Scan barcode
stuckinafictionaluniverse's review against another edition
2.0
’’There’s no denying that Melina Marchetta is a literary goddess, but Looking for Alibrandi just isn’t that good.
- Every Marchetta fan who read her debut novel after being blown away by her other book(s).
This book was nowhere near as amazing as the author's other works, but I didn't expect it to be either. Marchetta's writing and characterization has gotten a lot better over the years, and gone from average to stunning.
Family relationships: B
I really liked the relationships in the Alibrandi family, especially the one between Josie and her mother.
The women in Josephine's life are all stubborn, outspoken and confident. There's tough love, many fights and misunderstanding between them. But at the end of the day, the family dynamics are great and make the characters likable.
Romance: E-
I severely disliked the romance in this book. All the couple did was fight, and they often seemed to hate each other. Yet the second Josie was away from Jacob, he was the most important person in her life!
Too much angst and not enough communication.
Dickhead love interest: F
My least part of the book was Jacob Coote, who I wanted to throw a sandwich at.
Jacob Coote is a despicable love interest, with serious mood swings. He barely has any personality, treats Josie like a dirtbag and then comes begging for her forgiveness. To be fair, Josephine is awful toward him, too, but at least she was a well-rounded characters and had her understandable reasons.
Jacob was nothing but annoying and dumb.
'Cause you're hot then you're cold
You're yes then you're no
You're in then you're out
You're up then you're down
He blames her for everything, tries to push her into sex and knows just what to say to hurt her.
You know something? I had no hassles in my life before I met you. Now everywhere I turn I face brick wall. I’m always giving you time. I can’t sleep with you because you need time. I can’t meet your grandmother because you need time. What the fuck are you waiting for?’'
I hereby declare Jacob Coote a prick.
Despite all that, their relationship was surprisingly realistic, albeit irritating. It was first love, and it was silly and frustrating and naive. Then again, I bet we all have or will be with a person who is a complete asshole, but we are too blind to see it in the moment. I think when you first fall in love, you're not falling for the person, but the idea of being in love.
Allow me to sneak in a quote from my recent read - [b:Black Heart|8884616|Black Heart (Curse Workers, #3)|Holly Black|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1418591869s/8884616.jpg|13760521] - that I think applies to this book:
“When we fall that first time, we’re not really in love with the girl. We’re in love with being in love. We’ve got no idea what she’s really about—or what she’s capable of. We’re in love with our idea of her and of who we become around her. We’re idiots.”
So, bonus points to Marchetta for adding a realistic, yet very flawed romance.
I just wish Jacob had been less one-dimensional and not tried to gain sympathy from the reader way too late in the book. He was just there so the MC could learn a lesson.
Writing and plot: D
It’s rather messy, the plot. It bounces between family relations, boy crushes and finding yourself. It was difficult to stay interested in either of those things.
Nationality and belonging is a big part of Looking for Alibrandi. Josephine is Italian, and has lived in Australia her whole life. Her classmates sometimes tease her for not being like them, making her question who she really is.
I liked the take on this topic and wish that storyline had been more focused on than the romance.
Sadly, the writing is simple and nothing special. It read like any other forgettable contemporary, to my great disappointment.
Final verdict:
You can tell that this book is published a decade before Saving Francesca (the fantastic novel that I constantly rave about). I think Marchetta hadn’t discovered her strengths just yet - strong characterization with flawed individuals and quote-worthy writing, so they all feel underdeveloped. Put that next to the slow pacing and less than stellar characters, and you have an underwhelming, generic book.
Please try [b:Saving Francesca|82434|Saving Francesca|Melina Marchetta|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327865374s/82434.jpg|18042740] or [b:On the Jellicoe Road|1162022|On the Jellicoe Road|Melina Marchetta|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1212708945s/1162022.jpg|6479100] instead. The first is a whirlwind of emotions and focuses more on friendships rather than family issues. It's hard to describe the latter, but it is truly special and beautiful.
