Book Review: Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

Description of Jellicoe Roadfrom Amazon:

"Abandoned by her mother on Jellicoe Road when she was eleven, Taylor Markham, now seventeen, is finally being confronted with her past. But as the reluctant leader of her boarding school dorm, there isn't a lot of time for introspection. And while Hannah, the closest adult Taylor has to family, has disappeared, Jonah Griggs is back in town, moody stares and all. Nothing is as it seems and every clue leads to more questions as Taylor tries to work out the connection between her mother dumping her, Hannah finding her then and her sudden departure now, a mysterious stranger who once whispered something in her ear, a boy in her dreams, five kids who lived on Jellicoe Road eighteen years ago, and the maddening and magnetic Jonah Griggs, who knows her better than she thinks he does. If Taylor can put together the pieces of her past, she might just be able to change her future."

I enjoyed the mystery aspects of this novel most. Jellicoe Road recently won the Printz award for young adult literature, and very obviously deserved it with its engaging descriptions and interesting story. I found there were parts that I thought were a little over the top and a bit too melodramatic, but it also seemed very real in other parts.

RATINGS:
s-factor: !@#$
A lot of swearing.

mrg-factor: XX
Some situations and scenes, fortunately not graphic.

v-factor: ->->
Some disturbing and violent parts.

Overall rating: ***