Customer Reviews

Jellicoe Road

5 star:		(64)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Taylor Markam was abandoned by her mother at a 7-Eleven on Jellicoe Road when she was a mere eleven years old. Only moments later a woman by the name of Hannah picked her up and brought her to the Jellicoe School. Now she is seventeen and finds that Hannah is a rock in her inconsistent life. While she has Hannah, Taylor doesn't know much about her family except the horror stories she remembers of her mother.

She does find comfort, though, in a manuscript that Hannah has written about a group of five friends who met in the worst circumstances, but developed a remarkable friendship when they only had each other. When Hannah just up and leaves, Taylor doesn't understand what has happened and she becomes a wreck. Not only does she have to deal with Hannah's disappearance, but she has just been named the head of her House and the leader of the school kids in the annual territory wars against the "Townies" and "Cadets."

In the war, the three groups battle and negotiate, following an extensive set of rules that might as well be history. As the war wages on, Taylor learns to take an active role in her community, as well as develop relationships that she never thought possible. Especially with Jonah Griggs, the leader of the Cadets, whom she already has quite a history with.

This war will be like no other. It will not only be between the normal three parties, but among friends, hearts desires, and, most of all, Taylor herself.

From the title I was expecting a light and fun read. Wow, was I wrong! This book is filled with heartbreak, joy, laughter, and sorrow. It completely blew me away and surpassed every expectation I had, even though I was expecting something completely different.

Before I even get into the elements of the story I have to comment on how much talent the author has. Melina Marhetta's writing style is indescribable. It seemed that she was so comfortable writing the story and her words just flowed from page to page with great clarity. I loved how the author weaved many intricate details and mini-stories into one big story, making it like a puzzle that slowly comes together until those last couple of pieces just fall into place.

The only miff I had with this book is that it took me probably until the third chapter to actually understand what was going on. In the beginning, there were two stories and it was hard to wrap my head around everything that was happening. After that, though, it seemed the author settled into writing and the story took off.

Taylor, without a doubt, is one of the best characters that I think has ever been created. She has this true voice where you can hear and feel her emotions ring out. By the time the book had ended I felt like I knew Taylor like I know my best friends. While Taylor was the main character, the author did a fabulous job creating the other characters, too. Unlike many supporting characters in books, the characters in JELLICOE ROAD all had their own voices and became their own people, with real and likable personalities.

I highly recommend this book to readers everywhere. Whether you're a girl or a guy, you will treasure this novel and hold it near and dear to your heart for a long time to come. JELLICOE ROAD is a beautiful love story, a heart-wrenching story of loss, a poignant self-discovery, and, most of all, an unforgettable tale.

Pre-order this book NOW!! It hits stores August 26 and you don't want to miss out on this one-of-a-kind novel.

Reviewed by: Tasha

I'll admit it, I amost gave up on this novel. I put it off for weeks, after reading only 30 pages. After a few weeks, I promised myself I'd just jump in and finish it, before I moved onto another book.

I'm so glad I did continue. I've read so many YA books, and I've never been one for having favorite anythings, but this novel is seriously close to topping the charts of all books I've read. The beginning is slow, it does not make much sense, but as the book continues, the magic happens. I learn more about Taylor Markham's life, and the mysteries wrapped around her and the "wars". I don't want to say much, because I'd hate to ruin the magic of the story.

Highlights: Weaving the stories from the past into Hannah's manuscript. I loved learning everything with Taylor. There was always more to keep me curious, keep me turning the pages. I also loved the "wars", because they were just so entertaining at times. Jonah's backstory was a blow to me, also. I wasn't expecting what he says to Taylor about the day at the train station, and it was an interesting shock.

Lowlights: It was incredibly hard to get into at first, but as I got to chapter 3, or 4, I was was hooked. I didn't want it to end.

I can honestly say, this is one of the best books i've ever read. It's my favourite, along with Saving Francesca. My sister got our first edition from her friend in Australia. While she was reading it I was not interested in it until she forced me to read it. I couldn't put it down.

Taylor Markham is an abandoned child in Jellicoe School. She lives in a boarding school. Her care taker is a girl called Hannah, whom Taylor is very close to. Taylor strives to find the truth about who she is. Along with her friends Ben Cassidy, Raffaela, and Santangelo she finds that friendship is the closest thing she can have to a family. Along the way she falls in love with the enemy, unearth secrets about her past, and is the leader in a war she does not want to happen.

This book made me laugh, and from a specific point onwards I cry non-stop, despite having read it over ten times. Easy read and catchy plot, Melina Marchetta does not fail you!

