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Feeling Sorry For Celia (Ashbury/Brookfield #1)

3.82 of 5 stars 3.82 · rating details · 4,880 ratings · 345 reviews

Life is pretty complicated for Elizabeth Clarry. Her best friend Celia keeps disappearing, her absent father suddenly reappears, and her communication with her mother consists entirely of wacky notes left on the fridge. On top of everything else, because her English teacher wants to rekindle the "Joy of the Envelope," a Complete and Utter Stranger knows more about Elizabet...more

Paperback, 278 pages

Published 2001 by Pan MacMillan (first published May 1st 2000)

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Feeling Sorry For Celia by Jaclyn Moriarty

The Year of Secret Assignments by Jaclyn Moriarty

The Murder Of Bindy Mackenzie by Jaclyn Moriarty

I Have a Bed Made of Buttermilk Pancakes by Jaclyn Moriarty

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Aug 28, 2011 Flannery rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Flannery by: SCB TBR Challenge - Olivia (Aug-1)

Shelves: aussie-ya-is-the-cats-meow, young-adult-teen, lolz, tbr-scb-2011, read-in-2011

HERE IS A REVIEW!!!! RIGHT HERE ON YOUR COMPUTER SCREEN!!!

Like the other Jaclyn Moriarty book I read recently (Finding Cassie Crazy), this is written in epistolary format and includes letters, the backs of postcards, and random notes. The notes from Elizabeth’s mother were probably my favorite bits as they all started in a similar way to how I started this review (HERE IS A NOTE!!! RIGHT NEXT TO THE REFRIGERATOR!!! ) and her mother would give her topics to think on and/or discuss—what she think...more HERE IS A REVIEW!!!! RIGHT HERE ON YOUR COMPUTER SCREEN!!!

Like the other Jaclyn Moriarty book I read recently (Finding Cassie Crazy), this is written in epistolary format and includes letters, the backs of postcards, and random notes. The notes from Elizabeth’s mother were probably my favorite bits as they all started in a similar way to how I started this review (HERE IS A NOTE!!! RIGHT NEXT TO THE REFRIGERATOR!!! ) and her mother would give her topics to think on and/or discuss—what she thinks of purple nail polish, what a catchy slogan could be for a product, or thoughts on socks. (I have a lot of thoughts on socks and have, on numerous occasions, been accused (rightly) of stealing socks from my roommates. I practice the old “sibling rule” that if you leave it in my room, it becomes mine.) Liz’s mother cracked me up--“I hope you feel better today. Please ring me at work if you are dead."

Because I read one other Ashbury High book before this one, I can’t help but compare and I enjoyed Finding Cassie Crazy more. The humor was more consistent and I found myself more invested in each of the relationships. The tone here felt more serious and, while I did find much of it humorous, those moments were further apart. (how many times can I say the word ‘more’?) Rather than focusing on a group of friends and their pen pals, Feeling Sorry for Celia catalogs the formation of one friendship (Liz and her pen pal Christina) while Liz is simultaneously having trouble in her relationship with her best friend Celia. I had a hard time with Celia’s character because she was flighty and (overly) adventurous. I see how Celia’s home situation contributed to her wanderlust but it doesn’t mean that I think she’s a good friend to Liz. The developing friendship between Liz and Christina was lovely, as they both supported each other from the get-go and actually cared what was going on in the other’s life. Celia seemed like one of those friends you dread calling because they will just ramble on about their life and never ask you about how you’re doing.

My friend and I were talking the other day about authors we adore enough to read everything they ever write. I think Jaclyn Moriarty is a kindred spirit. (Anne with an ‘e’ would definitely think so) She is funny, her characters are endearing, and she is successful at wring epistolary YA. Keep doing it, JM, and I will keep buying and reading everything you write. In fact, I have the two remaining Ashbury/Brookfield books already lined up.
(less)

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Mar 31, 2013 Maggie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Noelle

Shelves: aussie-aussie-aussie-oi-oi-oi, 2012, i-ve-just-read-you-and-i-love-you, a-z-book-2012, aussie-2012, debut-novels

Dear US readers,

Do not be alarmed by how accessible this book is to people living in the States. This does not diminish the awesomeness that we've come to expect from Australian authors. Nor do you have to jump through hoops or swim through the rings of Fishpond hell to get it!

