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4.22 AVERAGE
4.22 AVERAGE
At the start of this book, I thought that [b:On the Jellicoe Road|1162022|On the Jellicoe Road|Melina Marchetta|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1212708945s/1162022.jpg|6479100] was just a YA book about groups of teens that play this war like game that would end up with romance, but this book was much more than that. It was full of mystery and about an intricate family of 5 friends and how their stories ended. It was fascinating; a serial killer, a lost, dead brother, two forgotten children and a war that was supposed to be a game.
On the Jellicoe Road is from the POV of a girl who was abandoned by her mother and taken in by a helper at a juvi-like home. She becomes the leader of the kids at the home, and the home is at war with the Townies and the Cadets. Throughout the book, mysteries are revealed, romance is sparked and wars are resolved.
I'm so glad I decided to pick up this book, Melina Marchetta has yet again managed to write one of the best realistic-fic books that I've ever read.
On the Jellicoe Road is from the POV of a girl who was abandoned by her mother and taken in by a helper at a juvi-like home. She becomes the leader of the kids at the home, and the home is at war with the Townies and the Cadets. Throughout the book, mysteries are revealed, romance is sparked and wars are resolved.
I'm so glad I decided to pick up this book, Melina Marchetta has yet again managed to write one of the best realistic-fic books that I've ever read.
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I am not sure why this appealed to me so much, other than that I enjoy YA and it takes place in a unique setting in Australia. I liked that so little was revealed in the beginning, although the confusion was almost enough to make me abandon the book, took a little too long to get going. Youthful antics and feelings abound. I love antics! I love feelings!
I read a few other reviews and have to agree that the technique of having two parallel stories (Hannah's from 22 years back and Taylor's current narration) was a times confusing. Even more so if you listen to this novel because you can not even see the transitions with line breaks. That said, I loved this story! The narration by Rebecca Macauley was fabulous and the Aussie accent a pleasure to listen to. The characters of this story will stay will me for a long time and I can only hope Melina Marchetta is fast working on another novel - each one of hers has just blown me away.
I finished this just before I left for Europe and loved it. I need to go back and think about it some more and will post more on it later.
3.5 stars
This is a tricky book to review. I haven't actually read a Melina Marchetta since Looking for Alibrandi in Highschool. I loved Looking for Alibrandi. It got me through many difficult, angsty 16 year old times. Had I read Jellicoe Road in High School, I feel I would have loved it just as much.
Because the thing is - Taylor is a really great main character. She's a rough around the edges, but damaged, needy girl who is able to pull out her strength when she needs it. All she realls wants is to love and be loved. The story is centred around Taylor's search for her mentor, Hannah, who has disappeared in the middle of the night to "care for a friend". Taylor has reason to believe that isn't true and is concerned for Hannah's safety.
In the middle of the search for Hannah is the "war" - the school is divided up into various factions, and they have battled for years, distributing various areas of the school to the diffrent factions based on the outcomes of strategy and negotiation. People from other factions aren't really supposed to be friends, but there is definitely some emotion going on between Taylor and Jonah Griggs (who may I add, is a bit yummy.)
As well as all of these concepts, the chapters are interspersed with the manuscript that Hannah is writing about 5 friends on the Jellicoe Road. And these 5 friends are starting to feel awfully familiar to Taylor.
Right so - Marchetta certainly knows how to write a believeable love story. I loved Josie & Jacob in looking for Alibrandi, and I certainly loved Taylor Markham and Jonah Griggs. There is something so raw and real about them. It isn't all sunshine and lollipops - they are both seriously flawed characters who manage to bring out the best in each other.
I read the book fairly quickly, because it was certainly very readable. There were a few times when I scratched my head and flicked back a few pages because I felt I had missed something, but it all came together in the end. As far as the story goes, it was pretty good. Not amazing, but I would certainly prefer to see teenagers reading this over something like Twilight.
This is a tricky book to review. I haven't actually read a Melina Marchetta since Looking for Alibrandi in Highschool. I loved Looking for Alibrandi. It got me through many difficult, angsty 16 year old times. Had I read Jellicoe Road in High School, I feel I would have loved it just as much.
Because the thing is - Taylor is a really great main character. She's a rough around the edges, but damaged, needy girl who is able to pull out her strength when she needs it. All she realls wants is to love and be loved. The story is centred around Taylor's search for her mentor, Hannah, who has disappeared in the middle of the night to "care for a friend". Taylor has reason to believe that isn't true and is concerned for Hannah's safety.