When going through Marchetta's work, this is like a snack in between meals - rather light and underwhelming. Just something to quickly pick up while you wait for the exquisite dinner you're about to have. Not necessary, unless you're really craving something from the literary goddess, who is much less goddess-like here.
If that's the case, prepare to have a bitter snack that's probably expired.
- Every Marchetta fan who read her debut novel after being blown away by her other book(s).
This book was nowhere near as amazing as the author's other works, but I didn't expect it to be either. Marchetta's writing and characterization has gotten a lot better over the years, and gone from average to stunning.
Family relationships: B
I really liked the relationships in the Alibrandi family, especially the one between Josie and her mother.
The women in Josephine's life are all stubborn, outspoken and confident. There's tough love, many fights and misunderstanding between them. But at the end of the day, the family dynamics are great and make the characters likable.
Romance: E-
I severely disliked the romance in this book. All the couple did was fight, and they often seemed to hate each other. Yet the second Josie was away from Jacob, he was the most important person in her life!
Too much angst and not enough communication.
Dickhead love interest: F
My least part of the book was Jacob Coote, who I wanted to throw a sandwich at.
Jacob Coote is a despicable love interest, with serious mood swings. He barely has any personality, treats Josie like a dirtbag and then comes begging for her forgiveness. To be fair, Josephine is awful toward him, too, but at least she was a well-rounded characters and had her understandable reasons.
Jacob was nothing but annoying and dumb.
'Cause you're hot then you're cold
You're yes then you're no
You're in then you're out
You're up then you're down
He blames her for everything, tries to push her into sex and knows just what to say to hurt her.
You know something? I had no hassles in my life before I met you. Now everywhere I turn I face brick wall. I’m always giving you time. I can’t sleep with you because you need time. I can’t meet your grandmother because you need time. What the fuck are you waiting for?’'
I hereby declare Jacob Coote a prick.
Despite all that, their relationship was surprisingly realistic, albeit irritating. It was first love, and it was silly and frustrating and naive. Then again, I bet we all have or will be with a person who is a complete asshole, but we are too blind to see it in the moment. I think when you first fall in love, you're not falling for the person, but the idea of being in love.
Allow me to sneak in a quote from my recent read - [b:Black Heart|8884616|Black Heart (Curse Workers, #3)|Holly Black|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1418591869s/8884616.jpg|13760521] - that I think applies to this book:
“When we fall that first time, we’re not really in love with the girl. We’re in love with being in love. We’ve got no idea what she’s really about—or what she’s capable of. We’re in love with our idea of her and of who we become around her. We’re idiots.”
So, bonus points to Marchetta for adding a realistic, yet very flawed romance.
I just wish Jacob had been less one-dimensional and not tried to gain sympathy from the reader way too late in the book. He was just there so the MC could learn a lesson.
Writing and plot: D
It’s rather messy, the plot. It bounces between family relations, boy crushes and finding yourself. It was difficult to stay interested in either of those things.
Nationality and belonging is a big part of Looking for Alibrandi. Josephine is Italian, and has lived in Australia her whole life. Her classmates sometimes tease her for not being like them, making her question who she really is.
I liked the take on this topic and wish that storyline had been more focused on than the romance.
Sadly, the writing is simple and nothing special. It read like any other forgettable contemporary, to my great disappointment.
Final verdict:
You can tell that this book is published a decade before Saving Francesca (the fantastic novel that I constantly rave about). I think Marchetta hadn’t discovered her strengths just yet - strong characterization with flawed individuals and quote-worthy writing, so they all feel underdeveloped. Put that next to the slow pacing and less than stellar characters, and you have an underwhelming, generic book.
Please try [b:Saving Francesca|82434|Saving Francesca|Melina Marchetta|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327865374s/82434.jpg|18042740] or [b:On the Jellicoe Road|1162022|On the Jellicoe Road|Melina Marchetta|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1212708945s/1162022.jpg|6479100] instead. The first is a whirlwind of emotions and focuses more on friendships rather than family issues. It's hard to describe the latter, but it is truly special and beautiful.
