Melina Marchetta is the acclaimed and multi-award-winning author of Finnikin of the Rock, an Aurealis Award winner; Jellicoe Road, a Michael L. Printz Medal winner; Saving Francesca; and Looking for Alibrandi. She lives in Australia.
A memorable portrait of first love, surviving grief, and the messy
contradictions and fierce bonds that hold friends and family
together
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Powerful and tragic, revealing a wonderful and realistically flawed
family working hard to fix its deep damage. Marchetta masterfully
demonstrates the depth of emotion—and love—the characters feel,
sometimes in small but moving moments
—Publisher's Weekly (starred review)
Tom’s confusion and regret at dealing with a burgeoning adulthood
that’s a pale, twisted shadow of his hopes are depicted with
respect and realism, and the slowly unfolding picture of his past
adds understanding without entirely getting him off the hook for
his own misdeeds.
—Bulletin of the Center of Children's Books
Marchetta uses smart dialogue, email messages, and a bit of humor
to slowly draw readers into the complicated social dynamics. It's a
joy to watch Tom reconnect with his friends, his music, his family,
and Tara, the girl whose heart he broke
—School Library Journal
The family dynamics are realistic, and the sincerity of the ache
and joy of the characters as they come together will draw older
teens to them rather than just the fictional plot.
—Foreword
Gr 9 Up-Melina Marchetta returns to her characters from Saving Francesca (Knopf, 2006) in this stand alone companion (Candlewick, 2010), only this time it's Tom Mackee and his family that need saving. Five years have slipped by and grief is slowly and successfully tearing apart the Mackee family. Two years earlier, Tom's uncle Joe was killed on his way to work by a terrorist's bomb. Tom's father, Dominic, always a heavy drinker, seeks solace from the bottle. Tom's mother decides to leave home with his younger sister for their safety, leaving Tom to care for Dom. Tom, too, seeks escape, and slides into the numbing world of a drug and alcohol induced haze until the day he hits rock bottom. Abandoned by his flatmates, he's homeless, with only his unwed, pregnant aunt Georgie willing to help. Tom is certain "the Mackees can't be put back together again. There are too many pieces missing." But can they? Yes, one piece at a time. Told in alternating views by Tom and Georgie, Marchetta spins a stunning tale about the consequences and joys of belonging to a family. It is a no-holds-barred look into the taunting demons of grief, betrayal, and bitterness and the restorative powers of love. Narrator Michael Finney offers a perfect blend of gruff swagger with the lilt of an Aussie accent to bring to life the eclectic cast of characters. A must-have.-Cheryl Preisendorfer, Twinsburg City Schools, OH (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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