This book is a series of letters to and from Elizabeth Clarry. Her new English teacher decides to revive the Lost Art of Letter Writing and has his students write letters to the rival high school. Elizabeth's penpal ends u...more Dear US readers,

Do not be alarmed by how accessible this book is to people living in the States. This does not diminish the awesomeness that we've come to expect from Australian authors. Nor do you have to jump through hoops or swim through the rings of Fishpond hell to get it!

This book is a series of letters to and from Elizabeth Clarry. Her new English teacher decides to revive the Lost Art of Letter Writing and has his students write letters to the rival high school. Elizabeth's penpal ends up being Christina Kratovac. Through the letters between Elizabeth and Christina, Elizabeth and her mum (THE HILARIOUS ALL CAPS OVER-EXCLAMATION POINTER!!!!), and various unsolicited letters, we get a look into the lives of our characters. The Celia in the title refers to Elizabeth's lifelong best friend and potential missing person -- potential because she often chooses to go missing.

This book was first published in 2000 so there are some dated references, like Walkmans. Remember those? But in this age of Twitter, Goodreads, and blogs, where we (or at least I) spend a good portion of my day chatting, tweeting, and emailing people I've never met but formed solid relationships with, this book is actually rather timely. I totally related to how Elizabeth and Christina's friendship began and grew, how you can feel like you know someone without being able to recognize them on the street. Sometimes I find it's easier to share things with someone you don't have to see everyday. You can also find people who share your very specific interests (Melina Marchetta + San Antonio Spurs + Friday Night Lights + Graffiti Moon + GIFs of waving bears + Tom Hardy's ass), which is an instant basis for friendship.

Basically, I really enjoyed this book. And you can too! Really available, not Fishpond available, at IndieBound, B&N, and Amazon.

Yours sincerely,
A dues-paying member of the We ♥ Aussie YA Association

This review appears on Young Adult Anonymous. You can also find the book on sale for $3.99 at BookCloseouts.(less)

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Dec 02, 2011 Jillian -always aspiring- rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Readers who want a light and humorous read that doesn't take itself too seriously

Shelves: realistic-fiction, 2011-reads, wish-i-could-write-a-book-like-this, wish-i-had-read-it-earlier, best-characters, best-endings, wowed-me, exceeded-my-expectations, writing-to-which-i-aspire, writer-crush, ultimate-favorites, realistic-teenage-voices, heroines-i-love-and-or-admire, humorous, made-me-cry, stories-with-a-message, reviewed

It's a bit embarrassing to admit that I grinned for a few minutes after finishing this book. I wish I had read it during my teen years since I really could have used Elizabeth's parting letter to the dreaded "Association of Teenagers." (Trust me: you'd understand what I meant if you read the book.)

Jaclyn Moriarty's books and I haven't known each other for very long. Last year, I read The Year of Secret Assignments (which is a companion to this novel) and found myself moved by its honesty and hum...more It's a bit embarrassing to admit that I grinned for a few minutes after finishing this book. I wish I had read it during my teen years since I really could have used Elizabeth's parting letter to the dreaded "Association of Teenagers." (Trust me: you'd understand what I meant if you read the book.)

Jaclyn Moriarty's books and I haven't known each other for very long. Last year, I read The Year of Secret Assignments (which is a companion to this novel) and found myself moved by its honesty and humor. Why, then, did I wait a whole year to read another novel from her? Maybe I was afraid that my first experience with her writing couldn't be replicated. My worry was that, as a first novel, Feeling Sorry for Celia might somehow be inferior. In retrospect, however, my fears were silly. I should have had enough trust in Jaclyn Moriarty to deliver another meaningful, honest, and fun book...and that's exactly what she did. Feeling Sorry for Celia is different in tone than The Year of Secret Assignments, but everything I loved about the latter is still very much present in the former.

Elizabeth Clarry and Christina Kratovac are unaware of each other and go to different schools, Ashbury and Brookfield respectively...but all of that changes when the two become part of a correspondence program implemented between the two schools as a way to "forge ties." Though the two girls are initially unenthusiastic about this exchange, they ease into the habit of writing letters to each other and eventually find that they actually like writing to one another. However, even as Elizabeth is making a friend of this unseen girl through letters, she worries about her real-life friend Celia, who has gone missing yet again in another display of "her identity unfurling itself" (or so Celia's mother says).

