My old school, St Stella's, only goes to Year Ten and most of my friends now go to Pius Senior Collage, but my mother wouldn't allow it because she says the girls there leave with limited options and she didn't bring me up to have limitations placed upon me. If you know my mother you'll sense there's an irony there, based on the fact that she is the Queen of Limitation Placers in my life. Francesca is at the beginning of her second term in Year Eleven at an all boy's school that has just started accepting girls. She still misses her old friends, and, to make things worse, her mother has had a breakdown and can barely move from her bed. But Francesca had not counted on the fierce loyalty of her new friends, or falling in love, or finding that it's within her power to bring her family back together.

Francesca doesn't really need saving, even though it seems her life is going down the loo. With the help of loyal friends, Francesca copes with being one of 30 female students at St. Sebastian's (formerly, School for Boys), falling in love with one of the most irritatingly smug guys around, and dealing with her strong mother's sudden breakdown. Rebecca Macauley pauses often, allowing the listener to absorb the strong emotions Francesca experiences and to catch a breath after laughing hard at the situations she gets into. While it may take a bit to get used to the accent of this Australian import, the universal story of a young woman finding her way translates in all cultures. M.M.O. Winner of AUDIOFILE Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine

 

"an exceptional standout in a vast field of mediocre teen chick lit"

 

"Readers will applaud the realistic complexity in the relationships here, the genuine love between the characters, as well as Francesca's ultimate decision to save herself."

 

"Teens will relate to this tender novel and will take to heart its solid messages"

 

"Teens will find the novel a realistic, satisfying reflection of their lives"

 

Melina Marchetta was born in Sydney and left school after grade ten to work for a major Australian bank. She later worked as a consultant for a travel company and travelled to England, China, the Soviet Union and the United States of America. She has since completed a teaching degree and gone on to teach at a Roman Catholic high school. While working as a bank officer, Marchetta began writing her debut novel Looking for Alibrand.

Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta
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