Reviews

Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta

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un1c0rn's review against another edition

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3.0

Couldn't really connect with any of the characters, and the plot is uninteresting and weird.

kalliste's review

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5.0

This book was somewhat life changing for me. Even though it was a year 12 english text and we had to dissect it like nothing else I was still able to enjoy it once the year was complete. So much so that I bought it once the school made me give it back - I did contemplate ways to steal it but no such luck, although it is apparently the most stolen book from Australian school libraries so I guess other people were better at stealing than me.

Looking for Alibrandi is the moving story of Josephine Alibrandi who is stuck in the middle of cultures. Not Italian enough for the Italian community and not Australian enough for the Australians, Josie feels lost within herself.

Throughout the book though Josie goes through new experiences and attempts to change her views on the world and gets an insight on how the world views her.

Well written and is very much a re-readable book (I must have read it 30+ times). Thoroughly enjoyable!

kiahsomething's review against another edition

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3.0

3.5

annereads222's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

karinlib's review against another edition

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4.0

Good book about coming of age in Australia.

noodanica's review against another edition

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hopeful lighthearted reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

I love saving Francesca, so when I saw this book was written by the same author I was excited. However, the main character, Josie, is annoying. She’s is the worst character I have ever had the misfortune of reading. Jacob Coote is Josie love interest who she swears up and down she is in deeply in love even though the relationship is so one dimensional and boring. I felt no actual connection, positive or negative, between josie and any other character. Jacob is a massive wanker and Josie is a brat so I don’t understand the appeal in either of them. The twists are boring and predictable so I was yawing through this book, and it sounds like it was written like a bitchy 15 year old who thinks she’s so smart and worldly. The whole last chapter feels like a desperate attempt to make the reader feel like there was a point to the book while in actuality it was just pages and pages of listening to Josie carry on. Nothing interesting happens or can be gained from reading this book. There were times where I could tell Marchetta attempted to create emotional connections between the reader and Josie, but all she succeeded in doing was making me roll my eyes. If Josie said how much she loved Jacob or cried about not being with him forever one more time I would have thrown the book across the room. Imagining Josie’s mother having to put up with her bullshit every day is the most effective ad for birth control I’ve ever seen.