In the middle of the search for Hannah is the "war" - the school is divided up into various factions, and they have battled for years, distributing various areas of the school to the diffrent factions based on the outcomes of strategy and negotiation. People from other factions aren't really supposed to be friends, but there is definitely some emotion going on between Taylor and Jonah Griggs (who may I add, is a bit yummy.)
As well as all of these concepts, the chapters are interspersed with the manuscript that Hannah is writing about 5 friends on the Jellicoe Road. And these 5 friends are starting to feel awfully familiar to Taylor.
Right so - Marchetta certainly knows how to write a believeable love story. I loved Josie & Jacob in looking for Alibrandi, and I certainly loved Taylor Markham and Jonah Griggs. There is something so raw and real about them. It isn't all sunshine and lollipops - they are both seriously flawed characters who manage to bring out the best in each other.
I read the book fairly quickly, because it was certainly very readable. There were a few times when I scratched my head and flicked back a few pages because I felt I had missed something, but it all came together in the end. As far as the story goes, it was pretty good. Not amazing, but I would certainly prefer to see teenagers reading this over something like Twilight.
I had no idea what the "war" was about. I also had no real idea of how long this story took. There were some vacations that didn't make sense. Then again, I am American, so vacations in general are a hard concept to understand.
*2.75*
Honestly, I was disappointed by this book. I had heard that it was such an emotional, moving and beautiful contemporary, which are my favorite kind, (like The Sea of Tranquility and Hopeless) Alas, this was not the case for me. I could see where people would get that, and I could tell that the author was trying to make it be like that, but I was just never invested.
Plot- The plot for this is very simple, yet very complicated all at once. The base plot is simple- Taylor's mother abandoned her a long time ago, and now she wants to discover her past. There's a lot more than that though, and at time it was very confusing. There were two parts to this story, the past and the present. At first, you're meant to not know how they connect, and then later it's revealed in a "shocking" twist, but I knew from the start how it all went together. This was a disappointment for me, because I wasn't shocked at any point in this book. I didn't like how nothing was really explained until over 100 pages in, I understand trying to keep "an air of mystery" but I think this one crossed the line a little too much. There was an interesting aspect of "territory wars," which I liked, but that's pretty much the only time I was really interested in the story. I found it quite boring most the time, and I was never really caring what was going to happen next, thus making me not want to pick it back up whenever I put it down. I wasn't invested into the emotional side of the story either. I felt like it could have been done very well, but I wasn't attached. I liked what she tried to do however, and I appreciated how well it all connected, I just wish it was executed differently.
Writing- This was definitely the book's strongest point. Marchetta has amazing writing. It's all very lyrical, and a lot of the time there are paragraphs where it feels like you're floating in a dream. At times, this can make the story hard to understand, but overall I really enjoyed this author's writing. I thought the dialogue had some humor to it a midst this darker plotline. I want to read more of her work, just to experience the writing again. It does my favorite thing: it's lyrical, but still feels real. It's not so poetic that it takes you away from reality, there's still some feel of the narrator's personality, and it's still believable.
Characters- I also had major issues with the characters. I was not attached to any of them. I didn't really care for any of them at all, not even the main love interest, which usually I'll harbor some feelings for by the end of the book. I can acknowledge that the author didn't make them all the same, but none of them stood out to me, nor did I really like any of them, especially the characters from "the past." It took me nearly until the end of the book to finally get it straight for who was related/in a relationship with who. I didn't care enough to pay attention to them, and they weren't memorable at all. I don't have much to say about them because I don't really remember them and it's only been one day. I do like that our main character got some type of character growth, and I really hold a lot of stock in that, so that did appease me. Even though separately I don't remember much about the characters, as a whole, I like how they were written. I liked their dialogue's with each other, and I liked how they interacted. Another major issue I had was there was really no descriptions on their physical appearance I can honestly say that besides Jonah, and Santangelo, I have no idea at all what any of the character's look like. That really bothered me, and it made me have a hard time getting into the story because I couldn't really picture any of the characters.
Overall- Sadly, I don't think this was the book for me. I thought it was average in terms of an "emotional contemporary." I appreciate what the author was trying to do, and I liked some of the unique things about it, but it just wasn't really my cup of tea. I didn't not like reading it, but just when I wasn't reading it, I didn't have any drive to get back into it. I don't think I will be recommending it to my friends, but I won't be swaying people away from reading it either. I'm still very interested to read her other works though because the writing was great, and I have faith that she can do much better.
