Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta

Saving Francesca

by Melina Marchetta

Sixteen-year-old Francesca could use her outspoken mother's help with the problems of being one of a handful of girls at a parochial school that has just turned co-ed, but her mother has suddenly become severely depressed.

Reviewed by notajammiedodger on

5 of 5 stars

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First Read September 2011

As always Marchetta creates a wonderful world of fantastic characters that you can't help but love.

Francesca is trying to deal with fitting in at a new school, an all boys school that has started accepting girls, she feels like she has enough to deal with without her mother's problems too, who suddenly won't get out of bed. Francesca's mum is suffering from depression. The story follows Francesca as she tries to blend in at a new school, falls in love and tries to cope with her depressed mother, when in the end she learns that she can help bring them back together again, and decides to save herself.

Francesca is a very real character, she's easy to connect and relate to. She's just a normal teenage girl, trying to fit in at a new school and deal with her family problems. I think everyone can relate to in some way or another. Will Trombal, where do I start. I love Will Trombal. He's sweet, and smart and sometimes just seems like a confusing arse hole, but, as with all of Marchetta's wonderful characters, you just can't help but love him. All of Francesca's friends were wonderful. They're all so opposite, but exactly the same and fit together so well.

As with the other two books that I have read by Melina Marchetta I really liked Saving Francesca, I didn't find it as sad as the other two, but I still loved it.

This review is also on my blog The Confessions of a Book Nerd :)

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 24 April, 2012: Finished reading
  • 24 April, 2012: Reviewed