44 Jellicoe Road

Jellicoe Road is a novel by Melina Marchetta. It will ruin you, but in a good way. Also it's so complicated that you don't understand what's actually happening until the end, much like Code Name Verity. Half of the characters have two different names, one in the past and one in the present. But the past absolutely informs the lives of the important characters in the present. It's not really even over. 

This book gives me such a feeling of tragedy, in the big epic classical sense. 

We'll see how I do with it. 

I was thinking about it because I named the Becca book The Esker Road finally. You know how roads are named for where they're going, at least around here? I think it's widespread but who knows. Well, the town of Esker is where all this action goes on, where the University is, the nearest town above a crossroads to Thrushcross. 

Books that take place in and around the town of Esker, Maine:

The Nerve

Leaving Thrushcross

Mazewood

Summerlands

The Esker Road

I'm in love with eskers. I go out of my way to drive along one over on Stetson Road, or rather Stetson Road runs along the top of an esker. I thought so--but then I met a geologist whose dog is named Esker and asked just to be sure. And it's true! Hurray! Also Esker is a terrific dog. 

I've gotten into some deep dark areas in this past week's writing of The Esker Road. But also the writing has been absolutely fantastic. I'm so pleased with it. Though I was a little startled to see how many elements have not so distant cousins in Jellicoe Road, as well as in I Am the Cheese. Borrow from the best, I guess. It's its own thing, have no fear.

Anyway please do read Jellicoe Road if you possibly can. I bet it's out there in ebook.