Review: On the Jellicoe Road

Author: Melina Marchetta
Pages: 300
Publisher: Penguin
Source: Library
Synopsis: My father took one hundred and thirty two minutes to die. 


 I counted. 


 It happened on the Jellicoe Road. The prettiest road I’d ever seen, where trees made breezy canopies like a tunnel to Shangri-La. We were going to the ocean, hundreds of kilometres away, because I wanted to see the ocean and my father said that it was about time the four of us made that journey. I remember asking, “What’s the difference between a trip and a journey?” and my father said, “Narnie, my love, when we get there, you’ll understand,” and that was the last thing he ever said. 


 We heard her almost straight away. In the other car, wedged into ours so deep that you couldn’t tell where one began and the other ended. She told us her name was Tate and then she squeezed through the glass and the steel and climbed over her own dead – just to be with Webb and me; to give us her hand so we could clutch it with all our might. And then a kid called Fitz came riding by on a stolen bike and saved our lives. 


 Someone asked us later, “Didn’t you wonder why no one came across you sooner?”


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I've finished reading the fantastic Jelicoe Road and all I wish for is to be able to re-read it. It saddens me that I don't have the time.

Jellicoe Road is a story of loss, hope, courage, love, depression and friendship. During most of the last half of the book, my eyes were teary. Awful things happen to these special people but life goes on. Traditions are made, secrets unveiled, families lost and families reunited. I felt their pain. The story was unique in the way that all these people dealing with so much could feel better with each other. It was emotional and true so I loved it.

The characters were a huge part of it. I adored everyone including Webb, Tate, Narnie, Fitz and Jude and Taylor and her friends. These people were multi-layered and their lives were complicated. So many quotes here just made me want to cry and reread them. Their relationships were beautiful and special. I connected with them all: Jessa, Chloe, Jonah, Santangelo, Raffy. The romances had me cheering. Many moments were so sweet that I was filled with that glow-y happy feeling you get when you know how incredible life is.

The way the story was told was in two parts: italicized and regular. Italicized included bits and pieces of Hannah's story and the rest was Taylor's story. These two stories intertwined. How much so wasn't revealed until near the end. It was a cool way to tell the story. I wasn't sure the relevance of each part to the other at the beginning but in the end I understood. Jellicoe Road was so readable that as soon as I opened it I was hooked. I encourage people to not do what I did though. Don't read this book quickly; take your time to savor it.

A heartfelt story that's definitely a must read. 5 stars,

*****