MWT comes in for some more love

[beth-shulman.livejournal.com]

So somehow I missed when Melina Marchetta, one of my favorite authors (seriously, in direct competition with MWT) gave an interview on The Story Siren blog. And look look look! She was asked:

What are your favorite YA novels?

Her answer:

The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner (!!!)
I am the Cheese by Robert Cormier
Hills End by Ivan Southals

Look what she said first! She has awesome taste! (Also, she classifies KoA as YA, ha.) And has anyone ever heard of the other two? I never have. Also, if you haven't read her book Jellicoe Road, and you like YA, get to it!

Source

Comments

[elvenjaneite.livejournal.com]

For reals? This makes me so excited! I love Melina Marchetta! I love Jellicoe Road! Yaaaay! :D

[beth-shulman.livejournal.com]

Jellicoe Road is the biggest *experience* Seriously, I don't have another word for it.

[elvenjaneite.livejournal.com]

I've read it three times since January and bawled my eyes out every time. The best way I can describe it is that it breaks my heart in a million different ways and then puts it back together again.

[beth-shulman.livejournal.com]

I know... I love, love, love it. And the way it's written, and the way it comes full circle, and the journey, and just - the way she uses language. It's incredible.

[brandy-painter.livejournal.com]

I have never read anything by Melina Marchetta but have several of her books on my TBR list. I might have to move them up the line now.

[beth-shulman.livejournal.com]

You should! She's amazing...

[willow-41z.livejournal.com]

I was reading part of Saving Francesca, which is a wonderful wonderful book, this morning! :D

[beth-shulman.livejournal.com]

I love Saving Francesca! Did you hear that she published a five-years-later sequel? It's coming out in the US in March. *whispers* I ordered it from Australia a few months ago, and it's amazing.

[willow-41z.livejournal.com]

WAIT WHAT

TO THE INTERNEEEEEEEEEEEEETS

[elle-winters.livejournal.com]

omg! I read that book years ago! and I had no idea there was a sequal!!!

[beth-shulman.livejournal.com]

The sequel's not out in the US until March, I think... and it's different than Saving Francesca. Older, sadder, sort of - bigger. More ambitious, in a way? About more, because they're out of high school. It's a great book, though, just in a different way.

[readingisgoodforyou.wordpress.com (from livejournal.com)]

Where did you order Piper's Son from? I tried getting it through Book Depository, but it's been out of stock for about six months.

Psst . . . Jellicoe Road is one of my favorite books. I generally don't read YA realistic fiction, but I'll read anything by Melina Marchetta. Her characters and stories are just beautiful.

[beth-shulman.livejournal.com]

Alibris had it last April, I got it from them. I didn't want to pay $$$ for shipping, and all the Australian bookstores were charging more than the price of the book for shipping.

[tiegirl.livejournal.com]

I loved Jellicoe Road soooo much more than Finnikin of the Rock that I, I, I just can't explaaaiin! It was like a different author altogether, for me, anyway. Maybe someday I will try Finnikin again, but not before I read Saving Francesca, that's for sure.

[beth-shulman.livejournal.com]

I know, so did I! It's weird, I just reviewed it on Goodreads because I was thinking about it, and then Liz at A Chair, a Fireplace, and a Tea Cozy reviewed it this morning - and she loved it, and I didn't. And I was prepared to love it! I wasn't upset because it was a departure from her other books. But I just didn't. I didn't hate it, but - it just wasn't my thing.

Saving Francesca is so, so good.

[9mil.livejournal.com]

I am the Cheese is an amazing amazing AMAZING book by the same guy who wrote the Chocolate War. I conveniently attend the college he went to and we have all his manuscripts and stuff hanging around. Very psychological book that will keep you wanting more.

Never read the other though.

[epidural.livejournal.com]

Love The Chocolate War. One of the best endings I've ever read. Haven't read I Am The Cheese, though.

[beth-shulman.livejournal.com]

I've got to read it :) I'm going to put it on hold.

[readingisgoodforyou.wordpress.com (from livejournal.com)]

I had to read The Chocolate War this past summer for the Young Adult Literature course I took and I just didn't care for it (no one else in my class did, either). I didn't like how bleak an outlook on humanity was portrayed in the book - very depressing. I don't know why Cormier writes this way, though, because my professor said he was supposed to be one of the sweetest, gentlest men you could ever want to meet.