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On the Jellicoe Road

by Melina Marchetta (Goodreads Author)

4.18 of 5 stars 4.18 · rating details · 14,902 ratings · 3,032 reviews

Abandoned by her mother on Jellicoe Road when she was eleven, Taylor Markham 17, finally confronts her past. Hannah, the closest adult she has to family, disappears. Jonah Griggs, moody stares and all, is back in town. If Taylor can put together the pieces of her past, she might just be able to change her future.

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Published April 6th 2010 by HarperTeen (first published August 28th 2006)

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Aug 16, 2011 Lora rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: everyone

Recommended to Lora by: Lots of good people

Shelves: g-ya-realistic, aussies-rock-my-world, lib-read, favorites, want-to-reread, summer-reads, quality-ya-fic

There's a reason why books like Twilight don't receive those. They don't give those to just any book, and when you factor in excellence . . . well, a lot of titles just don't make the cut. But it is clear to me why Melina Marchetta's third tribute to YA literature received a Printz award back in 2009. It is because it is excellent, to the very meaning of the word.

If all YA contemporary writers wrote like Marchetta, I doubt I'd play in any other genre playground very often. She writes these beaut...more

164 likes · like · see review

Jun 29, 2012 Nataliya rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Nataliya by: Emily May

Shelves: 2012-reads

"I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was 12 - Jesus, did you?" This quote belongs to Stephen King, but it describes the soul of Melina Marchetta's Jellicoe Road perfectly.

Jellicoe Road is the story of friendships that form your world, friendships so wonderful that it's easy to fall to pieces when they break. It is the story of abandonment and loss and learning to deal with it. It is the story of love, intense to the extreme with the generous helping of teen angst. In shor...more "I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was 12 - Jesus, did you?" This quote belongs to Stephen King, but it describes the soul of Melina Marchetta's Jellicoe Road perfectly.

Jellicoe Road is the story of friendships that form your world, friendships so wonderful that it's easy to fall to pieces when they break. It is the story of abandonment and loss and learning to deal with it. It is the story of love, intense to the extreme with the generous helping of teen angst. In short, it is an excellent example of a good quality YA book, emotional, intense, and lyrical.

"I remember love. It's what I have to keep on reminding myself. It's funny how you can forget everything except people loving you. Maybe that's why humans find it so hard getting over love affairs. It's not the pain they're getting over, it's the love."

Here's a short spoiler-free synopsis: Taylor Markham was abandoned by her drug-addicted mother at age eleven. She is now 17, living in Jellicoe School, a boarding school full of state wards and troubled children. She is in charge of her House (50 girls) and is expected to lead a sixteen-year-old 'territory war' between the Jellicoe School kids, the 'Townies' and the Cadets who camp out in the area for a couple of months each year. All while having strange dreams and feeling abandoned by her caretaker Hannah. All while reading Hannah's unfinished novel about five teenagers in the 1980s who form very intense friendship bonds after the horrific car accident on Jellicoe Road when they were 11-12 years old.

Now, I have to say that not once did I look at this book as a mystery even though it's marketed as such. The central mystery of the story - well, I easily figured it out only a few chapters in, and the rest of the details easily came into light as the story developed. Not much took me by surprise; it was quite predictable, actually. But since the mystery was not why I enjoyed the story, the reading experience was perfectly fine. To use the book's own language, the whole mystery setup was not a trip but a journey. It was never about the resolution but about the emotional journey it took to get there.

"I remember asking, "What is the difference between a trip and a journey?" and my father said, "Narnie, my love, when we get there, you'll understand," and that was the last thing he ever said."

What I loved was the friendships that the 'old five' and the 'new five' have developed throughout the course of their respective stories. My favorite by far was between Taylor and Raffaela, with the developing friendship with annoying but adorable Jessa as a close second. Even though there was a romantic story threatening to take the foreground, it never overshadowed the rest of the story and the friendships, and I'm thankful for that.

"This is the best night of my life," Raffy says, crying.
"Raffy, half our House has burnt down," I say wearily. "We don't have a kitchen."
"Why do you always have to be so pessimistic?" she asks. "We can double up in our rooms and have a barbecue every night like the Cadets."
Silently I vow to keep Raffy around for the rest of my life."

I was quite emotionally affected (I'd say 'manipulated' if not for the negative connotation of that word) by the nostalgic atmosphere Marchetta creates here. The nostalgia for the beauty of childhood and adolescence, for the friendships of the kind that you can only have before you reach adulthood, for the safety of childhood (no matter how messed up it can be), for the safe haven of Jellicoe School for the lost and messed up children.

I also loved Marchetta's excellent characterization. Her characters are well-developed and multi-dimensional, and feel quite real. That is not to say that there's no stereotyping or clichés, but those are kept to the minimum.

"These people have history and I crave history. I crave someone knowing me so well that they can tell what I'm thinking."

As for the voice of the novel - it is very emotional. Please be warned - it is emotional with the generous helping of teen angst. Oh, teen angst! It's on every page, in every sentence - just like it was so overwhelming when you were 16-17. Everything is intense, the tension is palpable, emotions are right on the surface. Reading this book is like experiencing being a teenager you once were. I found it to be a bit of eye-rolling experience initially (thankfully, I'm way out of the adolescence) but eventually the style grew on me and started to feel quite organic. But if you'd rather not deal with overexaggerrated raw teenage emotions - well, be warned and stay away from this story.

