| Looking for Alibrandi(novel) | |
|---|---|
| Author(s) | Melina Marchetta |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Young female adult novel |
| Publisher | Penguin Australia/Orchard Books |
| Publication date | October 1992 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
| Pages | 260 pp |
| ISBN | 0-531-30142-7 |
| OCLC Number | 39508243 |
| LC Classification | PZ7.M32855 Lo 1999 |
| Followed by | Saving Francesca 2003 |
Looking for Alibrandi is the debut novel of Australian author Melina Marchetta, published in 1990. A film adaptation was made in 1999.
Contents |
Josephine Alibrandi is a third generation Italian Australian completing her last year of high school. She is the School Vice-Captain of St Martha's in Sydney. Josie learns to overcome the narrow minded social and racial bigotry of people like Ivy Lloyd (Poison Ivy) and Carly Bishop. Josie reacts angrily to derogatory terms like wog and ethnic. She ultimately learns to have pride in her heritage and by the end of the novel is proud to say I'm Australian with Italian blood flowing rapidly through my veins.
The absence of her father for Josie's first sixteen years means she has been heavily influenced by two powerful and strong women: her mother Christina and her grandmother Katia (Nonna). Josie unravels Nonna's deepest secret, which is the adultery she committed with her Australian lover, Marcus Sandford. Josephine's father, Michael Andretti, visits and despite Josie's initial anger at his presence, he becomes extremely close to her and her to him.
Friends such as Sera, Anna and Lee influence Josie's choices throughout her last year. A greater influence comes from her boyfriend Jacob Coote, and her crush, John Barton, whose suicide has a great emotional impact on her.
The story is Josephine's reflection in her final year at high school and the narrative style is first person.
Looking for Alibrandi is a novel written for ages between 12 and above, it reveals a great understanding of what life is about. Josephine realises by the end of the novel what life has in place for her future, and what she does and doesn't take for granted.
Looking for Alibrandi (1999) starred Pia Miranda as Josephine Alibrandi, Anthony LaPaglia as her father, Michael Andretti, and Kick Gurry as her boyfriend, Jacob Coote. Melina Marchetta wrote the screenplay.[1]
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