7 Reasons to Read Jellicoe Road, by Melina Marchetta

Title: Jellicoe Road

Author: Melina Marchetta

Genre: YA Contemporary

Pub. Date: August 28, 2008

Abandoned by her mother on Jellicoe Road when she was eleven, Taylor Markham 17, finally confronts her past. Hannah, the closest adult she has to family, disappears. Jonah Griggs, moody stares and all, is back in town. If Taylor can put together the pieces of her past, she might just be able to change her future. -Goodreads

5 stars!

Merely thinking about Jellicoe Road makes my thoughts scatter and unorganized, so in order to convey me thoughts effectively, I must make a list. Hopefully I’ll give Jellicoe Road at least a fraction of the praise it deserves.

7 Reasons to Read Jellicoe Road:

1- The Writing.
Enticing, captivating, profound, and dripping with emotion. Easily my favorite part of the book. That’s all I can say.

2- The Mystery.
I’m pretty sure everyone was confused for the first third of the book. I am no exception to that. I did get frustrated; I was feeling a bit impatient. I didn’t appreciate the genius behind the slowly unraveling storyline until I had finished the book. In the end, it all came together, and for the element of mystery Marchetta used, I am grateful.

“Whatever is now covered up will be uncovered and every secret will be made known.”

3- The love, the pain, the hope, and everything in between.
What I find most incredible about Jellicoe Road? Even through all the hardships, all the pain they were forced to endure, a small wisp of emotion was sneaking out of the pages, resonating: hope.

4- You will fall in love with each and every character.
Days after finishing the book, I still tear up thinking about the masterfully well-written characters. The characterization is so superb, near flawless, to the point where you feel like have known the characters for your whole life. That is the impact her characters have on me.

5- Jellicoe Road will affect your life, whether you’re a teen or not.
This book has some powerful messages about friendships and relationships. It will not only affect the lives of adolescents, but also the lives of adults. It will open your eyes.

“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.”

6- Taylor and Jonah.
I don’t recall ever being as enamored as I am with Taylor and Jonah with any other fictional couple. And you know what? They don’t have the healthiest relationship. It is realistically flawed. No matter what they did to each other, no matter what they said, their love was ubiquitous. I don’t care how cheesy that sounds.

“I shrug. "I'll probably mention that I'm in love with you."
He chuckles. "Only you would say that in such a I-think-I'll-wash-my-hair-tonight tone.”

7- Jellicoe Road expertly chronicles the journey that is known as adolescence.
I’ll get this out of the way: being a teen sucks. I would know, as I am at that stage of my life currently. As a result, this book had a massive impact on me. I could relate to everything Taylor thought and said. Her internal monologues were at times hilarious, and at others, made me choke up in tears from her truthfulness. How Marchetta captures the voice of a teen authentically and effortlessly will never cease to amaze me.
Seriously, this book should be required reading for ALL teens.

Melina Marchetta, you have officially converted me. Prior to reading Jellicoe Road, I could care less about realistic fiction. I was more of a fantasy type of gal. Now, after being exposed to this masterpiece, my eyes have been opened.

Reading through my favorite quotes is making me nostalgic. I’m already in need of a re-read.