What's amazing about this novel is that the structure of letters and notes never feels like a lazy narrative or a jumbled mess of thoughts. Instead, the execution is rather clever. Each piece of the story (whether narrated through Elizabeth's or Christina's letters, Elizabeth's mother's notes, or even letters from the aptly named COLD HARD TRUTH ASSOCIATION) holds its own voice, humor, and irony -- definitely not an easy feat. Also, the plot (often somehow involving Celia disappearing or acting crazy) never gets lost in the midst of all of it, but the events feel natural because you're existing with these characters while you read. Their world becomes yours, and you can't help but care.

The only flaw to the novel is that, as much as some of the antics of the characters are smirk- or giggle-inducing, oftentimes there's a quality of far-fetchedness to the characters. Sure, that same quality added to my enjoyment of the novel, but add too many uncommon elements to a narrative (such as a flighty mother who doesn't bat an eyelash at her daughter suddenly disappearing, another mother who communicates with her daughter mostly through notes, a friend who would run off and join the circus, etc.) and I'll call foul no matter how enjoyable the tale. (Only this time, my call of foul is tiny, so rest assured that I still very much like this book.)

Needless to say, Feeling Sorry for Celia and I became good friends despite my initial worries. I have the third and fourth books in the Ashbury/Brookfield series waiting to be read, so I'm hoping that they'll make good impressions on me too. In the meantime, I definitely recommend Feeling Sorry for Celia and The Year of Secret Assignments; I'll be crossing my fingers that some of my Goodreads friends will come to enjoy these books as well.(less)

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Apr 25, 2012 Shirley Marr rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: aussie-ya, modern-classics

I was initially wary of this book in much the same way I was wary of Guitar Highway Rose . Even though I LOVED GHR, it still wasn't the sort of book I normally read and I thought maybe its beauty was just a fluke. I was convinced that a novel made completely up of exchanged letters, messages hastily stuck in fridge doors and notes passed around was going to be too lightweight… but this novel changed my mind when halfway through, it took my heart and cracked it in half.

Feeling Sorry for Celia is...more

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Feb 14, 2013 Dahlia rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Sep 04, 2010 K rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: library, i-bought-it

It’s good to know up front that this book is told entirely in letters. It’d be hard to get into otherwise, and it would be a shame to miss.

Elizabeth endures her English teacher’s enthusiasm for the Joy of the Envelope and writes to a Complete and Utter Stranger at a neighboring school. The Complete and Utter Stranger, Christina, turns out to share and enjoy Liz’s wonky outlook and have issues of her own to write about. Their correspondence is like having a diary that relates back and asks for ad...more

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Oct 07, 2007 Shelley rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: youth

4.5 stars, really. I have no idea where I got the rec for this book, but I have such mad love for it. It's written in the snarky smart tone I associate with fanfic and love so much. It's completely epistolary - Elizabeth is mainly writing notes to her mother via the fridge and letters to a penpal at a neighborhood school, and receiving letters from the same and also from such (mental) organizations as "The Association of Teenagers" (who firmly believe she has no right to call herself a teen and...more

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Jun 17, 2012 Lauren rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: friends-forever, my-little-runaway, teenage-feelings

Dear Lauren,
Didn't Elizabeth's dog die when she went on a trip? Think about that next time you go anywhere.
Love, your beloved Chihuahua Seamus

Feeling sorry for Celia was a lovely book about the complications of relationships. Elizabeth Clarry's teacher has assigned them to write to kids from another school to rediscover the joys of letters in envelopes.
This book was in it's own way hearkening back to a time where everyone wasn't texting while talking to someone else. The book was published in 20...more

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Jun 13, 2007 Colleen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya

"Maybe a rocking motion makes you think deep and philosophical thoughts? I wonder if that means babies are always lying in their cradles being rocked and working out the meaning of life? They probably are you know, and it's completely wasted because they can't talk."

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Jul 24, 2007 Laura Gardner rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: YA fans

Shelves: ya, epistolary, coming-of-age, friendship, romance

I like how it's written entirely in letters. I really did laugh out loud several times while reading, which is fun to do.

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Mar 21, 2012 Alyssa Udall rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: australian-lit, contemporary, family-drama, teen-fiction, wow-loved-it, hilarious

Dear Reader:

You are probably wondering whether or not you should read Feeling Sorry for Celia. I know this about you because you're reading this review of the book, which is supposed to tell you whether or not you should read it. If you think about it, this makes book reviewers pretty arrogant people.

Like I should know you well enough to know if this book is any good for you. Who am I? A complete stranger. Yes, a slightly clever stranger who reads lots of books, but still a stranger.

