“It’s funny how you can forget everything except people loving you. Maybe that’s why humans find it so hard getting over love affairs. It’s not the pain they’re getting over, it’s the love.” -Melina Marchetta, Jellicoe Road
I really didn’t plan on sobbing my way toward 2013, but that’s what happened, since Jellicoe Road ended up being my last book of 2012.
Many people have mentioned that this book is difficult to follow at first. And it’s true. It took me ’til about page 200 before I figured out what was going on (until then I was continuously afraid that the book was going to end up being like that book where there are kids at a boarding school, and you know something weird is going on, but you can’t quite figure out what…you know the book, right?). Anyhoosie, I’m happy to report that nothing weird was going on and that everything finally falls into place before it starts to fall apart and resolve all at the same time.
How’s that for cryptic? Okay, let’s just use the B&N summary then:
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 few random things:
*It’s set in Australia. That took me awhile to figure out, too.
*I like how Taylor and Jonah and Chaz and Ben and Raffy and all the others finally end up coming together as friends, and the relationship between the Cadets and Townies and the Underground Community is restored to what it was in the days of Narnie and Tate and Webb and Fitz and Jude.
*Love the relevance of the red poppy on the cover.
*The Mullet Brothers! They cracked me up. And even HB, my resident bass player, loved the line about bass guitarists staring vacuously off into space as they play (when I laugh out loud he usually let’s me read him the funny line).
*Read with kleenex. At least if you’re a sap like me.
Maybe one of these days I’ll get 200 pages in…I haven’t given up hope yet!
The only reason I kept going was because I’d read that others had a problem, too…but that it was worth it!
I know so many people have loved this book, and said that it was amazing, but I haven’t gotten it yet. Maybe I will look into grabbing the audio if I can. It sounds like an intense and really amazing read!
It seems to be a blogger’s favorite!
I really want to read this one! And I had no idea it’s one that’ll make me cry. I am a little worried that I’m not going to catch on to whatever it is that comes together near the end, LOL
Well, certain other people didn’t cry, so you might be okay. Although how the managed not to, I don’t know!
yay! You even used what is one of my favorite quotes from my reading year at the beginning. I loved this one.
It’s a great quote! Right up there with “I write this sitting in the kitchen sink.”
I guess I gave up too quickly. I’ll have to try it again.
You gave up?? Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.
I have heard such great things about this book, but have yet to read it. I’d likely need a box of tissue too.
It’s CWS-ey, so yeah.
omg I LOVE this book! I read it a couple of years ago and it was definitely one of my favorite reads that year. .. still one of my all time favorite YA books. And yeah.. I cried my heart out, too. I get so excited when I see other readers loving this book, too.
Wow, this sounds fabulous – i suspect I’d need a whole box of tissues to read it.
All the books I’ve read by Melina Marchetta have gotten me quite teary, I have to say. You should read her others too. They’re good, and the others aren’t nearly as difficult to get into as Jellicoe Road. I wish she’d write more books immediately.
Now there’s an endorsement…read them, you’ll cry.
Cryptic much?
(And no, I have no idea which boarding house book you mean. Seriously.)
I’m in the mood for a good sob fest. It sounds like I need to queue this one as soon as possible!
Jenny got it…it’s Never Let Me Go. This one is oodles better.
Ah, I haven’t read a tearjerker in a while. Must add this one to my wishlist.
I started reading this book before but never finished. I love books that make me do the ugly cry.
It was totally ugly…good thing HB wasn’t home. He doesn’t get it when I sob through books.
I love the quote you shared. And I am a sucker for books that don’t make sense at first. I guess I like to work a little for my enjoyment of a book. This sounds like something I should definitely pick up in the near future.
You’ll be working at this one for at least 1/2 the book!
I loved how it came full circle in the end too — kind of restoring the universe to its balance.
I loved this book with all my heart. It made my top lists for 2012 even.
It would’ve made an appearance in my year end post…if I hadn’t already written it!
thank you for being cryptic. I dislike spoilers about books that i want to read.
good know it takes a while to figure things out.
I believe you speaking about “Never Let Me Go”
Yes!!!!!
Dammit–I *must* get around to reading this book!!!! Must. And it’s good to have the knowledge that one must stick it out for the payoff. Had I not had that knowledge about Code Name Verity, I would inevitably have given up…and missed out on one of my favorite reads of last year. Oh, and I will bring tissues as I’m an unapologetic sap.
I am a sap and now I want to read this
Right now I will not read anything that even has the possibility of a tissue being needed. Not sure if I ever will again, really.
This seemingly fantastic piece of fiction has been on my shelves FOR YEARS. Like, since it was an ARC. Ugh!
One of these days I will read Marchetta – such a bad Aussie not to have read her yet!