Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta



Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
Published: (originally in 2006 by Penguin Australia), this paperback edition March 9, 2010 by HarperTeen
Source: purchased from the bookstore
In this lyrical, absorbing, award-winning novel, nothing is as it seems, and every clue leads to more questions.

At age eleven, Taylor Markham was abandoned by her mother. At fourteen, she ran away from boarding school, only to be tracked down and brought back by a mysterious stranger. Now seventeen, Taylor's the reluctant leader of her school's underground community, whose annual territory war with the Townies and visiting Cadets has just begun. This year, though, the Cadets are led by Jonah Griggs, and Taylor can't avoid his intense gaze for long. To make matters worse, Hannah, the one adult Taylor trusts, has disappeared. But if Taylor can piece together the clues Hannah left behind, the truth she uncovers might not just settle her past, but also change her future. [goodreads]
This is a book that's been sitting on my shelf for almost three years.  Not kidding.  I bought it awhile ago, not having a clue who this author was, or even knowing anything about the story, and thought I'd give it a try.  I made it maybe a few chapters and felt completely lost and gave up.  Who is this lady? And who told her she could write?  I thought it was totally confusing and I should not waste another minute attempting to decipher it.  Back on the shelf it went.

Fast forward a year and I decide to give this author another try with Saving Francesca and then with The Piper's Son.  Woah.  Now I was completely aware of who she was, and immensely blown away by her writing.  Everyone kept telling me I needed to read Jellicoe Road, that it's amazing.  But I was also warned it's a book that takes awhile to push through.  You have to give it time to marinate into your bones, simmer awhile inside your soul, but keep pushing through.  I kept adding this book to my bookish resolutions, TWICE, to read it that year. But this fear kept creeping inside me, pushing it further back on the shelf.

Well, folks. It's finally happened.  I feel like I've just conquered a huge reading milestone in my life.

I've read Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta.

And what a beautiful, majestic, breathtakingly heart ache of a story it is.

So what's the story about, you may be asking.  I know I questioned this myself before I read the book, and never got a true answer.  Something about a group of kids, on the Jellicoe Road, a tree, and a Jonah Griggs. But WHAT IS IT ABOUT?? I honestly don't think I can give the answers to that either.  It's a book you have to experience for yourself, and quite possibly go into it blindfolded.  Just know that it's a story so rich and pure with a plot that twists and turns, cultivating into the most beautiful ending your literary heart may ever experience.

Shut out your fears, jump off that fence, and read this book right now.  There is never going to be the "right time".  NOW is the right time.  Trust me when I say this, you're missing out on something extraordinary without knowing the beauty of this story.  Melina Marchetta already chiseled out a place inside my heart with the previous two novels I read by her, but now she's solidified a spot in my top honors of writers who can never be topped, no matter what.

I am so happy to have finally found my place among these Jellicoe Fans.  Better late than never, right?

***
Because this story is littered with so many beautiful words, I decided to make some art of my own, using photos I've taken to go along with Melina Marchetta's beautiful quotes.








21 comments:

  1. Your review blew me away. I definitely read to need this soon. :)

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  2. <3 this review makes my heart happy. welcome to the fan club, I've been waiting for you!! x

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  3. It's been on my shelf too long, along with 4 of her other books. I appreciate the shaming with those beautiful quotes.

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  4. Gosh this book. See, I dunno. I finished the audiobook a couple weeks ago. And I'm still on the fence. The first 75% for me was... meh. And I knew that I wouldn't feel that way for all of the reasons you mentioned. The last 25% sent me into tears and I was just blown away by the beauty of it. So I bought it on Kindle to actually read. It's sort of one of those things I feel like I have to re-experience because I'm worried the audiobook took something away from this story. I love your review and those stunning picture quotes were great additions. : )

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  5. I keep meaning to read this book, but I haven't. Your review makes me want to read it much sooner! Loved the photos with the quotes. ~Pam

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  6. A really, really, really beautiful review Ginger. <3 I really need to get my hands on this one.