"What do you want from me?" he asks.
What I want from every person in my life, I want to tell him.
More."

------------------------------
Now, here are the issues that I had with this book that forced me to knock off a star:

- The Territory wars. I thought that storyline was limping on both feet. Why all the intensity if the whole thing only takes place for about 2 months each year? Why the whole issue with the Club House when it's only a few weeks when it becomes relevant? Honestly, just setting up a rivalry between the 'factions' would have been enough for the story. (view spoiler).

- Sometimes the emotional intensity slips into a blatant melodrama. I mean, there was actually a remark on (view spoiler).

- The adults in this book (even Taylor remarks on it!). Seriously, what the hell is going on with the adults? (view spoiler)

- Taylor and Jonah: (view spoiler)

And yet, despite my adulthood, despite a few eye-rolls, despite the issues that I describe above, I STILL teared up at the end. I think admitting that will TOTALLY ruin my street cred, but oh well. All the above taken into consideration, 4 easy stars.

"And life goes on, which seems kind of strange and cruel when you're watching someone die. But there's a joy and an abundance of everything, like information and laughter and summer weather and so many stories."

(less)

71 likes · like · see review

Jun 28, 2010 Tatiana rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fans of realistic YA fiction

Shelves: ala-ya-2009, printz, 2010, ya, favorites, aus-nz, b

As seen on The Readventurer

I don't often give books 5-star ratings. Normally these are the books that either horrify me (Unwind, The Handmaid's Tale) or delight me with superb writing (The Queen of Attolia, The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks) or awe me with imaginative world building (The Left Hand of Darkness) or make me cry (Before I Die). Jellicoe Road definitely falls into this last "made-me-weep" category.

Jellicoe Road is the location of a boarding school for kids that are oft...more As seen on The Readventurer

I don't often give books 5-star ratings. Normally these are the books that either horrify me (Unwind, The Handmaid's Tale) or delight me with superb writing (The Queen of Attolia, The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks) or awe me with imaginative world building (The Left Hand of Darkness) or make me cry (Before I Die). Jellicoe Road definitely falls into this last "made-me-weep" category.

Jellicoe Road is the location of a boarding school for kids that are often neglected or with criminal tendencies. Taylor Markham is residing in the school because her mother had abandoned her at the age of 11 at a nearby 7-Eleven. Now Taylor is 17 and unexpectedly selected to be the school's leader in the game of territory wars with the Townies (locals from a tiny neighboring town) and Cadets (who spend several weeks a year in the Australian wilderness). Taylor is not sure she can handle the responsibility. She is uneasy more than ever - her mentor and friend Hannah disappears and Taylor is sure it has something to do with her mother; Jonah Griggs, a Cadet who she has a shared past with, is back and seems to know her all too well; she is plagued by dreams of a young boy who attempts to tell her something. What follows is Taylor's journey through the past and present to uncover the reasons why and how she was abandoned by her mother.

As always, it is hard for me to explain what I like about a 5-star book, but I'll try. Melina Marchetta draws characters that are deep, complex, and real. The relationships among them are touching - more than anything I think, this book is about the power of friendship and, boy, there are some magnificent examples of friendship in this book! The book is also about grief, guilt, forgiveness and, of course, love.

If I am forced to point out any flaws in this book, I'd say the writing some might find confusing in the beginning. It takes a few pages to figure out what is a dream and what is a page from a story Taylor is reading; what is from present and what is from the past. But soon enough all pieces of the puzzle fall together and you are faced with a deep, meaningful and heartbreaking story.

Another thing that might bother readers is that some characters go through a lot of tragic events, sometimes too many. However, the story never becomes overly melodramatic or emotionally manipulative IMO.

Jellicoe Road is a remarkable work of YA fiction and rightfully deserves the Printz award it was given in 2009. I have no doubt I will read Marchetta's books in future.(less)

94 likes · like · see review

Sep 29, 2012 Jo rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: my-favourites, of-epic-proportions, ya, down-under, boy-crush, soul-sister-heroine, just-been-cutting-onions, gorgeous-prose, when-can-i-move-in, heart-skipped-a-beat

God. This book.

-----

Note: I’m not sure where the words ‘On the’ went… I’m assuming it’s different for the British version and not that I have a defective copy.
Also… while I’m Note-ing: This review will be a lot shorter than other reviews because this book is best read knowing nothing about it.

Initial Final Page Thoughts.
Breathtaking. I need to listen to the masses more.

High Points.
JONAH GRIGGS. Sorry, had to get that out there. Taylor Markham= New Soul Sister. Australia. Mystery! Nostalgia. C...more

59 likes · like · see review

Apr 03, 2013 Stacia ~ Mistress of Mediocrity rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, young-adult

Simply incredible. I cried way too much, but it was so worth it. Will review tomorrow when I can wrap my head around what to write.

*moves ahead a day in time*

After sleeping on it, I'm still struggling with how to write a proper review. There are some books which are virtually impossible to explain, and this is one of them. The GR book summary gives no indication what the book is really about, and truth be told, I'm not sure you'd want to know what the book is about before reading it.

