Genre: Young Adult
P.O.V.: 1st Person (told from heroine’s perspective)
Sensuality: Very Subtle
Violence: A brief fight scene
My Grade: B
Looking for Alibrandi is the first novel by the Australian author, Melina Marchetta. It tells the story of seventeen-year-old Josephine Alibrandi, her friends and family. In addition to being a coming-of-age story, important themes in the book include ethnicity and a sense of national identity.
Josephine’s mother, Christina, got pregnant when she was sixteen, much to the horror of her Italian Catholic parents. The father was her best friend and next door neighbour, Michael Andretti, whose family moved from Sydney to Adelaide before Josephine was born. When Christina insisted on keeping her baby, her father threw her out of the house. Josephine had no contact with her grandparents until after her grandfather’s death. She now resents her grandmother’s influence over their lives and hates going to her house after school.
In addition to boy troubles, problems with the nuns at school, and general teenage angst, Josephine is stunned to learn that her father – now a successful barrister – has moved back to Sydney. When her grandmother manoeuvres a chance meeting between them, Josephine is both horrified and intrigued by the man who is her father. Michael, for his part, is shocked to find himself the father of an outspoken, rebellious seventeen-year-old. Josephine and Michael’s awkward relationship is very well done and was the highlight of the book for me.
Josephine struggles to establish a sense of identity. She feels as if she’s an outsider at her school of mostly wealthy Catholic girls. She’s there on a scholarship, and finds it difficult to relate to most of her classmates. In addition, Josephine’s illegitimacy and Italian background make her stand out from the crowd. Josephine does have a group of friends, although she’s the first to admit that their friendship has more to do with convenience – they are all misfits in their own ways – than it does with having a lot in common with one another.
In the midst of Josephine’s developing connection with her father, she has to contend with her awkward relationship with Jacob Coote, her moody, prickly, sort-of-boyfriend from the wrong side of the tracks.
Looking for Alibrandi is a strong YA novel with sympathetic characters and an interesting plot. There are a few unexpected developments in the storyline which might not appeal to readers expecting a happy clappy resolution to the novel, but they worked for me.
As indicated above, the absolute highlight for me in this book was the realistic portrayal of Josephine and Michael’s relationship. It was at times heart-warming, and at others painful. It made a refreshing change from saccharine reunion stories in which the characters devote approximately five minutes to angst and then live happily ever after.
Another aspect to the story which appealed to me was Josephine’s struggle to define herself. Is she Italian? Is she Australian? Her answer varies depending on the situation and the person she’s talking to.
I loved the Australian setting. It reminded me of my own teenage years watching the TV series Home and Away. Melina Marchetta has a few books in her backlist and I’m looking forward to reading them.
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I squee every time a non-Australian reader discovers Marchetta. Which book are you reading next?
The ending would normally irritate me, but such is my love for this author that I didn’t mind it. I think she did a great job of showing why it had to end that way. Are you planning to watch the film? I think Pia Miranda is spot on as Josie.
Glad you enjoyed it. Saving Francesca was a bit *cough* better but I love Marchetta’s voice/style of writing. I just do.
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