    Rest assured, you aren't the last one in the book community to read this one. I think that label belongs to me, ahahaha.

    I love how showed the quotes. They're so moving. Gah!

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  7. I feel like I have to read this book now! Your review convinced me. :)

    The photos with the quotes are so nice by the way. Any book where you can find so many beautiful words is definitely one that I'm interested in.

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  8. What an intriguing review, Ginger! I was planning on reading this book sometime this week and after reading your favorite, it's decided. I can not wait to get my hands on this book and see what it really is about! Such a wonder review! : )

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  9. I heard that this was an extraordinary book so I borrowed it from the library about a year ago. I read a few pages but just couldn't get into it and ended up returning it unread. Now I see that I am going to have to give it another chance. Great review!

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  10. So glad you enjoyed this! I kept hearing wonderful things about it, so I picked it up and was completely wowed. I had goose bumps by the end of it and one heck of a book hang over. It is one of the most amazing and beautiful stories I have ever read, and yeah, at first, you have to push through the beginning, but after the rough start, it is just pure aweseomeness. I love the photos and quote to go with it :-)


    Vyki @ On The Shelf

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  11. I feel like this book and Code Name Verity are my bookish Kryptonite. Everyone says READ THEM RIGHT NOW but that it takes forever to get into them. I'm going to have to make it a point to read these and not give up! So glad you pushed through and enjoyed this one :)

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  12. First of all, those are beautiful pic/quote combinations. Although my favorite quote from this novel will always be:
    “What do you want from me?" he asks.
    What I want from every person in my life, I want to tell him.
    More.”
    *sigh*
    This is definitely a book that gets better upon re-reads, I imagine. I'll need to re-read it soon to find out. But there are just so many layers and complexities that I can't imagine that not being the case. I'm glad you finally got around to reading (and loving) it! It's just a fantastic book. And I really need to read Marchetta's Saving Francesca and The Piper's Son soon!

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  13. Yay! You liked it! And you make me want to reread it now because... THOSE QUOTES! <3

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  14. Jonah Griggs forever! Melina Marchetta is so ridiculously talented. I read her fantasy series (usually way out of my wheelhouse) and loved that, too!

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  15. YAY! So so so happy you finally read this one! But yeah... I have no idea what this book is about. I mean, other than kids, a road, Jonah Griggs... But it's such a beautiful poignant wonderful story that yeah... you do need to let it marinate in your soul! I really need to reread this one sometime; it's been far too long since I last read it!

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  16. I bought this for my Kindle when it was on sale a few weeks ago. After reading your review, I'm so glad I did! I'm not a patient reader, so I'm also glad that you mentioned that it takes a while for everything to fall into place, otherwise I might have given up too quickly!

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  17. I'm so glad that you finally read this book! (I've been following your blog for a while). This is one of my all-time favourites and, trust me, it gets better each time you read it. Have you read her other series - Finnikin and the Rock (1st book)? If not, it's a MUST read! Her writing is gorgeous...

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  18. OH MY GOODNESS!!! YAY Ginger! I am like, insanely excited that you read this and loved it too!! This makes my heart happy :) Melina Marchetta is like, the love of my bookish life. :P

    And, I absolutely LOVE the images you used with those quotes. Makes me think that I'm definitely in need of a reread, like, now :)

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  19. You've inspired me to give this book a chance too, Ginger! I've had it sitting on my Kindle for ages now after I purchased it when it was on sale. I've always been more than a little intimidated to read it as I've had bloggers tell me it can be quite confusing, etc and a little difficult to initially become engrossed in. Your passion for it really shone through in your review, and anything that inspires that much feeling can't possibly be bad! :D

    I also just have to mention how much I adore the photos you took and the graphics you made to compliment the text - It's such a beautiful, creative idea and really made me smile :)

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  20. This is a beautiful review! It's been a couple years since I read that, but your quotes brought back all the feels. It really is a great book. :)

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