In my opi...more

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Aug 18, 2011 Cass - Words on Paper rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2011, aussie

5/5 (will be a mini-ish review on the blog sometime in the future)

I love these kinds of books! Feeling Sorry for Celia is written in the form of letters. While this may detach the reader from its characters, it surely was not the case this time. In fact, I loved this book even more for it.

The book doesn't seem to have much direction at the beginning. Elizabeth 'receives' a letter from The Association of Teenagers who declare that she really isn't much of a teenager at all, is she? She has one (b...more 5/5 (will be a mini-ish review on the blog sometime in the future)

I love these kinds of books! Feeling Sorry for Celia is written in the form of letters. While this may detach the reader from its characters, it surely was not the case this time. In fact, I loved this book even more for it.

The book doesn't seem to have much direction at the beginning. Elizabeth 'receives' a letter from The Association of Teenagers who declare that she really isn't much of a teenager at all, is she? She has one (best) friend, who is MISSING, and no one else cares because it's just her way; she doesn't rebel or party; basically, she's an embarrassment to teenagerhood. The book follows through with letters from different associatios (but of course she's writing the to herself, to mirror how she feels at the time), as well as letters back and forth between several people. The one thing that was lost on me as caused by the letter format, was time. Anyway . . .

Elizabeth was so easy to relate to, so real and honest her voice was. I liked the easygoing nature of the book - I didn't feel the need to sit there on the edge of my seat, gaping at the pages. I didn't need to; I kept coming back to the book anyway. It was almost like I was just sitting down and reading a pile of letters from a stranger, and I could just pick up where I left from at any time.

That's not to say the book wasn't at all exciting, because it certainly was. It's through the connections that were made between me and Elizabeth and her friend (and soon-to-be-friends) and family that I actually cared about what was going to happen next. Whether Celia was going to come home; whether Elizabeth's family would ever be whole again; whether her new pen-pal and her were ever goingto meet; and so forth.

The humour and little quirks really shine a light through this book. I cannot count the number of times I smiled or chuckled throughout. The letters exchanged between Elizabeth and Christina . . . it's almost like they could have just been passing notes during class. The relationship between Elizabeth and pretty much everyone she comes into contact with, was so easy to relate back to myself. And yes, there is a romance, and a pretty cute and funny one at that. It did take a backseat among all the other stuff, but it was nice to have another dimension added to the plot.

Basically, what I'm saying is READ IT. This is an Australian novel, but it has been published in the US so you have no excuses. ;)(less)

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Jan 21, 2010 Tatiana rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Tatiana by: E. Lockhart

Shelves: 2010, ya, ala-ya-2002, series-finished-good, aus-nz

"Feeling Sorry for Celia" is Moriarty's debut novel and the second book I've read by this author. Looking back, I probably should have read this book first, before "The Year of Secret Assignments," because they both are set in the same "world," have common characters, and reading "Feeling Sorry for Celia" first would have probably helped me to understand events in the second novel better. However, these two books are not a part of a series, they are completely independent novels, so reading them...more

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Sep 27, 2012 Uzma S. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I REALLY love the book! It's so perfect! Like, there are so many events that happen and it's really easy to keep track of the events because, everything happens at the right time! I loveeee the book.

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Apr 03, 2013 Kara rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya

I see loads of bloggers exclaim over Australian authors and I'm inclined to agree with them. Every single new book I pick up written by one of them has yet to truly disappoint me! And this one is very far from being a disappointment. I've never read a story that was written only as letters before. I've seen some around, but didn't think it would be something to capture my attention. The format of letters and notes and postcards seems like it would be jarring, and I was worried it wouldn't allow...more I see loads of bloggers exclaim over Australian authors and I'm inclined to agree with them. Every single new book I pick up written by one of them has yet to truly disappoint me! And this one is very far from being a disappointment. I've never read a story that was written only as letters before. I've seen some around, but didn't think it would be something to capture my attention. The format of letters and notes and postcards seems like it would be jarring, and I was worried it wouldn't allow me to connect with the characters as well, but somehow it worked wonderfully here. This was such a laugh out loud, shake my head, and breeze right through it kind of book! I'm so glad I saw it mentioned somewhere this week and picked it up from the library.

