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A review by hanhanpalmie
Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta
emotional
funny
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This is a charming coming of age tale, set against a backdrop of 90s Australia. It isn’t my favourite Melina Marchetta (that remains Saving Francesca which I will never stop rereading), but it certainly features many of the hallmarks of her writing that I love so much.
I found the main character Josie to be selfish, impetuous, dramatic and obnoxious, but loveable despite it all in a way that I hope maybe we all were at her age. I grew up in Australia about 15 years after Josie did so, and found it remarkable how much this country, and its cultural dynamics, have shifted in that time. And I, some 30 years after the book was first written, found it remarkable how Melina Marchetta’s artistry is such that I could still relate to a teenage girl trying to find her way.
I found the main character Josie to be selfish, impetuous, dramatic and obnoxious, but loveable despite it all in a way that I hope maybe we all were at her age. I grew up in Australia about 15 years after Josie did so, and found it remarkable how much this country, and its cultural dynamics, have shifted in that time. And I, some 30 years after the book was first written, found it remarkable how Melina Marchetta’s artistry is such that I could still relate to a teenage girl trying to find her way.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide