Review: Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

Title: Jellicoe Road
Author: Melina Marchetta
Pages: 432
Publisher: Harper Collins
Genre: Contemporary
Release: March 9th 2010 (First published March 31st 2003 AU)
Buy the Book at: Book Depository / Amazon

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.

A Meaningful, Overwhelming and Inspirational Story

Reviewing Jellicoe Road is probably the hardest thing I have done since I started this blog...This book left me speechless.

What do you want me to say? What could I possible say? Jellicoe Road was so overpowering and magnificent that left me with no words. Seriously, I have never read a contemporary book so, so good! Melina Marchetta is beyond my understanding. First, I idolized her for the only book I read of hers, Finnikin of the Rock. Now, she absolutely left me speechless. Jellicoe Road is something else, something indescribable, something capable to marvel any reader around the world. It doesn't matter the genres you prefer nor your age or your cultural background because Jellicoe Road is capable to reach the most inner core of human being, the soul.

How can so much sadness and love belong -long to be- to the same place? "I wonder"... how is that possible? in this book it is. Two stories masterfully intertwine on the Jellicoe Road, linking the past and the present, the characters and their stories. This book is a Road full of enriching, humane and soul-touching life experiences about self-discovery, belonging, understanding and forgiveness. This book is certainly a Road you'll want to walk by yourself and absorb everything it has to offer.

Original Australian cover

I am so ashamed to say that I waited so long to read this book, but I am also proud to say that now I have this book on my shelf. I knew Jellicoe Road would amaze me, Finnikin of the Rock which is also by Melina Marchetta, highly did and I was ready to read something absolutely great in this book. However, what I did not expect was that Jellicoe Road would touch every single cell of my body with such strength that even my soul was overpowered. The intensity of this book will absorb readers's souls and wont let them go until they shed the last tear. After that, it will be the readers that wont let go of this book.

Melina Marchetta must be a writer sent by God or something, because I doubt I'll ever read something like this ever again. For me, she excels among any YA writer and Jellicoe Road is the physical proof of it. The lyrical and emotionally evocative writing style will steal your breathe countless of times. The characters, the plot and the countless themes in this story, makes this book a must-read and a must-have. I don't know what else I can say to express how I feel about this book. How can I let readers know that they should pick Jellicoe Road and read it not only once but twice, and then a third time and a fourth... Seriously, this is a book to re-read. I certainly want to walk over and over again on the Jellicoe Road.

Jellicoe Road is a story that has certainly engraved itself into readers' heart and memory and it will certainly engrave its own mark through history as well. Now, if you haven't read this book yet, go and get it as soon as you can and turn to the first page... That is your first step to walk "the prettiest road I'd ever seen" Go and walk for yourself this inspirational, meaningful, overwhelming and enlightening story on the Jellicoe Road.

Visit the Melina Marchetta's website at http://www.melinamarchetta.com.au/