Honestly, I was disappointed by this book. I had heard that it was such an emotional, moving and beautiful contemporary, which are my favorite kind, (like The Sea of Tranquility and Hopeless) Alas, this was not the case for me. I could see where people would get that, and I could tell that the author was trying to make it be like that, but I was just never invested.
Plot- The plot for this is very simple, yet very complicated all at once. The base plot is simple- Taylor's mother abandoned her a long time ago, and now she wants to discover her past. There's a lot more than that though, and at time it was very confusing. There were two parts to this story, the past and the present. At first, you're meant to not know how they connect, and then later it's revealed in a "shocking" twist, but I knew from the start how it all went together. This was a disappointment for me, because I wasn't shocked at any point in this book. I didn't like how nothing was really explained until over 100 pages in, I understand trying to keep "an air of mystery" but I think this one crossed the line a little too much. There was an interesting aspect of "territory wars," which I liked, but that's pretty much the only time I was really interested in the story. I found it quite boring most the time, and I was never really caring what was going to happen next, thus making me not want to pick it back up whenever I put it down. I wasn't invested into the emotional side of the story either. I felt like it could have been done very well, but I wasn't attached. I liked what she tried to do however, and I appreciated how well it all connected, I just wish it was executed differently.
Writing- This was definitely the book's strongest point. Marchetta has amazing writing. It's all very lyrical, and a lot of the time there are paragraphs where it feels like you're floating in a dream. At times, this can make the story hard to understand, but overall I really enjoyed this author's writing. I thought the dialogue had some humor to it a midst this darker plotline. I want to read more of her work, just to experience the writing again. It does my favorite thing: it's lyrical, but still feels real. It's not so poetic that it takes you away from reality, there's still some feel of the narrator's personality, and it's still believable.
Characters- I also had major issues with the characters. I was not attached to any of them. I didn't really care for any of them at all, not even the main love interest, which usually I'll harbor some feelings for by the end of the book. I can acknowledge that the author didn't make them all the same, but none of them stood out to me, nor did I really like any of them, especially the characters from "the past." It took me nearly until the end of the book to finally get it straight for who was related/in a relationship with who. I didn't care enough to pay attention to them, and they weren't memorable at all. I don't have much to say about them because I don't really remember them and it's only been one day. I do like that our main character got some type of character growth, and I really hold a lot of stock in that, so that did appease me. Even though separately I don't remember much about the characters, as a whole, I like how they were written. I liked their dialogue's with each other, and I liked how they interacted. Another major issue I had was there was really no descriptions on their physical appearance I can honestly say that besides Jonah, and Santangelo, I have no idea at all what any of the character's look like. That really bothered me, and it made me have a hard time getting into the story because I couldn't really picture any of the characters.
Overall- Sadly, I don't think this was the book for me. I thought it was average in terms of an "emotional contemporary." I appreciate what the author was trying to do, and I liked some of the unique things about it, but it just wasn't really my cup of tea. I didn't not like reading it, but just when I wasn't reading it, I didn't have any drive to get back into it. I don't think I will be recommending it to my friends, but I won't be swaying people away from reading it either. I'm still very interested to read her other works though because the writing was great, and I have faith that she can do much better.
THIS. BOOK.
I'll admit, I didn't understand the hype for the first 50 pages or so. The author drops us right in with little context, so I spent a lot of time asking myself, "Why do I care about the territory wars of a bunch of teenagers? Why do THEY care?"
I care now.
The author is so good at telling us what is happening and letting us make connections without actually spelling it out. We, the readers, probably figure out the twists before Taylor does, but it's still fulfilling when she fits the pieces together, like we are. The friendships and relationships are honest and beautiful in their simplicity. We don't need epic love poems, because the quiet power of the relationships is obvious in every interaction between the characters.
Also, HOORAY for a young adult book that doesn't make the adults completely useless!!!
Overall, an absolutely beautiful book. 10/10. Recommend to all the friends. Read. This. Book.
I'll admit, I didn't understand the hype for the first 50 pages or so. The author drops us right in with little context, so I spent a lot of time asking myself, "Why do I care about the territory wars of a bunch of teenagers? Why do THEY care?"
I care now.