The first 15...more

43 likes · like · see review

Apr 11, 2013 Kris (KC) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, reread-worthy, new-adult-ya

5+ Stars! Gorgeous...

Books like this make me realize just how insignificant words become when attempting to convey raw emotion. On the Jellicoe Road is more than just a book; it is a hauntingly beautiful journey towards an unexpected destination where tragedy and despair become the bridges to the greatest of friendships.

And life goes on, which seems kind of strange and cruel when you're watching someone die.

This story is told in alternating perspectives of both the past and present which, at fi...more 5+ Stars! Gorgeous...

Books like this make me realize just how insignificant words become when attempting to convey raw emotion. On the Jellicoe Road is more than just a book; it is a hauntingly beautiful journey towards an unexpected destination where tragedy and despair become the bridges to the greatest of friendships.

And life goes on, which seems kind of strange and cruel when you're watching someone die.

This story is told in alternating perspectives of both the past and present which, at first, seem entirely unrelated. But as this mysterious plot unravels, it begins to show hints of their glorious connection. If you find yourself confused or frustrated in the beginning, don't give up; you are strategically been fed only pieces to a larger puzzle that will fit wonderfully together in the end.

The character development in this story is extraordinary; no one is denied the sweetness of redemption and transformation. Seventeen year old Taylor Markham has been living on the Jellicoe Road after being abandoned by her mother at a 7-11. The school she attends partakes in traditional games of territory wars where Taylor eventually becomes a leader. Taylor is tormented by the grief and uncertainty of her abandonment and keeps herself emotionally distant from others. She has few memories of her childhood, but when her history starts presenting itself, she begins a relentless quest for answers.

The impeccable writing in this story is captivating as it methodically flows from one vivid scene to the next. Taylor's character, as broken as she appears, is actually quite funny in a dry and witty, sarcastic sense- which is my favorite type of humor. I appreciated being able to smile and laugh in the midst of such emotional situations. Her love interest, Jonah, is equally broken and initially comes off arrogant and crude. As their relationship develops, it not only becomes one of the most loving, but also one of the most inspiring.

Being part of him isn't just anything. It's kind of everything.

Every single element and occurrence in this book is connected to some larger piece of the story. Everything. Most connections are so prominent that they take your breath away, but then there are some as subtle as a whisper, and if you're not careful enough you just might miss them. I was still making these subtle but important connections even after the book was done. The way the author seamlessly executes this perfect union of all that exists from past and present is astonishing.

Important messages of hope, love, and determination tugged at me endlessly while reading this book. I cried...and cried. From sadness, yes, but the most blinding tears formed from being so deeply moved and so humbly inspired.

"Hold my hand because I might disappear." (less)

32 likes · like · see review

May 13, 2012 K.D. Oliveros rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to K.D. by: GR-TFG 100 Favorite Books (2011 version)

Shelves: tfg-100, family-drama, ya, trashy, populist

Every Filipino who loves his country must read this book.

Reason: On April 13, 2012, North Korea's long-range rocket launched, failed. Reuters is now saying that, embarrassed by rocket crash, North Korea may now be thinking of trying nuclear test.

Check the path and the trajectory plan of that failed rocket launch:

Do you see that tail-end of the yellow line? That's Luzon, the biggest island in the Philippines. That's where Manila is. That's where I live!

But why should we read this book?

Here's wh...more Every Filipino who loves his country must read this book.

Reason: On April 13, 2012, North Korea's long-range rocket launched, failed. Reuters is now saying that, embarrassed by rocket crash, North Korea may now be thinking of trying nuclear test.

Check the path and the trajectory plan of that failed rocket launch:

Do you see that tail-end of the yellow line? That's Luzon, the biggest island in the Philippines. That's where Manila is. That's where I live!

But why should we read this book?

Here's why:

He reads this book!

Seriously, I am one of the moderators of The Filipino Group here in Goodreads. This book, Jellicoe Road by an Australian novelist, Melina Marchetta is our book of the month and we will have our face-to-face book discussion on Saturday. As a moderator and one of the senior members of the group, some members ask me what I think of the book. Even if they don't say or admit it, my views influence some of them. At this point, I guess my job is to encourage them to read the book and join the actual book discussion. That's why even if I did not like this book, I cannot rate this with 1 star. Why I did not like this book?

1. I cannot understand why the first 100 pages should be made confusing
2. The claim or fight for territory has nothing to do with the rest of the book. Also, I do not understand exactly how it is supposed to work.
3. The love affair between Taylor and Briggs is too mushy for my taste. Felt like Katniss-Peeta or Bella-Edward. I'm too old for that.
4. Taylor is a pathetic female character IMO.
5. Taylor is asked to lead even if she is asthmatic. Is there nobody else who can lead?

Anyway, according to my trusted friends in this group, the book is amazing. Maybe they are still young and the story "speaks" to them. So, let's leave it at that. However, I can say that this book has a good intent. It also has a developed story that other readers can emphatize with. I guess that this is just not for me.

But it is my ardent desire that this book will influence our North Korean friend to back off in his evil plan of building nuclear arsenal in the side of the world. Stop your expansionist plan, please and be content on what you have. Then if you have to test nukes, please don't point it to the Philippines! See, we also love Melina Marchetta! See, we both read and enjoy this book!