I read a lot of YA books, even though I am 26. However, I usually prefer paranormal or fantasy type YA, because more realistic teen fiction tends to bore me since I can't relate to general high school drama. This was NOT the case with Jellicoe Road. This book is fantastic and very well written. I checked it out from the library and didn't want to give it back when I was done. The plots are quite intricate and you do need to pay close attention as you are reading. The first part of the book is slightly confusing because it is hard to tell what is going on. However, that just makes it all the more satisfying when you finally figure out how everything is connected. Once you get to the middle of the book, it is hard to stop reading. I am definitely buying this book, it is one that I will want to read again and again. The characters are believable and likable, the language is great, the emotions are real. Do yourself a favor and read it! You won't be disappointed.

Jellicoe Road is incredible. I have no idea how Melina Marchetta wrote it, nor do I know how she managed to weave such an intricate tale spanning over 22 years. It's one of those books that refuses to let you go until you've reached the end, and it's a story that really does stay in your head for days. I loved it so much, I'm seriously considering reading it again.

The first 100-120 pages are pretty confusing. The past keeps appearing, people and places are alluded to, and nothing makes a lot of sense. After that, everything slowly starts slotting together, in what is possibly the best depiction of friendship I've ever come across. I can't really say anything else without giving something away, but here's a tip: read the prologue a couple of times, and read it carefully.

Marchetta talks about the Jellicoe Road like it's a character in itself, and it's just brilliant. If I could zap myself to that road right now, I would. I want to experience the Australian beauty she describes in such detail, and whether it's a real road or not, I want to go there. As you've probably guessed, the novel is primarily character-driven, and that's why I loved it so much. I haven't liked a group of people so much in ages, and their realism astounded me. The original 5 - Webb, Narnie, Tate, Jude and Fitz - are off-the-chart awesome, and their friendship is so inspiring. It's how every friendship should be and, although the circumstances in which they meet aren't favourable, it's the catalyst for a bond that will last a lifetime.

In the present, Taylor Markham and Jonah Griggs are the main protagonists, along with Santangelo, Raffy, a mysterious Brigadier and numerous other classmates. They're all in the middle of a turf war between the boarders, the townies and the cadets, which is a tradition that has been taking place for years. The turf war is a fantastic plot, and that alone would have made this book amazing. I could talk for hours and hours about these characters, so I'll just say that Taylor is one heck of a leading lady, and Jonah Griggs is now one of my top YA boys. *swoon*

The way Jellicoe Road unfolds is nothing short of genius, and it's a book that is guaranteed to leave you in tears. I know this review explains nothing, and doesn't tell you why it's an absolute must-read, but if I said anything else, it would ruin it. You need to approach it knowing nothing more than the summary, then you too can experience all the OMG moments that I did. Fellow YA fans, you NEED to read this book. You'll fall in love with it, I promise.

I loved this book. The dialogue is witty and engaging. The plot is compelling. But the character development is where the story is. It is a coming-of-age story as well as a love story. Very enjoyable.

Taylor Markham was abandoned on the Jellicoe Road when she was eleven. At seventeen she attends the Jellicoe School, where 10% of the students are also wards of the state, like her. It's convenient for Taylor, whose caretaker, Hannah, lives right outside school property. At the beginning of her senior year, she finds herself elected not only leader of her dorm, but leader of all the Jellicoe dorms in the Territory Wars in which her school, the Townies and the Cadets (who camp in the local bushland every year) participate. The rules have been passed down year after year in a purple notebook, and Taylor is under pressure to make sure things go smoothly for Jellicoe. However, just as things are getting underway, Hannah leaves without notice, and Taylor's life is in turmoil. She discovers that the manuscript of Hannah's that she's been reading over the years might be more than just a story, and she discovers that the Cadet she claims to have no history with might be more than just a one-time acquaintance. As the leaders of the various groups get closer through the War, they find that there is more to their game than they ever thought, and Taylor discovers that her family history is more complicated and bittersweet than she'd ever imagined.

Marchetta's book is beautiful, but stricken with slow pacing that may not catch the attention of many readers. While the snippets of Hannah's manuscript and the peeks at romance certainly make things interesting, the plot doesn't pick up until at least half way through the book, and the Territory Wars are confusing at best until the very end. This is a book that I would certainly recommend to teen readers, but not without the caveat that they really need to stick with it to get to the good parts.

Taylor was abandoned by her mother at a young age and is now living at a boarding school. Hannah is her only real adult family member and as a result, she feels extremely close to her; however, Hannah up and leaves the boarding school without explanation. Taylor is beside herself with worry; plus, she is the leader of her dorm in the territory wars and is very reluctant about the whole thing. To make matters worse, Jonah, a boy she has history with, is back in town and is the leader of another group in the territory wars. While all this is going on in the back of her mind Taylor is still worried about Hannah and her whereabouts. Does it have anything to do with her mom? Melina Marchetta's puzzling and award winning novel, Jellicoe Road, took me on a wild roller coaster ride and didn't let me go until the story's final page.

