Blame It On the Books

“If I want more, I need to go and get it, demand it, take hold of it with all my might, and do the best I can with it.” This is a difficult book to review. Most books that I rate 5 stars are books that I dread to review because I really think my vocabulary is lacking. I can't say this book was amazing, fantastic, out of this world or any more positive words in the English language because these types of books mean more to me than that; I feel like I have so little to say. And Jellicoe Road is no exception.But I guess here goes everything...The summary really doesn't prepare you for what you're going to read in Jellicoe Road. There is a missing person, territory wars and the switching POVs really caught me off guard for the first hundred pages. I was confused and I thought the pace was dragging. But ultimately, I was really curious about why this book is so loved on Goodreads and why people put it on a shrine, so I continued.What really got me in to this book was Marchetta's writing. It's the type of writing you'd do a blood sacrifice for. She can really "show, don't tell". I found myself getting sad over a sentence you normally wouldn't get sad for. For writing style is completely of its own. It's lyrical, gorgeous, beautiful and... like I said, I don't think my vocab is big enough to express my love over her prose. But sometimes, I felt like she left me too much in the dark. I would get minged off on how it is written like I should get the story, but I don't. I would have to read a couple of pages again or paragraphs to grasp a few concepts. But I digress.Jellicoe Road is also shrouded in mystery. It unfolds slowly, but surely; showing you the depth of each character and how each and every one of them connects. I also loved the characters. I might not have sympathized with them or got totally invested but I still enjoyed knowing their story. This book is just... really confusing. I know it deserves all those stars I'm giving it, but I felt like I didn't appreciate it as much as others. Even though I am praising it now, I'm praising it for it's mechanics; I didn't really connect with this book. After closing it's covers, I felt like I should have been sobbing and trying to mend my broken shattered heart. But my eyes were dry and heart probably only had a crack.Though I might not have been emotionally invested with Jellicoe Road, I was captivated. I will be reading more of Melina Marchetta's books. I can feel it. She should definitely be more known, because she deserves is completely. I was drawn and completely immersed in the story. And even though I only got a crack in my heart from my first time reading this, I'm sure that when I read this in the future again--when I'm older and changed--that crack will become a canyon in my heart. Because this book does hold something special and it does hold a place in my heart, even if it's small.