Jellicoe Road
In my defense, when I bought this book, I thought it was going to be a fantasy novel. As I’ve said before, I’ve been on a YA Fantasy kick. It wasn’t fantasy, but it was still amazing.
Taylor Markham was abandoned by her mother on the Jellicoe Road in a rural section outside of Sydney, Australia. She is found by a woman named Hannah, who takes her to the Jellicoe School where Taylor grows up. In her senior year, she becomes the head of her school’s various houses (think Harry Potter), and consequently, the leader of her contingent of soldiers in a yearly territory war. Her opponents are the Cadets, a group of military trainees that camp out in the area near the school every year, and the Townies, those that live in the nearby town. These three groups uphold a long tradition that began many years ago where they vie for “property” rights and respect.
Amidst this year’s territory wars, Hannah disappears and Taylor’s world begins to crumble. Her only clues to where Hannah has gone are found in a manuscript that Hannah has been writing. The characters are so familiar to Taylor, the story like a memory.
Despite the fact that they are supposed to be mortal enemies, the three leaders of the territory wars become friends and together, they help Taylor discover where Hannah has gone. One mystery turns into another, and in finding Hannah, Taylor finds the true story of why her mother abandoned her as well as the origins of the territory wars.
Ok, my description does this book no justice. It was so full of sorrow, of loss, and yet it always felt hopeful. The sorrow just sitting in the wings makes for good tension, and you really feel the emotions of all the characters. It was a lot like an adult “this is how you get through a tragedy” book, except that the protagonist is a self centered teenager who has mostly real teen problems. And had no idea what the real tragedy of her life is. In other words, people’s lives spill onto your plate and you have to deal with them or it messes you up. Not caring isn’t an option. Taylor’s life began so tragically, she has always been a stranger in her own life, and yet when she really needs someone, she discovers that she had a family all along, in an unlikely group of friends.
I was a tad confused in the beginning, since the story begins as two stories, but if you power through, there’s a moment when it all snaps into focus. You get the sense, at the end of the book, that this isn’t really a YA novel, and that Taylor’s all grown up and showing amazing internal strength. You know she’s going to be ok.
I laughed, I cried and I just loved everything about Jellicoe Road. Great YA book. These days, the YA books far surpass the adult reads. I was very impressed with this Australian author. Read it!
