh and funny. Thomas, Tara, Siobhan, Justine, Jimmy, and of course, Will. I loved them all from feminist Tara, to bully Jimmy, to slutty Siobhan, to shy Justine, all the way to disgustingly funny Thomas. Loved 'em. They were just regular kids, goofing around and dealing with the pressure of growing up.
Ahh the writing is classic Marchetta. A little slow, a little lyrical, and very reflective. I feel like all of her writing changes based on the characters too. It's funny for Thomas, languid for Francesca, and inflamed for Tara. Her writing is the character. She's just fantastic.
Finally. Will Trombal is a cutie pie. That's all I have to say.
I'm sure that not everyone is going to understand this book. Not many other people are going to go "Wow Francesca is ME". But think for a second about a book where you just related and connected to the main character. This was that book for me, and I could not have read it at a better time in my life. I will recommend this book until the day I die, and I don't care if it doesn't speak to you. It will connect with someone, someday, somewhere feeling a little unsure like me, and that is what makes this book special.
melissaverasreads's review against another edition
4.0
#24: A book based entirely on its cover.
4.5.
It's settled. I'm going to read everything I can by Melina Marchetta.
Este libro empezó muy lento, y francamente Francesca me caía mal, se quejaba demasiado y no era un personaje agradable. Pero mientras la lectura iba avanzando, Francesca fue madurando muchísimo y comenzaron a aparecer/desarrollarse otros personajes entrañables.
A pesar de que en el resumen quieran vender Saving Francesca como una historia romántica, les digo desde ahora que no lo es. El romance es muy low key, cute sí, pero para nada el centro de la historia.
Este libro se trata de Francesca y su familia, especialmente Francesca y su mamá. La historia es un poco heartbreaking, real... pero te deja con un deje de esperanza.
Este es el segundo libro que leo de Melina Marchetta y la verdad es que esta autora se las trae. ¡Muy bien!
4.5.
It's settled. I'm going to read everything I can by Melina Marchetta.
Este libro empezó muy lento, y francamente Francesca me caía mal, se quejaba demasiado y no era un personaje agradable. Pero mientras la lectura iba avanzando, Francesca fue madurando muchísimo y comenzaron a aparecer/desarrollarse otros personajes entrañables.
A pesar de que en el resumen quieran vender Saving Francesca como una historia romántica, les digo desde ahora que no lo es. El romance es muy low key, cute sí, pero para nada el centro de la historia.
Este libro se trata de Francesca y su familia, especialmente Francesca y su mamá. La historia es un poco heartbreaking, real... pero te deja con un deje de esperanza.
Este es el segundo libro que leo de Melina Marchetta y la verdad es que esta autora se las trae. ¡Muy bien!
parpacifica's review against another edition
4.0
3.8 stars because I loved Francesca and the gang, but the story got a bit dry at times.
stephxsu's review against another edition
5.0
Francesca Spinelli's proactive mother has forced her to attend St. Sebastian's School for Boys, recently made co-ed by giving the girls a toilet. Francesca would rather go to St. Pius with her friends, instead of being stuck at Sebastian's with an unusual group of people that includes Siobhan, her ex-best friend and infamous slut; Tara Finke, feminist and activist extraordinaire; Justine, an accordian player; Thomas Mackee, whose specialty is farting and teasing the girls; Jimmy, an over-friendly upperclassman who terrifies younger kids simply by asking them questions and who seems determined to make himself a fifth member of Francesca's family; and Will Trombal, their surly prefect who Francesca can't stop thinking about.
She thinks that's bad, but it gets worse when her mother succumbs to depression and lies in bed for months at a time. Too late, Francesca realizes that she is more like her mother than she realized, and that the family needs her energy to feel complete.
Australian author Melina Marchetta's second book is jam-packed with wit and poignancy. It will make you laugh over and over and tug at your heartstrings. SAVING FRANCESCA is nearly perfect; now it just needs a large fan base.
She thinks that's bad, but it gets worse when her mother succumbs to depression and lies in bed for months at a time. Too late, Francesca realizes that she is more like her mother than she realized, and that the family needs her energy to feel complete.
Australian author Melina Marchetta's second book is jam-packed with wit and poignancy. It will make you laugh over and over and tug at your heartstrings. SAVING FRANCESCA is nearly perfect; now it just needs a large fan base.
christiana's review against another edition
5.0
I wish Melina Marchetta was my life partner so that she would just tell me stories all the time. I especially love that Francesca was so super Italian and so were some of her friends. I have developed a bit of a ritual with Marchetta's books where as soon as I finish them, I think about the book for an hour or so and snicker to myself about my favorite parts. And then I read it at least one more time before I return it.
midnightinfairytales's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
4/5⭐
Sometimes it's hard to like Francesca, but that is one of the reasons I like this book. She can get annoying and say mean things and think mean thoughts and that is all a part of her spiral. It doesn't do anything for her but she's so lost on thinking of all the things she doesn't want to be instead of all the things she could be. And this raises the tension because you know she is going to snap but you don't know when or how.
The book has a whole feeling of numbness to me which at times I can relate to and then there's feeling all at once before going numb again and it's this back and forth and back and forth effect that progresses throughout the story. And then comes the snap.
