Ok guys, here's my second review...much better than the first I think.
Looking for Alibrandi
Written by Melina Marchetta
Rating: 4 stars
313 pages
“... Suddenly I began to cry... but I think I cried more out of relief than self-pity. Relief because I was beginning to feel free. From whom? Myself I think.” Joesphine Alibrandi
Looking for Alibrandi is an Australian novel which tells the story of Josephine Alibrandi, a young lady in her final year at a wealthy Catholic high school. For as long as Josephine can remember it has been her, her mum and her grandmother. But, now even though the stress of doing the best in her end of school exams plagues her, that doesn't seem to stop all kinds of men from coming into her life. Trying to find her way through the old world values of her Italian grandmother, the no-nonsense of her mum and the continuously mystifying boys, Josie is on the ride of her life!
A beautiful and heartwarming novel that also had me snorting with laughter, uncontrollably grinning and trying to hold back tears of sadness so people around me wouldn't think I was delusional. Looking for Alibrandi is easy to understand on many levels. The author, Melina Marchetta, confronts many issues such as racism, religion, traditions in modern society, depression and self insecurities as a teenager which makes it so commendable and interesting. The relationship between Josie and her mother, Christina Alibrandi, is what I could most relate to as I have a strong bond with my mother and have my own insecurities. For me right now it was a good time to digest this book as I'm currently working through my last year of high school too and it gave me the reassurance I needed.
“I slept with the knowledge that my life was going somewhere good because of good people around me. And no HSC failure could take that away from me.” Josie Alibrandi
