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4.23 AVERAGE
4.23 AVERAGE
4.5 stars. This is a really good story. The first 100-150 pages is a bit confusing, but as the story continues, you get bits and pieces of more and more info where it all starts to come together. Had I not read all the reviews of how fantastic the story is, I would have maybe given up after 100 pages. I'm glad I kept reading. I can't really explain what the story is about because I don't want to give anything away. All I can say is that if you choose to read this book, know that it all comes together, and it truly is a great story.
Boricuan Bookworms- Book Reviews
If there's a book in this world that I would have regretted putting down before finishing, it would be this one. On The Jellicoe Road and I started off pretty badly. I had borrowed this book from the library 2 months before and never got motivated to finish it. When I realised my due date was coming up, I decided to pick this up. It was terribly confusing at first, and I honestly could not be any more bored by the story.
I didn't understand the correlation between the two stories that were being told at the same time. I couldn't separate what was real and what was fake. (Helpful hint: Some parts of the story are Hannah's manuscript. If you're reading the ebook then it means that the parts completely italicized are the manuscript. The rest is Taylor's story).
However, Melina Marchetta had a beautiful and surreal way of writing. You couldn't help but feel as if you were in Jellicoe Road and walking through the forrest and climbing the trees. It makes me want to visit Australia even more than I already do.
Also, no matter how confusing the alternating chapters are, in the end the author brings them together and honestly breaks my heart in the process.
I will not lie to you and tell you that it was easy reading this book. Taylor was annoying and selfish at times. She was standoffish most of the time and her "devil may care" attitude will get on your nerves once you start warming up to the side characters. You may think the story is slow, and yes, I won't lie. It is a pretty slow story. However once the manuscript and Taylor's life intersect, that's when I was passing the pages as fast as I could.
I formed an emotional attachment to everyone in this book (yes, even Taylor once I got to know her). I sighed and swooned over Jonah Griggs and the Brigadier. I cried my eyes out while following Taylor on this journey.
I think that this is one of those books that it is perfectly acceptable to re-read if you had a bad relationship with it at first. You’ll be sure to fall in love with it.
Overall, while it had a shaky start and a questionable main character, this book presents two stories and brings them together in a very poetic and feel-inducing way. It’s a book I’d re-read any day.
If there's a book in this world that I would have regretted putting down before finishing, it would be this one. On The Jellicoe Road and I started off pretty badly. I had borrowed this book from the library 2 months before and never got motivated to finish it. When I realised my due date was coming up, I decided to pick this up. It was terribly confusing at first, and I honestly could not be any more bored by the story.
I didn't understand the correlation between the two stories that were being told at the same time. I couldn't separate what was real and what was fake. (Helpful hint: Some parts of the story are Hannah's manuscript. If you're reading the ebook then it means that the parts completely italicized are the manuscript. The rest is Taylor's story).
However, Melina Marchetta had a beautiful and surreal way of writing. You couldn't help but feel as if you were in Jellicoe Road and walking through the forrest and climbing the trees. It makes me want to visit Australia even more than I already do.
“I live on the Jellicoe Road. Where trees make canopies over-head and where you can sit at the top of them and see forever.”
Also, no matter how confusing the alternating chapters are, in the end the author brings them together and honestly breaks my heart in the process.
I will not lie to you and tell you that it was easy reading this book. Taylor was annoying and selfish at times. She was standoffish most of the time and her "devil may care" attitude will get on your nerves once you start warming up to the side characters. You may think the story is slow, and yes, I won't lie. It is a pretty slow story. However once the manuscript and Taylor's life intersect, that's when I was passing the pages as fast as I could.
I formed an emotional attachment to everyone in this book (yes, even Taylor once I got to know her). I sighed and swooned over Jonah Griggs and the Brigadier. I cried my eyes out while following Taylor on this journey.
I think that this is one of those books that it is perfectly acceptable to re-read if you had a bad relationship with it at first. You’ll be sure to fall in love with it.
Overall, while it had a shaky start and a questionable main character, this book presents two stories and brings them together in a very poetic and feel-inducing way. It’s a book I’d re-read any day.
I'm lacking proper shelves to categorize this.
I only got into it around 40%? It was confusing at first. I didn't know what was going on. I didn't take any of them seriously. But then /stuff/ started happening and I began to care. A little at first, then a whole LOT. Taylor grew on me, too. Somewhere around haflway through the book, little by little. At first I couldn't stand her!
Old mystery and wounds not quite healed despite years having passed, especially with kids involved? Sign me the hell UP. So when pieces of the puzzle finally started to fit and I realized a thing or two, made a connection here and there - it all fall back into place and I could love it. Hence 5 stars even if the beginning felt wobbly and unfounded.
I sobbed my way through the last 20% of it. It's still so raw. Also, I'm holding out hope for Sam. For I believe in lost causes. Even if life can be too cruel to care for them.
I only got into it around 40%? It was confusing at first. I didn't know what was going on. I didn't take any of them seriously. But then /stuff/ started happening and I began to care. A little at first, then a whole LOT. Taylor grew on me, too. Somewhere around haflway through the book, little by little. At first I couldn't stand her!