Thanks for lending me this book, Aaron.(less)

32 likes · like · see review

May 31, 2011 Janina rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult-fiction, on-my-shelf, read-in-2010, death-loss-grief, made-me-cry, contemporary, from-down-under, unputdownable, favourites, favourite-characters, beautiful-writing

I’m at a loss for words. This book has made me cry and laugh out loud. It has made me fall in love with its characters, no matter how small their role. It is a book that I’m not likely to forget at any time.

Jellicoe Road deals with death and loss, with abandonment, drug-addiction and suicide. Each character has her or his own terrible past to come to terms with, and sometimes I wondered: How do these people manage to live on when even I almost can’t cope with what they’ve been through?
But abov...more

48 likes · like · see review

Feb 09, 2011 Flannery rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Anyone looking for good YA

Recommended to Flannery by: All my GR friends

Shelves: aussie-ya-is-the-cats-meow, kcls, young-adult-teen, read-in-2011, favorites, so-good-i-stayed-up-to-read-it, reviewed-2011

A lot of people think that Henry David Thoreau* went to Walden to live a solitary life. I felt like that until I actually went to Walden Pond. Imagine my surprise when some friends and I decided to go for a hike, go for a swim and check out the scenery--we left Boston around 9...and we got there by 9:30. Yeah right, HDT, I could live deliberately in the woods, too, if I knew my transcendentalist cronies would bring me a Cinnabon and some pumpkin ale once in awhile.** Nevertheless, Thoreau’s idea...more

59 likes · like · see review

Feb 29, 2012 Aly (Fantasy4eva) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: THE WORLD

Recommended to Aly (Fantasy4eva) by: Audrey (holes In My brain)

Shelves: big-fat-tears, hilarious, favourites, oh-how-the-heart-flutters, boys-that-make-me-swoon, gave-me-sleepless-nights, i-ache-for-you, my-kinda-protagonist, you-inspire-me, fast-paced-and-engrossing, digging-the-premise, gorgeous-prose, pleasantly-surprised, quoted-the-hell-out-of-this, so-amazing-i-actually-reread-this, own, twists-and-turns, what-a-babe

“He’s the most beautiful creature I have ever seen and it’s not about his face, but the life force I can see in him. It’s the smile and the pure promise of everything he has to offer. Like he’s saying, ‘Here I am world, are you ready for so much passion and beauty and goodness and love and every other word that should be in the dictionary under the word life?’”

Sometimes, guys, simply reading a book once is not enough.

You find that reading it a second time offers you a whole other reading exper...more

49 likes · like · see review

May 17, 2013 Basuhi Ravi rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Everyone

Recommended to Basuhi by: Cecile

Shelves: baby-i-m-addicted, amazing-sobfest, beautiful, beauty-incarnated, regretting-the-story-is-over, loving-him-is-red, forever-s, favorites, unlimited-tears, life-n-love, memorable-reads, no-words-to-justify, my-love, best-covers

GAZILLION STARS.

179 books. And this is just the second one.
I cried. For the second time ever.

I can't write a review for this. No, I can't because its one of those books that you can say nothing about.

Not only because you're overwhelmed by the story but also because you can only understand the riveting milieu of it if you read it.

But I couldn't just leave this blank because that would be callous and cruel of me.

So I challenge that if I'm able to convince myself with my review ( and that my frie...more

26 likes · like · see review

May 15, 2012 Rollie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

SPOILER ALERT!!!!

My reading of this book took me sixteen hours to finish.

I counted, of course.

It started last month. One of the busiest months I ever had where I’d become a walking robot because of the workloads I had. I was eager to read this book because most of my bookish friends raved about it, and I’m glad I was able to start reading with this book. I remember asking, “What is waiting for me ahead of this story?”, and they said, “Rollie, my friend, when you go there, you’ll see,” and that w...more SPOILER ALERT!!!!

My reading of this book took me sixteen hours to finish.

I counted, of course.

It started last month. One of the busiest months I ever had where I’d become a walking robot because of the workloads I had. I was eager to read this book because most of my bookish friends raved about it, and I’m glad I was able to start reading with this book. I remember asking, “What is waiting for me ahead of this story?”, and they said, “Rollie, my friend, when you go there, you’ll see,” and that was the last phrase I want to hear from them.

Yes, I was eager to read this book not just because I required myself to read this, for this is our Book Club’s book of the month, but because this book was scheduled to be read in February this year. Since this book won the poll to be our book for this month—May—I really waited for the right time to come for me to read this book.

Confusing? I agree. The first half of the book was supplemented with consistent clueless information that readers couldn’t make out the sense. I believe to what they said that the whole story is as if a jigsaw puzzle. Looking at it at the very first place, you’ll get confused. As the story goes on, the pattern to get the puzzle whole is gradually revealing.

I liked how the italic letters affect how I visualized the situations presented. Further, I admire the author at how the manuscript written in a way that it differs a lot to the other narration. The moods of two narrations are way different that they both clung to their respective generations. I liked also how Marchetta becomes picky of words and finicky of sentence constructions in order for her to present well the emotion she intended.