All of the characters are intriguing and you never quite know them in the sense of they only show Francesca a part of themselves, not their whole lives. It makes me want to see them in all kinds of situations.
This book made me cry in the same way that inside out made me cry when Riley returns home after running away (which **SPOILER also happens here)
The only thing I disliked was the romance. It felt a little forced towards the end. And also some of the "things" the family did together and what Luca and Francesca saw. I question the parenting a lot. But that is also one of the major points of the story that the author makes you think about.
Sometimes it's hard to like Francesca, but that is one of the reasons I like this book. She can get annoying and say mean things and think mean thoughts and that is all a part of her spiral. It doesn't do anything for her but she's so lost on thinking of all the things she doesn't want to be instead of all the things she could be. And this raises the tension because you know she is going to snap but you don't know when or how.
The book has a whole feeling of numbness to me which at times I can relate to and then there's feeling all at once before going numb again and it's this back and forth and back and forth effect that progresses throughout the story. And then comes the snap.
All of the characters are intriguing and you never quite know them in the sense of they only show Francesca a part of themselves, not their whole lives. It makes me want to see them in all kinds of situations.
This book made me cry in the same way that inside out made me cry when Riley returns home after running away (which **SPOILER also happens here)
The only thing I disliked was the romance. It felt a little forced towards the end. And also some of the "things" the family did together and what Luca and Francesca saw. I question the parenting a lot. But that is also one of the major points of the story that the author makes you think about.
kalliste's review against another edition
4.0
Previously I rated Saving Francesca 3/5. I have no idea how long ago or why, because I never made a review.
On a re-read today I am bumping it up to a 4. I am also considering whether, as an adult, I enjoy it more than Looking For Alibrandi, which has long been one of my favourite books.
Maybe I also just paid more attention to the characters that weren't Francesca and her friends and relate to what is going on with Mia and Robert.
Maybe I also never realised how important a support system like the one Francesca finds is, and wish I had one of my own. Regardless, I really enjoyed it this time and plan to go on to re-read The Pipers Son.
On a re-read today I am bumping it up to a 4. I am also considering whether, as an adult, I enjoy it more than Looking For Alibrandi, which has long been one of my favourite books.
Maybe I also just paid more attention to the characters that weren't Francesca and her friends and relate to what is going on with Mia and Robert.
Maybe I also never realised how important a support system like the one Francesca finds is, and wish I had one of my own. Regardless, I really enjoyed it this time and plan to go on to re-read The Pipers Son.
4saradouglas's review against another edition
3.0
This was a pretty average book. It took me a little while to read it because there was very little forward action. There really wasn't much of a plot other than the typical 'girl faces problem and must learn to deal with it as she grows into adulthood' thing you see almost everywhere. The characters weren't bad, but there just wasn't much there to keep me interested.
steph01924's review against another edition
4.0
This is my second Melina Marchetta book. I enjoyed On the Jellicoe Road a lot more, but this one was good in other ways. It was more about friends and trusting yourself than finding a family and love. I think Marchetta is great at giving readers a fun supporting cast. The St. Sebastian's group that Francesca fell into sounded fun and were people I'd want to hang out with. I'm glad there is a sequel for Thomas Mackee so we can be with these characters a little while longer.
I was initially worried after reading the synopsis that there would be too much emphasis on Francesa's mom's depression. I'm not a fan of books about depressed people. They're boring. I get that it's a real condition people go through, but I haven't experienced it myself and it's hard for me to relate to. I simply can't understand how you can just fall into such a funk that you can't do anything for yourself or your family. But that aside, while Mia's depression impacted her family's life, it wasn't deeply explored, so thank God for that.
I loved the portrayal of Francesca's relationship with her dad. I felt that was completely realistic and nicely done. The anger she felt towards him because she didn't want to be angry with her mom. How she misunderstood her parents' relationship. I thought it was played out beautifully.
I'm OK with Will's decision at the end of the book, because while I enjoyed the romance plot-line, that's not what the book was focused on. The two had nice chemistry, though. I loved the line that Francesca said while they were on the porch, about how her dad still would've heard Will say the word 'sex' to her even if they were standing miles away. There were little moments of humor in the story that kept it from being overly dramatic.
I was initially worried after reading the synopsis that there would be too much emphasis on Francesa's mom's depression. I'm not a fan of books about depressed people. They're boring. I get that it's a real condition people go through, but I haven't experienced it myself and it's hard for me to relate to. I simply can't understand how you can just fall into such a funk that you can't do anything for yourself or your family. But that aside, while Mia's depression impacted her family's life, it wasn't deeply explored, so thank God for that.
I loved the portrayal of Francesca's relationship with her dad. I felt that was completely realistic and nicely done. The anger she felt towards him because she didn't want to be angry with her mom. How she misunderstood her parents' relationship. I thought it was played out beautifully.
I'm OK with Will's decision at the end of the book, because while I enjoyed the romance plot-line, that's not what the book was focused on. The two had nice chemistry, though. I loved the line that Francesca said while they were on the porch, about how her dad still would've heard Will say the word 'sex' to her even if they were standing miles away. There were little moments of humor in the story that kept it from being overly dramatic.