When going through Marchetta's work, this is like a snack in between meals - rather light and underwhelming. Just something to quickly pick up while you wait for the exquisite dinner you're about to have. Not necessary, unless you're really craving something from the literary goddess, who is much less goddess-like here.
If that's the case, prepare to have a bitter snack that's probably expired.
ivyninareads's review against another edition
2.0
This was definitely a 2.5 star read for me – middle of the road.
I bought this book when I was about fifteen so that I could get it signed by the author at a writing event. I still had the book a full five years later and felt as though after keeping it around for so long, that I should finally just read the damn thing.
I can understand why this novel was dubbed the 'Most Stolen Book' from Australian high school libraries. Looking for Alibrandi was published in 1992, and for its time, this novel would have been groundbreaking. Melina Marchetta was opening up conversations that were for the most part, untapped at the time, those being the identity struggles for children of immigrant families. However, all of the complications of tradition and culture are set against the relatable background of high school and all of the various adolescent troubles one faces: heartbreak, friendship, love and change. I can really truly appreciate what this novel is doing, and what it did at the time it was published. I definitely think that there are still some poignant aspects to the book and its message, though parts of it have become a little dated in the thirty years since it was first published.
That being said, this was definitely a book that was meant for high schoolers; which I am not. And that's totally fine! But it just meant that me and this writing style didn't completely gel. This is mostly what lowered my review, because I can and will be a subjective reviewer despite its impracticality. For me the novel was just a bit of a slog to get through because I am out of the time in my life where these kinds of stories are super relevant to me.
All in all, not mad that I read it. In fact, glad that I finally got around to it. Happy to put it down and tuck it away.
I bought this book when I was about fifteen so that I could get it signed by the author at a writing event. I still had the book a full five years later and felt as though after keeping it around for so long, that I should finally just read the damn thing.
I can understand why this novel was dubbed the 'Most Stolen Book' from Australian high school libraries. Looking for Alibrandi was published in 1992, and for its time, this novel would have been groundbreaking. Melina Marchetta was opening up conversations that were for the most part, untapped at the time, those being the identity struggles for children of immigrant families. However, all of the complications of tradition and culture are set against the relatable background of high school and all of the various adolescent troubles one faces: heartbreak, friendship, love and change. I can really truly appreciate what this novel is doing, and what it did at the time it was published. I definitely think that there are still some poignant aspects to the book and its message, though parts of it have become a little dated in the thirty years since it was first published.
That being said, this was definitely a book that was meant for high schoolers; which I am not. And that's totally fine! But it just meant that me and this writing style didn't completely gel. This is mostly what lowered my review, because I can and will be a subjective reviewer despite its impracticality. For me the novel was just a bit of a slog to get through because I am out of the time in my life where these kinds of stories are super relevant to me.
All in all, not mad that I read it. In fact, glad that I finally got around to it. Happy to put it down and tuck it away.
trisairatops's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-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
4.75
amy02's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I don't know why it took me so long to finish this book but it's just so good. It so perfectly puts into words the eternal struggle that is mothers and daughters understanding each other. This book was written 30 years ago and the characters still feel like people I would go to school with. Its a perfect picture of modern Australia through the eyes of young people.
shareen17's review against another edition
3.0
What is good about this book is how the characters are very realistically flawed, while still being the kind of people you are routing for. This book is about an Italian-Australian girl in her last year of high school trying to figure out who she is, what she wants, and her relationships with her friends and family.
parpacifica's review against another edition
3.0
Looking for Alibrandi is the epitome of a 'coming-of-age' novel. It tackles many issues that teens face today such as cultural integration, identify, religion, careers, depression, and so on. Quite a beautiful novel. Josephine comes off a annoying to many but she has this youthful arrogance to her that we all had at her age. And I think the true winners in this book are the relationships. Josephine's relationship with her Nonna, and her Mama, her relationship with Micheal Andretti (her dad), her rough-yet-sweet relationship with Jacob Coote, her gentile one with John Barton. With Lee, Sera, and Anne.