To say I cried is an overstatement. I was just saddened at how the past story ended up. I accidentally attached myself to the friendship since I could relate the situation. The difference was just I consider their friendship perfect and filled with love. The group wasn’t just a circle of friends but it became their own home. The group has become their own family. Sad to realize is that they were created through accident, yet they were destroyed through accident. I couldn’t help but hope for Taylor to have a father alive since there was no concrete confirmation of what happened until the epilogue justified. If there’s a scene I loved the most, it’s the last—epilogue. In that scene, I saw a picture of love, happiness, dream and fulfillment. Right in that moment when he saw Fitz innocence occurred, tragic it appealed but pure happiness was underneath.

If there’s one person I empathized the most, it’s Hermit. I could see the weight of his burden since the accident. I could feel his guilt that he wasn’t able to control it up. I could understand his hunger for forgiveness from the dead who wouldn’t give it to him already. I feel empathy for him for spending a very happy day with Taylor and end his self with a gun just as he thought his burden was gone.

If there’s one thing I didn’t like much about this book, it’s how the Taylor’s story became dull. The revelations of the past outshine the present’s story. I even can’t believe she’s the daughter of two amazing people in Narnie’s manuscript. I believe that the present-time narrative was just an instrument and the past’s was the real underscore. Yet I’m happy that in a way I made the journey with story along Jellicoe Road.

(less)

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Mar 30, 2012 Emily May rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Emily May by: Tatiana

Shelves: ya-na, 2011, fave-ya, contemporary

There's a monster in my mirror with puffy bloodshot eyes because she stayed up most of the night, crying and reading On the Jellicoe Road. But it was worth it.

Melina Marchetta never fails to remind me why she is one of my favourite authors and, in my opinion, this is the best of her books I've read so far. It's very difficult to put into words how I feel about On the Jellicoe Road, all I can say is that my heart has been ripped out and shredded, my throat has sealed up with emotion and when I f...more

79 likes · like · see review

Jun 02, 2012 fяσzєη rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Every living thing on this planet.

Recommended to fяσzєη by: Many Goodreads friends of mine. <3 I thank you for that, guys.

Shelves: realistic-fiction, owned-physical-copies, all-time-faves, amazing-authors, creatively-original, faves, heroes-i-adore, heroines-i-adore, made-me-smile, my-emotions-i-cannot, books-i-want-to-marry, masterpiece, deserves-the-hype, believable-romance, wish-i-could-write-like-that

I'm suddenly questioning if Angelfall really was the best YA book I've ever read.

How in the world am I supposed to come up with a review worthy of this...masterpiece? It's not even a book. It's a fucking masterpiece. Any review I come up with will never do it justice. Ever.

Excuse me while I repeatedly stab myself for not reading it sooner.

26 likes · like · see review

Dec 26, 2011 Kat Kennedy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: leaves-awesomeness-behind, favorites, contemporary-fiction, australian-writer

You gut me, Marchetta. Absolutely gut me.

40 likes · like · see review

Jan 13, 2011 Lady Jayne *~*The Beach Bandida*~* rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Everyone 15+

Recommended to Lady Jayne *~*The Beach Bandida*~* by: Viola and Jenn "Awww Yeaaahhh"

Shelves: young-adult, author-melina-marchetta, reviewed, owned-read, favourites, aussie-ooohh-yeeeeaahhh

5 Stars! - Also reviewed at: Lady Jayne's Reading Den

I absolutely LOVED this book! Using a sentence from the book that sums up this story, for me: "I remember love." Too simple? It's powerful, multi-faceted and complex, actually, just like love... and life... is. I was swept away on the journey with Taylor and the others, and I cried for what they lost and found. In the end, out of the tragedies and hardships of life, I was left with a feeling of love, hope and wonder, that I, along with the cha...more

17 likes · like · see review

Sep 30, 2012 Penny rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Everyone

Recommended to Penny by: Reviewer X, Tatiana, April

Shelves: dream-weaver, ya-fiction, penny-s-favorite-books

I'm still on vacation with limited access to the internet so I have to make this quick. To be honest, I spent the majority of this book thinking, "this is a good book, but it's not that good" because I knew exactly what was going on. The "mystery" was never a mystery for me but I kept reading, waiting patiently for this book to blow me away--because I knew it would, eventually, based on all the four and five-star reviews given by trusted Goodreaders (namely Reviewer X, Tatiana and April).

And, y...more

22 likes · like · see review

Aug 15, 2011 Arlene rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Arlene by: Pretty much everyone on the Street Corner, especially Alexa

Shelves: street-corner-pick, aussie-books, favorites, read-2011, ya-contemporary, surprise-surprise-i-cried, young-adult

"What do you want from me?" he asks. What I want from every person in my life, I want to tell him. More…

Well, it’s been over twelve hours and I still don’t know how to start to review this book. I thought I gave myself enough time for a better perspective and drier eyes, but hot DAMN I’m crying again! I don’t like to cry, and I don’t do it very often because I can’t stand how it feels. But would I trade the emotional experience of this book for steadier breathes and calmer emotions? Not a chance...more

37 likes · like · see review

Jan 13, 2011 Ariana rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, death-and-dying, great-books, sweet-romance, aussie, beloved, rereading-material, best-of

Oh, this is a hard book to review and I know that I won't make it justice so I won't even try that much.
One word: awesome!