Elizabeth is a writer, although she wouldn't say she is. But somehow she is able to take the most mundane things happening in her daily life, and make it interesting in a letter to her new penpal. Of course, being a teenager, she's got plenty of angst to complain about also. For Ms. Moriarty does touch on some hard issues, but doesn't focus on them completely either. She offers just enough to make you realize that the issues are serious and need to be dealt with seriously, not just brushed aside, yet that's not ultimately what the focus is. The focus seems more about Elizabeth (and Christina) learning that friendships and relationships are hard, and they do change as you grow older. And that's okay. It doesn't mean it's easy, it simply means it's life. Everyone learns these lessons at one point or other, and this is Elizabeth's turn. She handles it well, all things considered. Christina (her penpal) definitely helps with the transitioning. Their friendship is so fun! Writing their thoughts and feelings down help them get to know each other a whole lot quicker. It's easier sometimes, to be more honest with a stranger than with someone you know well. Especially if your relationship with that someone you thought you knew seems to be changing majorly. But they quickly move beyond acquaintances and truly become good friends. It doesn't take long for Elizabeth and Christina to start relying on one another for encouragement and support. But that's not the only relationship that's awesome. I absolutely loved Elizabeth's mother! (Her dad, not so much.) Her notes (with lots of exclamation points!!!!) always made me laugh, as she slyly tried to get her daughter to help come up with new ad slogans for her job. Of course Elizabeth always saw right through her, but humored her anyway. They simply have a great mother/daughter dynamic. Supporting each other, cheering for each other, and readily talking about things and being honest with one another. That was a big plus for me-the fact that Elizabeth pretty well tells her mom everything! I've always been the same way with my mom and I loved that.

There's a quiet little romance here too, but it's mostly in the background. Which isn't to say that Elizabeth and Christina don't talk about it, because hello, they are teenage girls! :D But it's not the main push of the story, just a fun little sideroad. This book is a relatively quick read and brings lots of entertainment, I definitely recommend it!(less)

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Aug 17, 2012 Catriona rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Oh discovery. The word seems to ruin any book by making you feel like you’re in a personal learning class. And yet, despite the word ‘discovery’ and all it’s synonyms, this book finds a way to teach you life lessons (yet another irritating term), but manages to do so without feeling like the author is shoving morals down your throat.

Elizabeth (the protagonist) is so lovely, anyone can find an aspect of themselves in her that really gives the book bonus points. The fact that it’s completely writt...more

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Jul 16, 2012 Sue rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

i thought this book was hilarious, very entertaining. it is a series of letters/notes written by and to Elizabeth. Her mum writes in ALL CAPS! VERY IMPRTANT STUFF! She gets notes from "the association of teenagers", telling her to stick herself in the fridge until she's done being a teen, since she's not doing it too well; notes from "the best friends club" either telling her she's not being a good friend or congratulating her on being a good friend; and her english teacher is upset that the "ar...more

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Feb 12, 2012 Helen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: teens,

Shelves: favourites

This is one of my favourite books - a perennial go-to when I want a read that's light without being silly.

The story is one that will appeal to anyone who is - or who has been - a teenager. The main character is Elizabeth Clarry, an Australian teen dealing not only with her divorced and warring parents and her best friend Celia - who's run away to join a circus - but the constant feeling that she's an outsider at school, the worry that she'll never have a boyfriend, and the looming fear that she...more

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Jan 15, 2012 Jami rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: humor, young-adult

Excellent. This was just an excellent read. It was so funny and witty and unique that I found myself devouring it in a couple of days.

The whole story is told in a series of notes between Elizabeth and her mother, letters between Elizabeth and her new friend Christina, postcards from her crazy friend Celia, and letters from imaginary organizations in Elizabeth's head. And as a person who doesn't usually enjoy books told in letter-form, I will freely admit that I loved it. Elizabeth, her mother, a...more

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Jun 05, 2011 Loralee rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Elizabeth Clarry has problems. Nobody but her seems to care that her best friend Celia has just run away from home. In addition, Elizabeth has no posters on the wall, no makeup, and no boyfriend, and her faults get constantly rubbed in her face by imaginary letters from The Association of Teenagers, the Best Friends Club, and The Society of High School Runners Who Aren't Very Good at Long-Distance Running but Would Be If They Just Trained. But things change when she is assigned a penpal from a n...more

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Aug 09, 2010 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010, ya, aussie-lit, own

As the title suggests, Elizabeth Clarry is truly worried about her best friend Celia. The pair have been inseparable ever since they were tiny but lately Celia has been acting strange - even for the unpredictable Celia. She's run away (again) and Elizabeth doesn't know who to confess her fears to: not her mom, who stays busy with work and only communicates with Elizabeth through post-its on the fridge (albeit hilarious post-its); not her father who has suddenly reappeared in her life and who wou...more As the title suggests, Elizabeth Clarry is truly worried about her best friend Celia. The pair have been inseparable ever since they were tiny but lately Celia has been acting strange - even for the unpredictable Celia. She's run away (again) and Elizabeth doesn't know who to confess her fears to: not her mom, who stays busy with work and only communicates with Elizabeth through post-its on the fridge (albeit hilarious post-its); not her father who has suddenly reappeared in her life and who would like nothing more than to take her to fancy restaurants and talk about fancy wine (ugh); and not Celia's mom, who can only think of Celia's habit of escaping as a beautiful form of youthful expression.