Ok. So. I am not going to lie. I pretty much loathed Jellicoe Road for the first one hundred or so pages. I wish you guys could have heard my inner monologue. I reminded myself of my students when they first encounter Shakespeare. I was saying things like, "Huh? Territory wars? Is this a dystopia? Am I in Maze Runner right now?"......."Wait. What's this part in italics?" ......."How did this win the Printz award? There's so story, really." ........"Am I even comprehending what is going on here? What the heck?" Needless to say, I was extremely confused. Since Marchetta is a new-to-me author, I had a hard time trusting her in that the story would make sense as I continued to read. Thanks to fellow bloggers, I was told to hold on and keep going. To me, it was like a bad workout. I didn't want to continue, because it was hard and I was tired, but afterwards, I was happy I ran that extra mile and felt pretty good about it.

Taylor's story is interrupted several times with another story about five teens from the past. At first, readers will have no clue what is going on, but as you read further the teen's story is interwoven expertly into Taylor's. As a reader, you must have patience with this as you have NO prior knowledge concerning this what.so.ever. Don't get me wrong....I like a little mystery and confusion in my books, but this was more like 100 or so pages of not knowing anything.

On a positive note, Marchetta is a brilliant writer. I was shocked by the second half of the book, because I didn't think she could really "fix" the mess of the first half. However, she proved me wrong. The puzzle came together and I definitely had that "A-HA!" moment when everything made sense. I can honestly say I've never read a story like Jellicoe Road. It is very unique as is Marchetta's writing style as well.

But here is what is on my mind: Yes, Jellicoe Road is beautifully written, but I wonder how many teenagers will actually stick with the first half of the book? I know many of my 8th graders would probably give up and put it down, because most like to be sucked into a story from the start. In fact, many bloggers said that had to reread the book or pick it up again at a later date in order to get through it. Hmm.... To me, this aspect of Jellicoe Road takes away from the reader's overall enjoyment.

So all in all, do I feel Jellicoe Road is well written? Yes. Do I feel that it's an interesting puzzle of a story? Yes. Is it life changing as many claim it to be? No, not for me, but that doesn't mean I won't be picking up her other novels in the future. I plan on checking out Saving Francesca and Finnikin of the Rock, because I can't deny that Marchetta is a talented writer.

I do not read a lot of YA contemporary. I'm not sure exactly why. I think it has to do with the fact that I just prefers fantasy books, or at least a little bit of magical in my stories. And I must admit that I probably have preconceived ideas about the genre (or maybe I was just unlucky), but it just always seemed to me that these books either contained way too much teenage romance, or way too much teenage angst for my taste.

Fortunately, I sometimes make exceptions and I'm sure glad I did for this book. Jellicoe Road, by Australian author Melina Marchetta, took me by surprise and, yes, occasionally took my breath away. Funny thing is that I actually had another of Marchetta's book on my to-read list, a fantasy novel called Finnikin of the Rock, but I went for the contemporary novel first (mostly after reading Angie's - of Angieville - glowing review at the end of 2010). And I sure do not regret that decision.

Jellicoe Road is mostly the story of Taylor Markham. At age eleven, Taylor was abandoned by her mother on Jellicoe Road. Now, a few years later, Taylor attends the Jellicoe boarding school in the Australian outback and is the reluctant leader of her House and of her school against the Cadets and the Townies, who spends every Fall trying to claim as much territory as they can.

More importantly though, Taylor has Hannah. Hannah, who takes care of her since the day her mother left her, and when Hannah disappears, Taylor feels it's time to unravels the past and find answers to the questions that inhabits her life. Interwoven with Taylors's story is the story of five friends, linked together by love, tragedy and dreams.

Jellicoe Road is first and foremost a book about friendship and the families we build for ourselves, not necessarily bound by blood, but bound by love and life. Taylor's story takes us on a journey through pain and joy and forgiveness. It is full of longing. There are moments of pure happiness that made me laugh out loud and smile from ear to ear in my room, while others brought tears in my eyes and twisted my heart in my chest. Melina Marchetta's prose is beautiful, but never overbearing, flowing from events to events. Her characters are well-rounded and I found that I could love all of them because they were strong and fragile and true and decidedly human. It would be a disservice to give too much away, but I highly recommend this book and I will definitely look up Marchetta's other novels.

JELLICOE ROAD is great, and I understand why so many people let the book into their hearts. It's both very simple and incredibly complex, features a tough, raw heroine who's lived through hell and come out the other side. The writing is good, always apt, spare but also vivid enough to pull you right into the Australian bush.

I'm going to keep this review short because while I want to add to the chorus of really positive reviews, JELLICOE ROAD didn't tug on my heartstrings the way it did for a lot of others. I really liked it, but I didn't *love* it. I'll also add, as a minor negative, that I figured out most of the big reveals before Taylor did and there were a few cases where I was frustrated that she didn't see the obvious (the mystery of Jessa's parentage being a key example).

Anyhow, if you're at all interested in this book, pick it up.