Jellicoe Road

I began reading 'On the Jellicoe Road', only a few hours ago, not knowing what I would discover along the way, nor how I would feel when I turned the ending page.

Naturally, I read the praising reviews and anticipated a great and worthwhile read. However, I unknowingly remained unprepared for the utter brilliance of this novel. At first I was baffled and curious, questions plagued me at every page. But even then, I continued. Because I grew attached to the characters so quickly. Because I needed answers, just as Taylor did. Because I could feel this was going to be an exhilarating roller coaster ride.

Consequently, I became anxious that my high expectations would only lead to my being disappointed, in the end. Again, Marchetta proved me wrong. I was disappointed. But only because Tate, Webb, Hannah, Fritz, Jude, Taylor, Jonah, Raf, Chaz, Ben, Jessa and everyone else's stories would continue, and I could no longer witness it unfold in front of me.

Needless to say, I have fallen in love with this story.

The characters were so real and relatable, they became almost tangible. I could sympathise with them. Feel their anger, frustration, fear, pain, hopelessness and helplessness. But also their joy, faith, excitement, relief and affection. And even when I couldn't understand them, because they seemed more than just fragments of fiction, I was still able to love them and admire them for all that they were - quirks and flaws and all.

Taylor was a terrific heroine, and believable. She was clever and braver than she believed herself to be, but she wasn't perfect, and the best part is that no one in this novel is. Everyone is broken in some way, and everyone seems to want more - just as Taylor said. Of course, I can't not mention the fantastic Jonah Griggs, who stole my heart as well as Taylor's. Nor the five, whose friendship I will forever yearn for. All these characters were alive within the words of this story.

The reason why I adore this book so much is because everyone develops. They all learn lessons, discover truths and make their own revelations. And through this journey, they all help each other, need each other more than they are willing to admit. I realise that life is just like that. Whether you've experienced something akin to these characters on the 'Jellicoe Road', or just waiting for life to come knocking at your door, we all need each other to move on, to change, to belong and long to be.

What makes this story so profound is that reading it is experiencing it - it wasn't just a trip. It was a true journey; life goes on, like a never-ending Jellicoe Road: painful, unpredictable, wonderful. And it's up to us to make the most of the journey.

I have plenty more I could spew about this compelling novel, but I can't collect my thoughts properly yet as it is the first book in a long time that has made me cry. However, I do realise that I have mentioned little of the actual plot after all this gushing, and that is because I believe that this should be read without knowing much of anything - apart from that it is a wonderful novel.

Nevertheless, it is definitely one that should be jumping to the top of everyone's reading lists, and one that will permanently be on mine to relish over and over.

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Originally posted on Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/697840567

Reading (at least one of) Marchetta’s stories should be one of the “10 things to do in your lifetime”.

Seriously, this woman is one of the most creative people alive, one of the most amazing writers I came across and I wish I could put into words the actual awesomeness of this book, but I feel a bit at a loss for words – well, once again.
In fact, I should invent a new language with a dictionary full of ways to praise her talent.

Because Melina Marchetta doesn’t only write books, she creates entire worlds full of fleshed-out characters and shattering emotions, and after you read about them you feel like you’re the luckiest person in the known Universe and beyond. Because not many people in this world are able to feel what she makes you feel, and not many authors get to create such strong connections between the characters and the reader...

Once again, the complexity of the plot in "On the Jellicoe Road" left me lightheaded, in awe, even though I knew what was coming my way. It’s been a while since the last time I read this book and I felt it all all over again: the confusion, the despair, the hope, the heartbreak, the happiness. My teary eyes could barely read and I was left breathless too many times to count. I loved EVERYTHING about this book, after all this time it is still my favourite story and I really hope that when (and if) you read this book you will be able to feel just a tiny-tiny part off all these blissful emotions flowing through my heart right now.

Jellicoe road is a roller coaster, a story meant to break hearts – one about true friendship and love, about forgiveness and salvation, about hope and disappointment, about life and death and everything in between.
But as heartbreaking and intense as it might be, it is also fun, and I found myself smiling more than once. So don’t go thinking that this is a depressing book, it is not; it has the perfect balance between joy and sadness, between delight and heartbreak – but don’t believe me, see it for yourself!

Review originally posted at my blog: http://www.readingaftermidnight.com/melina-marchetta/review-on-the-jellicoe-road-re-read.html

This is the first book I have read from this author. I was told by many bloggers and others that I should pick this one up and read it. I was also told to make sure that I stick with it, that I wouldn't regret it. I have to say that I am so happy I stuck with it. This is one amazing book.

It takes a bit to get into to this book, but if you stick with it I promise you will happy that you did. In the beginning it can seem a little confusing. We are thrown into Taylor's world right from the start without any explanation and it is hard to tell which end it up. But the story does eventually work itself out. We get to a point where we settle in and can't help but fall in love with the characters in Taylor's life and those from her families past.

One thing that I really loved about this book is that it is told from past and present. One from the view of Taylor which is present and one from a journal of sorts told from Hannah's point of view which is past. It did take me a bit to realize this but once I did I loved it.

Much of this story is about Taylor trying to find her find way in life after being abandoned at a 7-eleven by her mother. Taylor pieces her life and her families life together with the help of Hannah's journal and some of her friends. I loved seeing Taylor find her way and find out who she is.

Perhaps my favorite character is Jonah Griggs. He is just plain utterly amazing. He reveals some pretty raw truths about this life to Taylor that just about broke my heart. At one point I was reading in my office and I yelled out "holy hell" then proceeded to cry.

This is a beautiful novel that has some very heartbreaking and amazing moments. Make sure you stick with it, you will not be disappointed.

Review originally posted at my blog: http://www.ramblingsofabooknerd.com/2013/03/review-jellicoe-road-by-melina-marchetta.html

This book was absolutely amazing. I love a book that makes me think, and this did exactly that. And Jonah Griggs. Oh, Jonah, he's perfect.
Seriously, everybody read it!

Reader reviewed by ilovetoread

On the Jellicoe Road was where it all began. This pretty road, where trees made breezy canopies like a tunnel to Shangri-La, decided the fate of five teens twenty-two years ago.

 

Taylor Markham embarks on a journey to decipher how she is related to Webb, Tate, Fitz, Narnie and Jude. Her most revealing clue is a manuscript written by Hannah, the person who she has come to rely on since her mother abandoned her 7 years ago. Only now, Hannah has mysteriously disappeared.

 

There are other things on Taylors mind aside from uncovering her seventeen year past. She is leader of the boarders at the Jellicoe School. She has responsibilities and power. The Townies and Cadets have arrived for their annual territory war. Her best friend Raffy is there to help her keep the upper hand in these wars and deal with the temperamental Chaz Santangelo, leader of the Townies, and the enigmatic leader of the Cadets, Jonah Griggs.

 

Melina Marchettas brilliantly compelling third novel follows a girls journey to come to terms with her traumatic past and link the significance of Jellicoe Road to it.

 

The flashbacks to the past form an entirely different tale about five friends who lived in that area years ago. It runs parallel to Taylors story. As the novel progresses, their connections to the current generation of teens eventually become evident.

 

The reader is positioned through Taylors eyes, plunging us into the action and allowing us to empathise with her experiences. She is rather apathetic towards being captain and a role model for her school. She can be pessimistic and stubborn at times. But she eventually discovers that theres a joy and abundance of everything.

 

A variety of characters, all with contrasting personalities, add entertainment to the intense storyline. These true-to-life characters are far from perfect. Raffy and Chaz have an obvious history. Jonah features in Taylors tumultuous past.

 

The setting reflects the history of these children. Jellicoe Road symbolically binds the past to the present. It contains memories of trauma, guilt, hardship and betrayal. Themes of love, teenage angst and self-discovery are also thoroughly explored through the captivating plot.

 

On the Jellicoe Road was the recipient of the 2009 Printz Prize for its literary excellence in teenage fiction. Marchettas confronting tale dwells on the importance of knowing our own history and having someone to share it with. It is deserving of this award in every aspect: the absorbing plot, uniquely crafted characters and the crucial life lessons it teaches.

 

Reader reviewed by Kasey

I just finished rereading Jellicoe Road for about the fourth time, this past week, and I can only say that each and every time I read it, I fall in love with it all over again.

Reader reviewed by Sab H. (Crystal Reviews)

Every once in a while a life-changing book comes along when we least
expect it. This was one of those times for me. I felt drawn to the book
for whatever reason, and I'm thankful for it. It's a really powerful
and magical story. A delightful journey in a girl's young life that
gives her maturity, understanding and solace.

The plot is
perfect. I feel the reader has to really pay attention because I was
lost at first and then I had to keep turning back the pages for what I
didn't get. Every detail counts in this one. The characters are beyond
amazing.

The cover is really pretty, and most importantly I felt
drawn to it, more than any other book I remember. This is yet another
author I can add to my favorites. She did a wonderful job and I want to
read now anything she writes. What ever genre you like best I bet you
will love this one. Romance, family, friendship, wars, longing,
belonging, grief, love.. all in one! I definitely recommend it.

Reader reviewed by Sara

From book jacket: What do you want from me? he asks. What I want from every person in my life, I want to tell him. More. Abandoned by her mother on Jellicoe Road when she was eleven, Taylor Markham, now seventeen, is finally being confronted with her past. But as the reluctant leader of her boarding school dorm, there isnt a lot of time for introspection. And while, Hannah, the closest adult Taylor has to family, has disappeared, Jonah Griggs is back in town, moody stares and all.
In this absorbing story by Melina Marchetta, nothing is as it seems and every clue leads to more questions as Taylor tries to work out the connection between her mother dumping her, Hannah finding her then and her sudden departure now, a mysterious stranger who once whispered something in her ear, a boy in her dreams, five kids who lived on Jellicoe Road eighteen years ago, and the maddening and magnetic Jonah Griggs, who knows her better than she thinks he does. If Taylor can put together the pieces of her past, she might just be able to change her future.

Favorite characters, quotes/lines: Taylor: she was a really interesting character and I really felt for her and wanted to find out what was going on with her past; Jonah: I was excited every time he came into the book& the tension between him and Taylor was amazing; Chaz (Santangelo): he was funny and deep at the same time; the kids from the past: I was seriously addicted to their story

When I finished this book I felt: I LOVE THIS BOOK! I usually cant name a book as my favorite, but Jellicoe Road might be it. I have never been so excited and addicted to a book before. I read it in one sitting and was so into the book that I sobbed at the end. The characters, the plot, the emotion& everything about this book is AMAZING!

Other books to read by this author: Saving Francesca, Looking for Alibrandi, Finnikin of the Rock

I would recommend this book to: I am recommending this book to EVERYONE! I may even force them to read it. Im not even kidding.

Reader reviewed by designsbymikayla

Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta is a very complex and out of the ordinary narrative. It details the history of seventeen-year-old Taylor Markham as she reflects upon her abandonment on the side of Jellicoe Road at the age of eleven-years-old and her present relationships as a result.

A delicate framework is woven to allow for the plot to occur in this narrative. This may be representative of the fragile nature of a teenage psyche and the result of years of questions and unknowns. In my opinion, this book reveals much about the nature of repressed memories and the unleashing of such memories. In Taylors memories of her mother and father she only holds onto certain pieces of her past, each of which is masked in mystery. Such examples include her misunderstanding of the memory in which she sees herself sitting on the strong shoulders of man she believes is her father. In reality the man is her aunts lifelong boyfriend. In life, humans often misinterpret situations and people and this is just the case. Anyone who reads this book may find it easier to understand themselves simply from the confusion of Taylor.

The Territory Wars that take place in Taylors school life also cause much inner turmoil when Taylor is selected to lead her school in the underground association. This turmoil sprouts from another figure from her past, Jonah Griggs (the new leader of the Cadets, a rival territory group). Taylor sees Griggs not only as a threat to her school but a threat to her own reputation because they have a history together. Their history is that of an attempted escape and the causes for such a drastic cry for help.

I believe that the author has done a great job is creating a setting and plot that is so delicate. Each part of the plot is intricately woven like a spider web and is threatened at all times; however, the book still stands strong and firm. The drama and complexity of the story of Taylors mothers life and Taylors life as they combine to form the present circumstances show the authors most excellent skills, the skills of portraying reality in a real way. The chaos of the situations adds another element to the realism of the story.

Each of the characters is portrayed as independent beings and yet they work in unison. Taylor Markham shows the epitome of confusion. The mystery, questions and sadness beneath the surface of Taylor proves that life is masked in unknowns and it up to humans to decipher their own. Jonah Griggs is masked in the same characteristics but has found some comfort in his mother and brother. He acts as a liberator for Taylor and their relationship blooms upon both their similarities and differences and the present circumstance. Hannah is an elusive character and we learn about her through glimpses into her past in the form of her book and pictures. She is a mystery until the very end.

I would willingly recommend this book to my fellow readers, teens and adults alike.