SO MANY BEAUTIFUL RELATIONSHIPS!!!
Definitely recommending this:)
SO MANY BEAUTIFUL RELATIONSHIPS!!!
Definitely recommending this:)
stephxsu's review against another edition
4.0
At long last, I’ve picked up and finished my favorite author’s debut novel, which also happens to be the last book of hers that I read. It’s fascinating—and quite odd, to tell you the truth—to read her first book last: it’s like peeking at a great author’s first draft. Nevertheless, LOOKING FOR ALIBRANDI was an enjoyable, if not spectacular, contemporary read featuring a feisty main character and a discussion of ethnic discrimination in Australia.
The great maturation of Melina Marchetta’s writing style over the past 20 years shows. Much of the character development in LOOKING FOR ALIBRANDI takes place in the form of dialogue: Josie’s grandmother, in particular, talks a lot about their family’s history, and Josie is often at odds with her grandmother as to where they stand regarding their position as Italian Australians in Australian society. Sometimes the character development feels choppy, for Josie will be acting like an immature brat one day, and in the next chapter, she will talk about how she feels herself changing as she learns more and more. Um, from where does this growth naturally progress? I scratch my head in confusion.
The best part of LOOKING FOR ALIBRANDI is probably Josie. In a genre where all too often female protagonists will be much blander than their authors intended for them to be, Josie is loud-mouthed, mean at times, unafraid to make her thoughts heard. She is very direct with the family members she disagrees with over various issues. Because of Josie’s opinionated point of view, readers are able to be immersed in a discussion over ethnic biases that existed in Australia at the time of this book’s writing, that may still exist today. Josie is unafraid to voice her complaint about how she is treated and thought of differently by her classmates. Sometimes this feels like too much telling and not enough showing, but it’s Melina Marchetta. Which means that even not at her fullest potential, she is still worth reading.
LOOKING FOR ALIBRANDI may not have claimed my heart as Saving Francesca and Jellicoe Road have, but it’s still, I think, a must-read for Marchetta fans, who will be able to appreciate just how far their beloved author has come.
The great maturation of Melina Marchetta’s writing style over the past 20 years shows. Much of the character development in LOOKING FOR ALIBRANDI takes place in the form of dialogue: Josie’s grandmother, in particular, talks a lot about their family’s history, and Josie is often at odds with her grandmother as to where they stand regarding their position as Italian Australians in Australian society. Sometimes the character development feels choppy, for Josie will be acting like an immature brat one day, and in the next chapter, she will talk about how she feels herself changing as she learns more and more. Um, from where does this growth naturally progress? I scratch my head in confusion.
The best part of LOOKING FOR ALIBRANDI is probably Josie. In a genre where all too often female protagonists will be much blander than their authors intended for them to be, Josie is loud-mouthed, mean at times, unafraid to make her thoughts heard. She is very direct with the family members she disagrees with over various issues. Because of Josie’s opinionated point of view, readers are able to be immersed in a discussion over ethnic biases that existed in Australia at the time of this book’s writing, that may still exist today. Josie is unafraid to voice her complaint about how she is treated and thought of differently by her classmates. Sometimes this feels like too much telling and not enough showing, but it’s Melina Marchetta. Which means that even not at her fullest potential, she is still worth reading.
LOOKING FOR ALIBRANDI may not have claimed my heart as Saving Francesca and Jellicoe Road have, but it’s still, I think, a must-read for Marchetta fans, who will be able to appreciate just how far their beloved author has come.
prada's review
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
christiana's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars kind of read. I like reading about Italian Catholics because I am Italian Catholic and I still love Melina Marchetta. She started as a very good writer and now she just blows my mind, so I enjoyed reading her first novel. What else can I say? It's Melina freaking Marchetta.