It's not until Mr. Botherit, Elizabeth's brilliant English teacher, sponsors a letter writing project called "The Joy of the Envelope" between his students and the local public school that Elizabeth finds herself detailing her worries to a complete and utter stranger, Christina. Beginning somewhat hesitantly, Elizabeth and Christina slowly forge an unusual friendship solely based on the written word yet one that expands to help each other through a multitude of joys and heartaches.

Frequently, their letters are interrupted by missives to Elizabeth from The Association of Teenagers, The Best Friends Club, THE COLD HARD TRUTH ASSOCIATION, and The Society of High School Runners Who Aren't Very Good at Long-Distance Running but Would Be if They Just Trained. With the subtly of a sledgehammer, these witty letters add humor and levity to the constant niggle teenage self-doubt ever present in the girls' letters.

I'll say it again: Jaclyn Moriarty's books are made of win. I love that they written completely as letters. I love that even while they manage to be laugh-out-loud funny, they still capture all the heartbreak and all the turmoil inherent in their ever-changing teenage friendships. Elizabeth's voice comes across so fluidly in Feeling Sorry for Celia. I felt myself responding to every poignant or exultant letter in kind. Love, love these books.(less)

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Jul 06, 2010 Meghan McInnis rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

I read this book because it was the only book of Jaclyn Moriarty's that I hadn't read yet. (If you're interested, The Year of Secret Assignments, The Murder of Bindy Mackenzie and The Spell Book of Listen Taylor are also good books by the same author.) Anyways, this is actually the first book that Moriarty wrote. My reading it last was a total coincidence.

Now, before you read this book, you should know the style that it's written in. It is told completely through notes, pen pal letters, postcard...more I read this book because it was the only book of Jaclyn Moriarty's that I hadn't read yet. (If you're interested, The Year of Secret Assignments, The Murder of Bindy Mackenzie and The Spell Book of Listen Taylor are also good books by the same author.) Anyways, this is actually the first book that Moriarty wrote. My reading it last was a total coincidence.

Now, before you read this book, you should know the style that it's written in. It is told completely through notes, pen pal letters, postcards and notices from from imaginary groups such as "The Cold Hard Truth Association" and "The Young Romance Society". These imaginary groups help to express the main character, Elizabeth Clarry's, inner thoughts and feelings. The Year of Secret Assignments and The Murder of Bindy Mackenzie are written very similarly, with notebooks and diaries and letters and memos telling the story. This may sound difficult to believe, but it is in fact very easy to follow the story, even with Moriarty's unique way of telling it.

Now, to explain what the story is about. Elizabeth Clarry's English teacher at Ashbury High School has decided to start a pen pal program with Brookfield High School, a public school down the street. Elizabeth writes a letter to a complete stranger and gets a reply from a girl named Christina. The two develop a friendship through their letters. In the meantime, Elizabeth's best friend Celia has run away once again, and nobody has heard from her. Her dad, who left her and her mother when she was just a baby to marry a Canadian, is living in Sydney for the year and trying to come back in her life. And above all, Elizabeth starts questioning many things about her life, such as her friendship with Celia and her lack of a boyfriend. Through her letters with Christina, Elizabeth learns more about herself.

Now, I definitely enjoyed this book. It was a quick read (I started it one evening and was finished with it the next), and that was just what I was looking for. However, I didn't enjoy this book quite as much as Moriarty's other works. But that is unfair, because this was her first work, and it's really only normal that her writing would improve with time. Obviously, you shouldn't read this book if you don't think you'd be interested in the style. But if you're a teenage girl looking for a fun and easy read, this is definitely a good book for you to check out. Oh, and while you're at it, check out Moriarty's other books. They're sure to keep you entertained.(less)

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Jun 06, 2009 Kelly rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, young-adult

Full review at http://yannabe.com/2009/06/06/review-...

