This week we got to choose 10 books we loved that used a particular setting. We chose....
Top Ten Favourite Books Set In Australia
Check out our picks after the jump!
Sometime around 2 years ago we both became obsessed with Melina Marchetta, an Aussie writer with an amazing flair for getting her hands around your heart and then squeezing it until you're on the floor crying for mercy. Thanks to Marchetta, we started exploring more Australian writers and have been amazed by the great stuff on show. Here's a small selection as, frustratingly, because of silly things like copyright and licensing, it's actually quite hard to Aussie books in the UK! Even though we have the same Queen! Come on publishing guys, get this sorted! Anyway.... here's our list.
1, 2, 3 & 4 Saving Francesca and The Piper's Son, Jellicoe Road, Looking for Alibrandi - Melina MarchettaYep you've guessed it, we're pretty obsessed with Melina Marchetta. Saving Francesca and The Piper's Son are companion novels that follow a group of friends, taking two different characters as their focus. Jellicoe Road is a slightly bewildering novel that completely rewards you if you can get passed the first 50 pages and Looking for Alibrandi is a great novel about growing up as an outsider and coming to turns with it. Plus it's also been adapted into a brilliant film that we would definitely recommend too! If you love books about growing up, taking responsibility and falling in love then Marchetta is for you. Be prepared for ALL THE FEELS though.
5 & 6 Graffiti Moon and A Little Wanting Song - Cath Crowley
Cath Crowley uses a lot of songwriting and poetry in her novels, which could come across as amateurish if she were any less incredible a writer. Both Graffiti Moon and A Little Wanting Song are about finding your voice as an artist, whether that's in music, art, or poetry and they really speak to anyone who's ever had a crazy dream that they long to follow.
7, 8 & 9 Feeling Sorry for Celia, Finding Cassie Crazy, Becoming Bindy Mackenzie - Jaclyn MoriartyJaclyn Moriarty is such an innovative writer. Each of these books in the Ashbury/Brookfield series (which is actually a quartet but we didn't like the 4th one as much) is told in a different way, sometimes through letters and post-it notes, sometimes through diary entries. The characters cross over sometimes but there's always new ones to meet with new quirks to get to know.
10 Life in Outer Space - Melissa Keil
The cutest book either of us has read in a long time, Life in Outer Space is stuffed with pop culture references, from Star Wars to more horror films than we can name. There's completely believable characters who grow and develop throughout the novel, plus, just to emphasise it, it's SO CUTE.
I don't think I've read any Aussie authors! I want to read Jellicoe Road though. Great list! Mine was dystopian settings!
ReplyDeleteThank you, we didn't mean to become so obsessed, it just happened! Great idea for a list, I'll go check it out. Thanks for dropping by!
DeleteALL the Melina Marchetta <3 Not a fan of Jaclyn Moriaty though :(
ReplyDeleteBut yes Aussie YA <3
Her style isn't for everyone, but I'm yet to meet someone who doesn't love Marchetta :p
DeleteThanks for stopping by!
I just finished a book by an Australian author, BELOW by Meg McKinlay. I also really, really enjoyed JELLICOE ROAD. Clearly, I need to read MORE Australian novels!
ReplyDeleteOooo thanks for the recommendation, I'll go look it up. You definitely do, there's something about them that I love. I can't quite put my finger on it!
DeleteThanks for commenting!
I haven't read the Keil book--clearly I should--but the rest of them are AMAZING. Melina Marchetta especially, since she seems to be gifted with the ability to break my heart and then put the pieces back together.
ReplyDeleteNice list! I think the only book I've read set in Australia is "The Light Between Oceans" by M.L. Stedman. I've been curious about Bill Bryson's "In a Sunburned Country" too, though. :)
ReplyDeleteI haven't read any of these. I'll have to check them out.
ReplyDelete[3:03:12 PM] Jill O'Sullivan: My TTT.
Great idea for a topic! I have to admit, I'm kind of intimidated by Australian books, I just feel like I haven't connected with the handful I've read and I'm scared to be disappointed again!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my TTT!
The Ashbury/Brookfield series is probably my favourite YA series ever <3 and I adored Life in Outer Space! I don't know why I haven't read anything by Melina Marchetta yet because I've been dying for some more Aussie fiction. I've heard great things about Jelicoe Road so I'll definitely try and check that out. Amazing list - thanks so much! So glad you picked this topic :D
ReplyDeleteLife in Outer Space sounds adorable! I really need to read more books set in Australia...
ReplyDeleteI have never read a book based in Australia, but I've heard amazing things about a lot of these. I think I'll have to check some out, great list!
ReplyDelete