Looking for Alibrandi (novel)

Infobox Book
name = Looking for Alibrandi
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption =
author = Melina Marchetta
illustrator =
cover_artist =
country = Australia
language = English
series =
genre = Young adult novel
publisher = Penguin Australia/Orchard Books
release_date = October 1992
media_type = Print (Hardcover)
pages = 260 pp
isbn = ISBN 0-531-30142-7
preceded_by =
followed_by = Saving Francesca 2003

"Looking for Alibrandi" is the debut novel of Australian author Melina Marchetta, published in 1992. A film adaptation was made in 2000.

Plot summary

Josephine Alibrandi is a second 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 undercome the narrow minded social and racial bigotry of people like Ivy Lloyd (Poisin 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 prescence, becomes extremely close to her.

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.

Literary significance & criticism

"Looking for Alibrandi" has been particularly successful within Australia, where it is widely studied in high schools at a senior level. [Viewpoint: On Books for Young Adults — Volume 1, Number 1 — 1992 (the book became a cross-over success, and was listed as a senior high school English text.)] Since publication in October 1992, "Looking for Alibrandi" has been branded one of Australia's most popular young adult novels, selling over 300,000 copies.

"Looking for Alibrandi" was the first time novel for Marchetta, and has been multi-awarded, winning the Multicultural Award and Children's Book Council Book of the Year Award.

The critics responded very warmly to "Looking For Alibrandi", describing it as a rich, challenging, stunning novel.

Herald-Sun, 3 May, 1994

Weekend Australian 5-6 December, 1992

Film adaptation

"Looking for Alibrandi" (2000) 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. [imdb title|id=0217629|title=Looking for Alibrandi]

Footnotes

External links

* [http://www.lakemac.infohunt.nsw.gov.au/library/links/hschelp/english/interview.html Interview with Melina Marchetta]