Summary: Elizabeth Clarry’s best friend just ran away to join the circus, and her absentee father suddenly wants to spend quality time with her. So when Elizabeth’s English teacher starts a pen pal program with another school, she has a lot to say.

Review: I had a blast reading this hilarious book. Here’s a little snippet for you:

Mum,

I’m going to run over to Saxon Walker’s place and we’re going to train [for the 10K:] together. He’s a guy f...more

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Apr 21, 2009 Steph Su rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own, favorites

Elizabeth Clarry is not your average private school teenage girl. In fact, she’s anything but. Her favorite hobby is long-distance running. She communicates with her mom through notes left on the refrigerator. Her one and only friend is Celia Buckley, who has a bad habit of running away for weeks at a time.

In the midst of Celia’s latest escapade, Elizabeth’s English teacher sets up a pen-pal project with the public school down the road. The last thing Elizabeth wants to do is to be forced to com...more

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Jan 15, 2008 Chris rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I love the way Jaclyn Moriarty writes. She has serious mixed with funny mixed with Oh-my-god-tell-me-that-did-not-just-happen and it all fits together perfectly. Feeling Sorry for Celia is especially thrilling because of the build up and then the sort of cliff. I mean, four friends (two couples) run away and say they plan on jumping off the empire state building...and they never make it out of the attic (although they do a good job of hiding in the attic for, like, a week or so)

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Nov 10, 2010 Clementine rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010, fiction, ya

Elizabeth Clarry is having a heck of a year. First of all, her best friend Celia keeps running off, doing mad things like joining the circus. Then her absentee father suddenly reappears and wants to bond. Her English teacher makes her class write letters to strangers at the nearby public high school. To top it all off, Elizabeth is trying to train for a half-marathon. Things are complicated, to say the least.

Jaclyn Moriarty's debut novel is epistolary in format. Told exclusively through letters,...more Elizabeth Clarry is having a heck of a year. First of all, her best friend Celia keeps running off, doing mad things like joining the circus. Then her absentee father suddenly reappears and wants to bond. Her English teacher makes her class write letters to strangers at the nearby public high school. To top it all off, Elizabeth is trying to train for a half-marathon. Things are complicated, to say the least.

Jaclyn Moriarty's debut novel is epistolary in format. Told exclusively through letters, she chronicles Elizabeth's life with humor, self-awareness, and good pacing. The first novel to take place at Ashbury High, Moriarty's book sets up characters and events that will appear later on, and I'd recommend reading this book before any of the others set at Ashbury.

What Moriarty does well is create characters that are both quirky and yet also easy to relate to. She manages to find a voice for each of them, and the format of the letters works as a way to further distinguish between the voices of each character. Though the letter format will not work for all readers, it worked for this one.

Moriarty does her best work with the letters between Elizabeth and her mother. Most of Elizabeth's communication with her mother is done through notes left around the house, and her mother's tendency to use exclamation points excessively and ask her daughter to make dinner without really asking her to do so are some of the strongest points of characterization. Whatever happens outside of the world of the letters is off-limits to readers, and that adds an air of mystery.

It is also worth mentioning how well Moriarty builds the friendship between Elizabeth and Christina while at the same time subtly allowing the friendship between Elizabeth and Celia to break down. The letters between Christina and Elizabeth are funny, honest, and clearly illustrate the bond growing between the two girls as they share more and more of their lives with each other. It's moving, a little heartbreaking, and undeniably real.

The last issue worth mentioning is the way that Moriarty plays with both tragedy and humor. Some readers might be frustrated by the fact that Moriarty's tone seems light throughout, even when dealing with serious issues like depression, sex, and death. However, I think that Moriarty's take on these things is pitch-perfect. The novel isn't completely airy about serious topics, and it's not completely dreary, either. The events in Elizabeth's life are indicative of a real life: sometimes it's sad, and sometimes it's happy, but most of the time, it just is what it is.

Highly recommended.(less)

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Oct 15, 2010 Peep (Pop! Pop!) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2010, really-liked, addicted-to-ya

Jaclyn Moriarty does it again! I swear the day I discovered epistolary novels was probably the 9th best day of my life (there are a few other good days that I won't bore you with) (OK, one of those was when I got my Kindle!) Anywho, I liked this one! It's not better than my favorite book of hers, Year of Secret Assignments, but it was still just as good. Hmmmm, better than Bindy, I'd say.