The author is so good at telling us what is happening and letting us make connections without actually spelling it out. We, the readers, probably figure out the twists before Taylor does, but it's still fulfilling when she fits the pieces together, like we are. The friendships and relationships are honest and beautiful in their simplicity. We don't need epic love poems, because the quiet power of the relationships is obvious in every interaction between the characters.
Also, HOORAY for a young adult book that doesn't make the adults completely useless!!!
Overall, an absolutely beautiful book. 10/10. Recommend to all the friends. Read. This. Book.
Also posted on Rally The Readers.
Whenever I read something that is as stunning as Jellicoe Road is, I find it extremely difficult to adequately capture in words how amazing the book is. This is the best contemporary YA novel that I’ve read to date. Everything is perfect: the writing, the characters, the plotting. I loved Melina Marchetta’s epic fantasy [b:Finnikin of the Rock|6719736|Finnikin of the Rock (Lumatere Chronicles, #1)|Melina Marchetta|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1256982126s/6719736.jpg|4998084] and found Jellicoe Road equally impossible to put down.
One of the many things that I admire about Marchetta’s novels is the amount of depth that she gives to her characters. They’re always complex and never clichéd. Their dialogue is smart and free of cringe-inducing platitudes. I found it very easy to root for Taylor. As the story unfolds and you find out just how hard her life has been, it’s a heartbreaking realization. I got a bit teary-eyed a few times. That’s not to say that the book is one big weep-fest, though. There are plenty of snappy exchanges between the characters to make you laugh. Throughout the novel, there is always a balance between the book’s heavier subject matter and its more lighthearted moments.
Jellicoe Road is also a fantastic story of unwavering friendship, which is epitomized by the characters from the manuscript within the book. Tragedy brings them together, and an unbreakable bond forms between them. I also really liked Taylor’s friend, Rafaella. She struck me as the type of person who’s there for you no matter what, which is exactly what Taylor needs.
A note about the previously mentioned manuscript: Jellicoe Road has a book-within-a-book thing going on with this manuscript, which Taylor’s mother figure, Hannah, has been working on. At first I was a little confused by the manuscript excerpts which were interspersed with the main storyline. Their relevance quickly becomes clear, though, and when everything comes together, the payoff is immense. I urge anyone who reads this book to stick with it even if it sometimes seems as though the story is jumping around. You’ll be richly rewarded for your efforts.
Whenever I read something that is as stunning as Jellicoe Road is, I find it extremely difficult to adequately capture in words how amazing the book is. This is the best contemporary YA novel that I’ve read to date. Everything is perfect: the writing, the characters, the plotting. I loved Melina Marchetta’s epic fantasy [b:Finnikin of the Rock|6719736|Finnikin of the Rock (Lumatere Chronicles, #1)|Melina Marchetta|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1256982126s/6719736.jpg|4998084] and found Jellicoe Road equally impossible to put down.
One of the many things that I admire about Marchetta’s novels is the amount of depth that she gives to her characters. They’re always complex and never clichéd. Their dialogue is smart and free of cringe-inducing platitudes. I found it very easy to root for Taylor. As the story unfolds and you find out just how hard her life has been, it’s a heartbreaking realization. I got a bit teary-eyed a few times. That’s not to say that the book is one big weep-fest, though. There are plenty of snappy exchanges between the characters to make you laugh. Throughout the novel, there is always a balance between the book’s heavier subject matter and its more lighthearted moments.
Jellicoe Road is also a fantastic story of unwavering friendship, which is epitomized by the characters from the manuscript within the book. Tragedy brings them together, and an unbreakable bond forms between them. I also really liked Taylor’s friend, Rafaella. She struck me as the type of person who’s there for you no matter what, which is exactly what Taylor needs.
A note about the previously mentioned manuscript: Jellicoe Road has a book-within-a-book thing going on with this manuscript, which Taylor’s mother figure, Hannah, has been working on. At first I was a little confused by the manuscript excerpts which were interspersed with the main storyline. Their relevance quickly becomes clear, though, and when everything comes together, the payoff is immense. I urge anyone who reads this book to stick with it even if it sometimes seems as though the story is jumping around. You’ll be richly rewarded for your efforts.
4.5/5
It took me a while to gel with the story and Marchetta's writing style, but the end absolutely gutted me, in ways both good and bad. Overall, this is a brilliant book that I'm sad I took so long to read.
It took me a while to gel with the story and Marchetta's writing style, but the end absolutely gutted me, in ways both good and bad. Overall, this is a brilliant book that I'm sad I took so long to read.