Why?
Because it is so complex and beautiful, and the characters are amazing and smart and funny, and the drama is not overwhelming, and the story makes you laugh and shudder (and some say that they even cried), and you say 'wow' a lot of times, and when you think that you have it all figured out something changes drastically, and your head is spinning around from so much inf...more

16 likes · like · see review

May 12, 2012 Aaron Vincent rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Aaron Vincent by: Chachic

Shelves: favorites, 2011-read, contemporary-ya

Originally posted here.

Why? Why did I read this just now? I bought my copy a long time ago upon recommendation of people I thought my friends. If said people are real friends, they wouldn’t just recommend it, they should have tied me in a chair and forced me to read this. I reckon they don’t have to tie me in that chair too long because it only took a couple of pages before I fell in love with this amazing book. I frequently tell people that if only I could I would marry Paper Towns, but that ha...more Originally posted here.

Why? Why did I read this just now? I bought my copy a long time ago upon recommendation of people I thought my friends. If said people are real friends, they wouldn’t just recommend it, they should have tied me in a chair and forced me to read this. I reckon they don’t have to tie me in that chair too long because it only took a couple of pages before I fell in love with this amazing book. I frequently tell people that if only I could I would marry Paper Towns, but that has changed now. Paper Towns would be better off with Jellicoe Road and they will make wonderful, wonderful babies together. I should stop being a smartypants now and get on with it already. I want to bottle this moment, this feeling I have after reading Jellicoe Road and what better way to do that than writing about it?

For the first time since I started blogging, I won’t try to write my own summary of the book I’m reviewing. I simply cannot do it. The summary at the back tells us that it is a story about a girl named Taylor Markham, five teenagers in the past, and a road where it all happened. But there’s more to this book than that. Although we spend more than half of the time inside Taylor’s head, Jellicoe Road is a lot bigger than Taylor’s search for some sense of home and security. As the synopsis suggest, it is also about those five teenagers — Narnie, Web, Tate, Fitz and Jude — bonded by a freak accident that happened 22 years in the past. It’s a story of how their friendship help one another withstand the despair that is eating them. It’s also about Jonah Griggs, a boy who is scarred for life and the story of how he was saved from self-destruction. It is also about Rafaella and Santagello’s friendship and missed opportunities; and of Jessa’s wild innocence; and of Ben’s music and loyalty. Jellicoe Road is a book that is filled to the brim with genuinely sympathetic and nuanced characters. All of them are dear to me. I desired nothing but to step into the book and give each a hug — a hug that is not much of me comforting them but them reassuring me that they are going to be okay. I wanted to belong. Long to be. It’s a beautiful tale about loss, grief, and pain and at the same time of love, friendship and hope. I am in awe at how Ms. Melina Marchetta managed to do all this under 330 pages.

I know a lot of people say that the first half of the book was like a puzzle and way too confusing for its own good. Don’t get intimidated by that. There were tell-tale hints about how the two narratives come together, and I figured out in ways more than one the connection early on the story. I don’t mean to gloat. What I mean is that it is not rocket science and it is still well within the capabilities of an ordinary human mind. I figured it out and I don’t know how to tell you how that’s necessarily a bad thing. I knew it and I felt that Taylor also knew it and only seeks for confirmation — waiting for someone to tell us that it’s all real. Somehow that knowing makes the journey more painful and more lovely.

There were laughters shared and tears shed on the Jellicoe Road. There were mistakes made and forgiveness given. There was acceptance. There were tragedies and love stories. There were dreams shattered and dreams built. There was hope. I am thankful to Melina Marchetta for the opportunity to be part of those. I cannot think of better way to end this other than quoting a passage that perfectly summarizes everything I feel towards the book:

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Feb 01, 2013 Tanja (Tanychy) St. Delphi rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Tanja (Tanychy) by: Zemira Warner

Shelves: favorites, romance, my-little-library

Review posted at: Ja čitam, a ti?

If I had to pick a book I mentioned the most, this one would win the title, for sure. Truth to be told I have never wrote a review for it so I promised myself one thing and it was to write a nice review for this book. I'll fail that's not a question but I'll try. It's something I guess. So here comes, well - nothing.

There are certain books that have a wonderful story and they spin your mind, and of course there are these with the most amazing writing, they also...more

11 likes · like · see review

Apr 24, 2013 Isamlq rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Let me start with what's important: I want a Griggs. I know this akin to saying the protagonist is "hawt," and does nothing for a "critical" review. BUT I'm not being critical right now. (view spoiler)...more

18 likes · like · see review

Apr 18, 2011 Tina rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: contemporary YA fans

Recommended to Tina by: Chachic

Shelves: 2011, best-2011, contemporary, favorites, ya, tfg-100

Original post at One More Page

I'm a little bit OC when it comes to my reviewing order, and it's not often that I skip over some books I need to review first to write one for another. Usually doing that means one of the following: I am in a hurry to post a review for the book for a deadline (doesn't usually happen), or I love the book so much that I just have to write a review about it immediately.