This one is mainly about Elizabeth. She's a good friend. I do think Celia was kind of crazy. It was good tha...more Jaclyn Moriarty does it again! I swear the day I discovered epistolary novels was probably the 9th best day of my life (there are a few other good days that I won't bore you with) (OK, one of those was when I got my Kindle!) Anywho, I liked this one! It's not better than my favorite book of hers, Year of Secret Assignments, but it was still just as good. Hmmmm, better than Bindy, I'd say.

This one is mainly about Elizabeth. She's a good friend. I do think Celia was kind of crazy. It was good that she had a friend like Libby to ground her even a little bit. It was nice seeing Elizabeth grow and mature and begin to accept herself for what she is. I liked reading Christina's stories even though her family seems crazy, they seemed like fun. Maddie? Oh wow. Some of those teens sure can be hyper.

Her twists are always good and unexpected. Usually in books, I do Not do a good job at guessing what will happen or how things will turn out. This one was no exception. I was wrong 100% across the board. Oh well! I thought it was good. Though I would have liked to have read more about the confrontation! We got left out on that part.

I love the way that Jaclyn makes her notes so believable. It's really like real people are writing these letters. The letters that all of those organizations wrote to Elizabeth were good, too.

I loved the notes from her mom. They really made me smile and at times, laugh. I liked how she gave her a "challenge" with each note, even if they all had ulterior motives. Jaclyn did a great job at making her mom sound like a mom.

Her books have inspired me to write notes to my kids. Of course, my kids aren't old enough to read (unless it's Hop on Pop, hey we're still learning to read here). Anywho, I plan to write things for them to think about and reflections and just general notes. One of the notes will be:"Hey Kid, if you see this wake up!! I made breakfast so wake up!! Are you awake? If you're awake please read this note from the beginning!" Anywho, that's my planned note, it's still a work in progress obviously. I like to be prepared. I think that will be important. Who knows what technology will be like when they get older. And these will be hand written notes, not the text message/email newfangled nonsense. (hopefully!)(less)

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Jul 12, 2010 Joni Thomas rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Feeling Sorry for Celia was a very easy read. It was so entertaining. This book is written entirely in the form of letters, which is such a unique idea and it made things so much more personal and easy to read.
Eliabeth has such an interesting life. Her personality is so entertaining. I wish she would be my best friend! Elizabeth starts writing to a student, Christina, who attends the public school three blocks away from the private school that she attends. While reading the letters to Christina...more

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Mar 15, 2012 Nicole rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really loved this book. It's, obviously, by the same author as The Year of Secret Assignments and The Murder of Bindy Mackenzie. The main character, Elizabeth, even makes an appearance in The Year of Secret Assignments. I really liked this book, just as much as I love Jaclyn Moriarty's other books. I feel like it had a lot of heart, even more than in her other two novels. It was not as laugh-out-loud funny, but it was very amusing at times. Mostly, though, it was a very poignant tale of a real...more

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Feb 04, 2012 Jan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction

I had a hard time getting a handle on this book at first, what with the unusual format (it is written entirely in letters and post-it notes). Once I got over my hang-up on that, I found this book incredibly delightful.

As a teenager, my best friend's personality was much larger than life than mine, just like Celia, the best friend of Elizabeth, our protagonist. While my best friend never ran away or anything like that, I could definitely relate to Elizabeth. It's difficult enough as a teenager to...more

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About Jaclyn Moriarty

Jaclyn Moriarty is an Australian writer of young adult literature.

She studied English at the University of Sydney, and law at Yale University and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, where she was awarded a PhD.

She is the younger sister of Liane Moriarty. She was previously married to Canadian writer Colin McAdam, and has a son, Charlie. She currently lives in Sydney.

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Books by Jaclyn Moriarty

The Year of Secret Assignments (Ashbury/Brookfield, #2)

The Murder Of Bindy Mackenzie (Ashbury/Brookfield, #3)

The Ghosts of Ashbury High (Ashbury/Brookfield, #4)

A Corner of White (The Colours of Madeleine #1)

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Quotes from Feeling Sorry for Celia

“I hope you feel better today. Please ring me at work if you are dead.” — 46 people liked it

“She's always getting into trouble because she gets bored really really easily. [...]
My mum says it's because Celia has an attention span the size of a sesame seed.
Celia's mum says it's because Celia's identity is unfurling itself slowly, like a tulip bud, and it's a breathtakingly beautiful thing to see.” — 29 people liked it

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Feeling Sorry For Celia (Ashbury/Brookfield #1)

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