I'm recommending you this book because it is perfect. I just finished re-reading it, and I cannot wait to read it again and again. It took me too long to finally re-read it, though, and I wish I had done so sooner. Because Jellicoe Road is a perfect book. Truly perfect. I first read it in late December, and I have loved it since. This is the kind of book were everything is perfect. There is happiness. Love. Friendship. And lots of heartbreak and broken people. There is even perfect writing. Really perfect.
I think I had forgotten how much I loved this book. How perfect it was. Might be because the first time I had a tiny bit of trouble understanding the beginning. But apart from that tiny part, I loved it like crazy. This second time I read it I had no trouble understanding anything at all. And I just loved it so much more. The characters in this book are so well written. They all have a story, and they are all amazing. I loved each and every one of them. The plot is so unique and perfect as well. Everything in this book is.
Jellicoe Road is a contemporary book, which I didn't think I could love so much, and yet it is perfect. The best book in this genre I have read. Also, it's young adult. Yet it still have all the things I want in other young adult books. This book really has it all. And I couldn't have loved it any more. Although, I do wish it hadn't ended so fast. Even though it is over four hundred pages long it still felt like too little. Have heard there will be a movie, and I cannot wait for it. But yeah. I would really love a long book sequel :)
I don't know how to talk about my love for this book. But I will try. I will try to mention all the characters that made an impression on me. Those who will forever be in my heart. And I'll try to talk about the story, what made it so unique and special and amazing. I will try my best. And I hope I might convince you to finally read this amazing book, if you still haven't read it :) Because Jellicoe Road is worth it. It is worth every tear, smile and every laugh. You will fall in love with everyone and everything right away.
The book is told from the point of view of Taylor Markham, an amazing broken seventeen year old girl. I loved her so much. She's the best main character. She's angry a lot, and she don't want to let people close to her. I didn't blame her one bit, though. But she changes in this book. She changes for the better. And I loved that so much. I loved reading from Taylor's point of view. She's amazing. She goes to this school near the Jellicoe Road, out in the woods. I loved it there. The way everything was and wasn't.
Taylor was left on the Jellicoe Road as a eleven year old by her mother. Her crazy mother, to be honest. She did a lot of drugs, and she didn't seem all that kind. But she did take her daughter away from it all, in the end. Kind of. I don't know how to feel about her mom. I hated her for the most part. But by the ending I might have understood her, at least. Even if I didn't like her much. But I understood how she got that way, and I did feel sorry for her, and I wished the things had never happened like that. Sniffs.
While Taylor doesn't have many friends, there is this one person that she loves. Hannah. She lives in a house by the river close to the school. And Taylor just loves her so much, and she loves her too. Although I felt like she wasn't in this book that much. But still. I kind of adored her. We get to learn a lot about her, and most of it broke my heart. The school she goes to is pretty awesome, even though we never see a single classroom, which I was really happy about, because I'm a bit sick of those books.
The students are split into five houses, with one leader for each house. I loved reading about it, because it sounded pretty amazing. Taylor ends up being her house leader this year, so she kind of has to take care of everyone there, all the year sevens as well. Which seemed a bit hard at first, because they wouldn't leave her alone, lol :p But she grew to love them all, and I adored reading about it, because it was so special and loving. There's this girl, Jessa. She's amazing. Bit annoying, but adorable.
The students at the school have this war. With the boy Cadets coming from the city for 6 weeks each year. And with the Townies, the children going to school in the local town. It was all amazing and exciting and I loved reading about it all! Won't say so much about it, but it's so good. We get to read about their struggles, about territory wars and everything. I loved it. I loved the pranks they did, and how crazy they all seemed to get. I just can't. It was so amazing. That is one small part of the plot.
Another big part of the plot is the five teenagers. They are a part of a story Taylor is reading, and we get to know them so well. We read about their lives about twenty years ago. They are a part of the book, and I loved all of them like crazy. There is Narnie, who is so sad and broken, and I loved her. There is Jude, who was an outsider, and is just adorable. There is Fitz who was a bit crazy, but funny and sweet. There is Tate who is broken, but still amazing. There is Webb who's all kinds of amazing.
I can't describe these five characters good enough. You just have to read it. But I loved reading their story. It's the most heartbreaking thing, and it made me cry a few times. It's so sad and it broke me. But it is also sweet and a tiny bit of happy. One of the best stories. Their story also fit with Taylor's story. Sort of. Won't say how, but yeah. You really need to read this book. You need to get to know all of these amazing characters. You really, truly do. Because they will all get a place in your heart, forever.
There are also some other amazing characters in this book, that turns out to be a big part of Taylor. There is her friend, Raffy, and I loved her so much. She and Taylor get close through the book. And I loved it so much. I loved reading about her sort-of relationship with Chaz Santangelo. I also loved him. He was amazing, and kind of funny. We get to know them both really well. Then there is this boy, Ben, whom I adored. He's fun and sweet. Not a love interest at all. Just a best friend. I liked him a lot :)
Then there is Jonah Griggs. Who is the most amazing character ever. I loved him like crazy, and I just wish I had him for myself, lol. He's just really sweet and kind and protective. Well, okay, not at first, but I don't blame him for that. He and Taylor have a past. A kind of sad one. But we get to understand it better, and I loved it a lot. He may seem like an asshole, but he isn't. He's just perfect. We get to know him a whole lot, and I hated what happened to him in the past. Sobs. But it's so perfect and beautiful.
I loved the relationship between Jonah and Taylor. It's beautiful and real and honest. It doesn't start very well, but it slowly gets better. And my god. They just fit together so well. They are perfect for each other. And sobs. It's so beautiful and gah. I want more and more and more. They take this car trip together, to search for Taylor's mom, and it's awful and perfect at the same time. We meet this boy, Sam, and he broke my heart so much. Sobs. It was perfect, though, everything I could have wanted.
We also get to learn a lot about Taylor's past. Which she have, from her childhood. And it broke my heart. It was just really sad and it killed me, but I also sort of loved it in a weird way. Everything in this book is just perfect. I loved it all. I just wanted more. Even though I did get everything I could have wanted. It's just that it's so perfect that I want more of it. Melina Marchetta is an amazing author. And I need to read more by her. I did love her Lumatere books so much. She just writes so well. I love her.
Jellicoe Road is mostly a book about love. About Taylor trying to find it. Trying with a boy, with friends, and with Hannah and her mother. It's heartbreaking most of the time. But with the heartbreaking scenes it's also sweet and funny and full of love. There wasn't a single thing in this book that I didn't like. Just the part that I wanted it to never end. I wished it had been longer. And I really, really want a sequel someday. Because I need more of Taylor and Jonah and just everyone. I need a sequel. I want it.
Holy. I ended up writing too much in this book recommendation of mine. I just had to. Once I started writing about it I couldn't stop. I haven't even gotten to say everything I wanted about it, I think. Jellicoe Road is just so perfect. You all need to read it, if you still haven't. You must. Because it is perfect and I loved every single part of it. There is so many quotes I wanted to share, but they would mostly be too spoilery. So I have shared a tiny part of a bigger quote that I love the most. So much love.
I didn't read my first review before writing this, but I don't think I said all the same things. I hope :)
"Because being part of him isn't just anything. It's kind of everything."