Such is Jellicoe Road, my second Melina Marchetta book. Ever since I finished and enjoyed Saving Fra ...more

14 likes · like · see review

Dec 10, 2012 Ronyell rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fans of Melina Marchetta!!!

Shelves: 1st-person-pov, 6-star-reads, australian-books, australian-hero-or-heroine, best-books-of-2012, books-i-want-to-own, chapter-books, drama, family-situations, favorites, humor-satire, melina-marchetta, my-blog-reviews, mystery, printz-award, read-in-2012, reviewed-books, sexy-bad-boy-hero, sexy-tough-heroine, strong-hero, strong-heroine, young-adult-teen-books, contemporary-romance, ronyell-s-epinions-reviews

5.5 stars!

After reading “Saving Francesca” and hearing so many good reviews on this book, I had decided to pick up another one of Melina Marchetta’s young adult novels and I came across “Jellicoe Road” (some versions it is called On the Jellicoe Road). “Jellicoe Road” is a Printz Award winning book and I was absolutely blown away by how emotional and exciting this novel really is!

Taylor Markham was eleven years old when she was abandoned by her mother on Jellicoe Road. Now seventeen years old,...more 5.5 stars!

After reading “Saving Francesca” and hearing so many good reviews on this book, I had decided to pick up another one of Melina Marchetta’s young adult novels and I came across “Jellicoe Road” (some versions it is called On the Jellicoe Road). “Jellicoe Road” is a Printz Award winning book and I was absolutely blown away by how emotional and exciting this novel really is!

Taylor Markham was eleven years old when she was abandoned by her mother on Jellicoe Road. Now seventeen years old, Taylor is not only the new leader of her boarding school dorm, but she will soon uncover many secrets about her life before she came on Jellicoe Road, especially after her mentor Hannah, suddenly disappears from the school without a word to Taylor. Not only that but Taylor soon meets up with her old sweetheart, Jonah Griggs and she suspects that Jonah knows more about herself then Taylor knows. Now, Taylor must go on a journey to find out the truth about her mother’s abandonment and the whereabouts of Hannah and what she will discover about her true past will change her life forever!

Wow…just wow for the umpteenth time. Now, I know that I had mentioned before that I loved reading Saving Francesca and I still love that book, but after reading “Jellicoe Road,” I think that “Jellicoe Road” is a few leagues above “Saving Francesca” in terms of storytelling and character development. I loved the way that Melina Marchetta build up the mystery surrounding Taylor’s past and how it affects her current state. This was probably the main reason why I loved reading “Jellicoe Road” because I was constantly sitting on the edge of my seat every time certain clues were being thrown out regarding Taylor’s past such as why Hannah suddenly left the school and why her mother abandoned her on Jellicoe Road all those years ago. I also liked the character Taylor Markham herself and even though there were times where her aggressive attitude towards other people annoyed me a bit, I can sort of sympathize with her because of how she finds it hard to trust anyone after her mother abandoned her and Hannah, the closest person she had to a family, suddenly left the school without telling Taylor. I really enjoyed Taylor’s relationship with Jonah Griggs, Raffaela, Ben, and Chaz Santangelo as they are close friends with her and I loved the way that these characters all tried to help Taylor through her trust issues with other people and also, showed her the true meaning of friendship. I really enjoyed the way that Melina Marchetta set this story in Australia since I love reading stories located in other countries and I also loved the way that Melina Marchetta described the Jellicoe Road as being a road where trees sort of hang over the roads, like a canopy and that just gives me a wonderful image about the road every time I read this book!

Jellicoe Road 1

I really liked the scenes where Taylor was reading Hannah’s manuscripts (the italicized sections of the book) as they tell the stories about the characters Tate, Narnie, Jude, Fitz, and Webb and even though the stories were truly heartbreaking and touching, the significance of the manuscript scenes is definitely something that shocked me after I finished reading this book!

For a novel that is aimed at young adults, there is some pretty strong language in this novel including dropping the “f” bomb and the “s” word. If anyone does not like reading strong language in a novel, then it might be best to skim over these scenes. This novel also deals with the subject of child abandonment and anyone who has ever gone through this situation, might find it hard to read through this book.

Overall, “Jellicoe Road” is a truly emotional and engaging novel that anyone who is a fan of Melina Marchetta’s works or love reading young adult novels about real teenagers dealing with real life will love for many years to come!

Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog
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Sep 22, 2012 Ayesha rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own, favourties, badass-heroines, oh-so-refreshing, ya-contemporary, signed, tears-were-shed

Okay, SO. Just last night, I completed a novel by Australian author Melina Marchetta called On the Jellicoe Road... And WOW. Where do I even begin with this one?!

It is not often that I come accross books that have me so captivated and entranced that I'm literally gripping onto every word on the page as though my life depends on it. But this one did. In fact, it did so much more than just that.

Jellicoe Road is the story of Taylor Lily Markham, a 17 year old girl who attends the boarding school on...more Okay, SO. Just last night, I completed a novel by Australian author Melina Marchetta called On the Jellicoe Road... And WOW. Where do I even begin with this one?!

It is not often that I come accross books that have me so captivated and entranced that I'm literally gripping onto every word on the page as though my life depends on it. But this one did. In fact, it did so much more than just that.

