Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta

Looking for Alibrandi

by Melina Marchetta

For as long as Josephine Alibrandi can remember, it’s just been her, her mom, and her grandmother. Now it’s her final year at a wealthy Catholic high school. The nuns couldn’t be any stricter—but that doesn’t seem to stop all kinds of men from coming into her life.

Caught between the old-world values of her Italian grandmother, the nononsense wisdom of her mom, and the boys who continue to mystify her, Josephine is on the ride of her life. This will be the year she falls in love, the year she discovers the secrets of her family’s past—and the year she sets herself free.

Told with unmatched depth and humor, this novel—which swept the pool of Australian literary awards and became a major motion picture—is one to laugh through and cry with, to cherish and remember.

Reviewed by bumblingbookworm on

5 of 5 stars

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This review was originally posted on The Bumbling Bookworm

Fair warning: this is one of my absolute favourite books of all time and there will be gushing in this review. If this scares you, turn away now!

For those of you who have discovered Marchetta's writing in the last couple of years, you're very lucky and spoilt for choice with all her books to choose from and read. When I first discovered Alibrandi, it was the ONLY book by Marchetta at the time and I remember wishing for more to read. I actually can't remember the first time I read this book, it was so long ago. The movie adaptation was released in 2000 and I reckon it was probably shortly before then, but I've re-read it so many times that I've lost count. However, last month I read it for the first time in at least eight years. Why so long, you may ask? In 2006, my Nonna died suddenly and I found it too hard to read this, because it reminded me too much of her and it hurt too much at the time. Over time, I've been too scared to read it again because I was scared the book would be ruined for me. I'm so glad that wasn't the case!

Check out the rest of my review here!

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 19 May, 2014: Finished reading
  • 19 May, 2014: Reviewed
  • Started reading
  • 4 November, 2017: Finished reading
  • 19 May, 2014: Reviewed