Looking for Alibrandi

by Melina Marchetta

Book Overview

For as long as Josephine Alibrandi can remember, it's just been her, her mom, and her grandmother. Now it's her final year at a wealthy Catholic high school. The nuns couldn't be any stricter--but that doesn't seem to stop all kinds of men from coming into her life. Caught between the old-world values of her Italian grandmother, the nononsense wisdom of her mom, and the boys who continue to mystify her, Josephine is on the ride of her life. This will...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0375836942
• ISBN13: 9780375836947
• Release Date: May 2006
• Publisher: Random House Children's Books
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.1" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

Wow.

This book is a testament for those people who admit that there are no unique premises anymore, only unique ways of telling them. Coming-of-age stories are tough because they can be a rather indistinguishable group with only the author's voice as the discriminant. Thank God Melina Marchetta's got one hell of a voice in this novel. I'll admit that when I started reading this story, I thought it would be one of those formulaic, nothing-special tales about an obnoxious girl who goes to school, is in the middle of a family feud with her foul-tempered relatives, and through a series of unlikely events, falls "in love" with some bland boy whose only attribute is his good-looks. The beginning chapter, where you get to see a firsthand example of Josephine's cheekiness, didn't help in deterring my theory. But then... well, as they say, then it's all history. I got engrossed in the story. Josephine Alibrandi is sassy and sometimes too spoiled for her own good, but she's a fun character to read about. You find yourself laughing at her thoughts (not because they are petty but because they are truly funny) and you find that you can relate to her. This is especially true in the parts where you see her friends and the two boys who're special to her. The part I liked best of this story, though, was the family aspect of it. Josephine's family is from Sicily and their culture shines through in many ways. I was amazed by the "family secrets" subplot, which was very cleverly crafted and contributed to the depth of this book in many ways. The relationships in the family are tested and we get to see what lies underneath the surface, what makes the family members the way they are, and what put everyone in the less-than-perfect predicament they're in when the novel begins. In short: Melina Marchetta has written an unforgettable story with touching characters, a tight plot, and great wit. This is an all-time must-read and if you haven't read it yet, you're missing out big time.

Page-turner

Looking for Alibrandi is my favourite book ever. This interesting book is filled with romance, hardships, lovely experiences and discoveries. Josephine desperately wants to be emancipated, and through her search for liberation, she becomes a more matured and beautiful lady. She gets to know her grandmother better, and grows closer to her mother. She also comes to know of her "long lost" father, Michael. At first she pretends that she does not want to get to know him better, but one incident brought them closer together. I especially like the part about her relationship between Jacob Cooste and John Barton. This book is so touching that I cried so many times when I read it. I really like the way the author writes it. It has definitely helped me improved my english. All in all, this book is a page-turner. (:

A Fantastic Read

This book was given to me when I was 16 from one of my Australian relatives, and has become one of my favorite books of all time. Although it's been four years, I still pull it out often to read again. Looking for Alibrandi is a fantastic coming of age book, and for people like me who have a soft spot for this genre, it will make it to the top of your list. The feelings and characters in the book are completely genuine, and the events feel so real that you will alternately be cheering and crying (as clichéd as that sounds!). I would definitely recommend this book to any teenage girl, no matter where they are from.

Looking... and Found a Classic

If one reads any of my other book reviews it is not hard to tell that I have a flare for the unusualy, but the novel was one that I enjoyed never-the-less. I think it is so universal because everyone can relate to Joe's problems and situations. We have all have trouble choosing a boyfriend or girlfriend, and we have all had problems with family from time to time. I think the real beauty is how she deals with her father in the novel, something I was touched by and can relate to personally. A must read.

A passionate and interesting book.

I had to read this book for English and expected a book that couldn't relate to the struggles teens have to face. However, I was shocked, but delighted in finding that this book managed to write about these problems in a way that was human. The underlaying themes- racism, multiculturalism, fitting in socially, dealing with illegitimicy and tradition, are beautifully dealt with. The way in which she discovers her past helps us to think their may be a future. I strongly recommend this book to everyone.