Jellicoe Road is the story of Taylor Lily Markham, a 17 year old girl who attends the boarding school on the Jellicoe Road, where some of the most life-changing events occured. This includes the event in which Taylor's mother abandoned her on this road, and she was taken in by Hannah, the adult she trusts most, and brought to the Jellicoe boarding school.

The school is currently having a territory war with the Cadets and the Townies, and Taylor is the leader of her schools group. The very first pages of the story will draw you in within an instant, and soon the story of Taylor Markham and her past unfolds in a beautiful way that will leave you breathless.

The characters in this story are all so complex and driven, and each of them have their own unique traits that attach you to them as if they were real. Marchetta creates such relatable and realistic characters that it almost feels as though they really do exist, and that is something that can only be achieved by authors as fantastic as her.

The plot... Oh gosh, how do I even approach this compelling masterpeice! At first, the switch between dreams, reality, past and present are a tad bit confusing, but eventually things clear up and you begin to place the bits of the puzzle together. This is one thing that I absolutely LOVED about this book. The plot kept me guessing and really thinking hard to try and figure things out, and in the end I can honestly say that it was all worth it.

Jellicoe Road is one of the most beautfiful texts I have ever read, and as much as I hate to be cheesy, I have to admit that Melina Marchetta really did touch my heart with this one and left me in tears.

Please take my word of advice and do not make the mistake of missing out on this brilliant, breath-taking novel!(less)

12 likes · like · see review

Apr 20, 2013 Steph Su rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own, best-of-10, favorites, writing-learn

Everyone wants to discover life-changing things, whether they come in the form of events, people, paintings, or books. If you’re lucky, you will experience these encounters more than once.

I was lucky. I read JELLICOE ROAD. This extraordinary book changed my life, and maybe it will change yours, too.

To tell the truth, JELLICOE ROAD kind of ruins you temporarily for all other books. For several days after I finished this book, I wandered around in a daze. I picked up books, halfheartedly read the...more

14 likes · like · see review

Mar 04, 2011 karen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sshh-family-secrets, teen-faves, why-yes-i-ya

i have got to stop being surprised when teen fiction is good. printz-award winning fiction (you know, the award for literary teen fiction that all the grown-ups read and say "this is for teens??"). australian teen fiction. complicated, multi-layered teen fiction.

this book is all of the above, and it is remarkable.

it has sex and drugs and rock and roll, it has violence and terrible crimes, it has shock and awe and guilt and terrible secrets and it opens with a death. this is my kind of teen ficti...more

95 likes · like · see review

Apr 11, 2013 Ash Wednesday (Cupcake Ninja) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: EVERYONE in my feed

Shelves: young-adult, favorites, heartbreaking, heartwarming, foreign-setting, review

4.5 STARS

There's this little part in the GR book page that enumerates the accolades the book has received and the ones Jellicoe got look too legit to quit (sorry, couldn't help myself). Then you factor in the glowing reviews that ratchets up the expectations from great to impossible to meet. It can't really be THAT good, right?

Melina Marchetta will beg to disagree.

I'm not going to natter about the first few chapters making no sense because it absolutely didn't. But you won't be left floating i...more

9 likes · like · see review

May 17, 2012 Maria rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-book, ya, recommended, stand-alone-ultimate-faves, 2011-favorites

UPDATE:
Reread, May 2012
and still 5 stars :)

*****

I highly recommend Jellicoe Road.

*****

“What do you want from me?” he asks. What I want from every person in my life, I want to tell him. More.

CONVINCING. REVEALING. BRILLIANT.

i was not entirely convinced by the book blurb (but i still read it anyway, since my GR friends insisted Jellicoe Road is really good). halfway through it revealed to me that yes, so maybe Jellicoe Road is award-winning. finishing & closing the book made me realized that M...more

11 likes · like · see review

Jul 09, 2009 Bethany rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: absolute-faves, angst, contemporary, young-adult

Some books, you just can't describe. Some books, you just have to tell people to read, if they want to know. This is a book like that.

I had no idea what was going on for the first, oh, 150 pages? When I hit page 100 and I still wasn't into it, I thought about how some people have a 100 page rule--read the first one hundred pages of a book, and if you still don't like it, you can put it down. I actually considered putting Jellicoe Road down.

I didn't, though, because I had to have something to r...more

36 likes · like · see review

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Buddy Read Zone: Jellicoe Road 3/20/13	97	44	Mar 21, 2013 04:22pm
About the Epilogue, About Webb	7	121	Mar 15, 2013 07:46pm
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About Melina Marchetta

Melina Marchetta was born in Sydney Australia. Her first novel, Looking For Alibrandi was awarded the Children's Book Council of Australia award in 1993 and her second novel, Saving Francesca won the same award in 2004. Looking For Alibrandi was made into a major film in 2000 and won the Australian Film Institute Award for best Film and best adapted screen play, also written by the author. On the...more

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Quotes from Jellicoe Road

“It's funny how you can forget everything except people loving you. Maybe that's why humans find it so hard getting over love affairs. It's not the pain they're getting over, it's the love.” — 634 people liked it

“What do you want from me?" he asks.
What I want from every person in my life, I want to tell him.
More.” — 505 people liked it

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