Jellicoe Road – Melina Marchetta
Saving Francesca and Finnikin of the Rock Author's Literary YA Novel
Sep 29, 2009
Despite the amazing growth in the popularity of YA (young adult) novels, many still brush this genre off as fluff in the realm of Sweet Valley High and Gossip Girl. Jellicoe Road is perhaps the best example of how teenage literature, much like teenage minds, should not be underestimated.
Jellicoe Road: Past and Present Collide
Taylor Markham is a seventeen year old girl at a boarding school in Australia with a history that runs farther back than she realizes. Her story is mingled with another that took place nearly two decades earlier of a horrible car accident on Jellicoe Road – the very road on which her mother abandoned her years before.
The accident, which forever altered the lives of five children, is also vitally important to Taylor's own life, something she discovers throughout the novel. Taylor must piece together seemingly unrelated parts of the puzzle – her House caretaker's sudden disappearance, the cryptic words a hermit whispered in her ear years ago, the boy who frequently visits her dreams – all of which add up to answer the why's and how's of Taylor's life.
Of course, as with any story of a teenage girl, there must be a boy to complicate things. In Taylor's case the boy is Jonah Griggs, a tough Cadet whom, despite her having shared an unforgettable bond with years ago, is now Taylor's sworn enemy.
Recommended Read for Teens and Adults
Jellicoe Road manages to be both funny and heart-wrenching, with a poignant yet wholly satisfying ending. Marchetta's writing is spellbinding, giving Taylor a unique voice in young adult literature. This is not a light by-the-pool read, nor is it heavy and studious. Jellicoe Road is quite simply the type of story that pulls the reader into its world and doesn't let go, even when the last page is turned.
Jellicoe Road has received awards and recognition since publication, including:
- 2009 Michael L. Printz Award – YA Category
- 2008 W.A. Young Readers Book (WAYRB) Award – Older Readers
About Melina Marchetta
Melina Marchetta is the author of several novels, short stories, and reviews. Her first novel, Looking for Allbrandi, was published in 1992, followed by Saving Francesca (2003), Jellicoe Road (2006), and the epic fantasy Finnikin of the Rock (2008). Her next novel, The Piper's Son, will be released in Australia in 2010.
Ms. Marchetta currently resides in Sydney, Australia. For more information on the author and her books, please visit her website.
Jellicoe Road (ISBN 978-0-06-143183-8) was published by HarperTeen, an imprint of HarperCollins.
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