Old mystery and wounds not quite healed despite years having passed, especially with kids involved? Sign me the hell UP. So when pieces of the puzzle finally started to fit and I realized a thing or two, made a connection here and there - it all fall back into place and I could love it. Hence 5 stars even if the beginning felt wobbly and unfounded.
I sobbed my way through the last 20% of it. It's still so raw. Also, I'm holding out hope for Sam. For I believe in lost causes. Even if life can be too cruel to care for them.
As I said in one of my status updates, I was very upset by the fact that they lived in Australia. I wasn't expecting that and frankly I kind of hate books that are based in Australia. Like, Stolen. I don't know why it bothered me but it did and I did not enjoy it. Plus, I'm kinda over the whole boarding school thing. After reading The Disreputable History of Frankie... and The Mockingbirds , I became kind of disenchanted with the whole thing. Which is sad because some books like Looking for Alaska do it pretty well.
The dozen pages or so that I actually read of this book kinda sucked if I'm to be honest. I didn't understand what they were talking about. It seemed, at first, that they girl's mother died on this notorious "Jellicoe Road" but then she talks about her like she's alive or something and I didn't understand. And then she was elected to be some kind of leader for some darn secret society and I started gagging because it reminded me of the darn books I mentioned above(the Frankie and mockingbirds one).
I just didn't like it and when I read those dozen pages or whatever and sat it down, I knew that I wouldn't be picking it up again. I think a lot of people like this book and I'm not exactly sure why. This is one of those books that I didn't finish and that I have no regret doing so.
The dozen pages or so that I actually read of this book kinda sucked if I'm to be honest. I didn't understand what they were talking about. It seemed, at first, that they girl's mother died on this notorious "Jellicoe Road" but then she talks about her like she's alive or something and I didn't understand. And then she was elected to be some kind of leader for some darn secret society and I started gagging because it reminded me of the darn books I mentioned above(the Frankie and mockingbirds one).
I just didn't like it and when I read those dozen pages or whatever and sat it down, I knew that I wouldn't be picking it up again. I think a lot of people like this book and I'm not exactly sure why. This is one of those books that I didn't finish and that I have no regret doing so.
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
okay a thing about this. I think on reread of a physical copy this could really be a 5 star read for me but as the first 50% of the audio was super confusing I just wasn't that excited about it. I didn't even realise there were two time lines and what was happening.
ONCE I did realise the two timelines and who was in them I really started to enjoy myself, there is so much grief and just pain in this book, in kids lives. There is also a lot of awesome friendships, of student relationships, and loves.
Love is a big part of this book, holding back love, "forbidden" love, the family love your not sure you should feel, the love that you don't or can't let yourself feel.
I really loved the relationship between Gregs and Taylor they felt real, they fought, they had real problems and it wasn't all star gazing and picnics.
The one standout in the audio is the narrator being so aussie, the writing along is super aussie as is but she really brought the aussie to life for me. After becoming so used to american and english narrators it was really cool to be hearing someone who sounds like myself telling a story that I could imagine perfectly.
There's drama, mystery, disaster, sadness, bad parents, dead parents, sad kids, angry kids, and a whole lot to love in this book.
ONCE I did realise the two timelines and who was in them I really started to enjoy myself, there is so much grief and just pain in this book, in kids lives. There is also a lot of awesome friendships, of student relationships, and loves.
Love is a big part of this book, holding back love, "forbidden" love, the family love your not sure you should feel, the love that you don't or can't let yourself feel.
I really loved the relationship between Gregs and Taylor they felt real, they fought, they had real problems and it wasn't all star gazing and picnics.
The one standout in the audio is the narrator being so aussie, the writing along is super aussie as is but she really brought the aussie to life for me. After becoming so used to american and english narrators it was really cool to be hearing someone who sounds like myself telling a story that I could imagine perfectly.
There's drama, mystery, disaster, sadness, bad parents, dead parents, sad kids, angry kids, and a whole lot to love in this book.
2018:
After a year without books, this was a very welcome homecoming. Marchetta is incredible.
2015:
I'm not sure if it's my favorite Marchetta but it was phenomenal all the same. Taylor and Jonah may be my main Marchetta ship after Froi and Quintana. I figured out the mystery pretty much in the second chapter though (you can ask Mellis, apparently they were very impressed) which made it slightly less mind blowing. Still, it was hauntingly, achingly beautiful. Also I want to play territory wars. And just read more about all of these kids hanging out.
After a year without books, this was a very welcome homecoming. Marchetta is incredible.
2015:
I'm not sure if it's my favorite Marchetta but it was phenomenal all the same. Taylor and Jonah may be my main Marchetta ship after Froi and Quintana. I figured out the mystery pretty much in the second chapter though (you can ask Mellis, apparently they were very impressed) which made it slightly less mind blowing. Still, it was hauntingly, achingly beautiful. Also I want to play territory wars. And just read more about all of these kids hanging out.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes