Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

Synopsis: 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.




When I first read the synopsis, I didn't really understand what it was about but I decided to buy it anyways. I DO NOT REGRET ANYTHING. It's hard to write a review for a book like this because it's just one of those books that leave you with a feeling that you can't really put into words, but I'll try.

This book confused me from the beginning. I had no clue what was happening and what all this territory wars stuff was. There were so many twists, but that just made it more of a mystery. I loved how there was a story from the past and a story in the present that intertwine and fit perfectly together. Each chapter was like a different piece of a puzzle. Only until after you pieced together most of the pieces, everything begins to make complete sense.

There's a reason why this book got an award. Melina Marchetta's writing style is filled with such emotion and thoughtfulness. The way she writes each character feels so real, not like some authors who somehow are able to make the characters feel so one-dimensional. Some sentences are so breathtaking that you just have to stop for a second, read it again, then think about it. There are no missing pieces in the plot, but by the end, you'll crave for more. I laughed, I cried, I was furious and much more. Some parts left me with my mouth hanging open like 'what just happened?' others made me laugh so hard because I can imagine my friends saying these witty comebacks.

Since the author is Aussie, there are quite a few Aussie slang words thrown in there and spellings like "realise" but that didn't bother me too much.

I will definitely read Melina's other books. I would recommend this to anyone who likes books that are a bit of a mystery and make you think.

Rating: 5/5