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Book Review By Laura B
Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta

Francesca Spinelli is in year eleven at St Sebastians School for Boys which has only this year opened for girls. There are about thirty girls at the school and most of the boys are pigs. Francesca lives with her mother Mia, her father Robert, her brother Luca and their dog, Pinocchio. One morning Mia doesn't get out of bed. Everyone says it is just 'a bit of a breakdown' but Francesca knows it is more than that. She is used to Mia always butting into her life and now that she isn't she doesn't know what to do.
At school, Francesca's house leader is Will Trombal. He is stuck up and arrogant and they get off to the wrong start. But eventually they start to fall for each other even though Will is too afraid to break up with his girlfriend so he can freely date Francesca.
Since all of Francesca's old friends went to another school, Francesca is stuck with the three other girls from Stellas (her old school). Justine Kalinsky, Sibhon Sullivan and Tara Finke. At first she just hangs around them for the sake of it and doesn't think of them as friends but gradually she realises how good they are. They are also joined by Thomas Mackee and Jimmy Hailer, Francesca's detention buddies. They make an odd group, but when Francesca's life at home gets to hard to handle, they are the ones there, along with Will Trombal, to help her through it.


Plot & Themes
Tone of book? - thoughtful
Time/era of story - 2000+ (Present Day)
Kids growing up/acting up? Yes
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Age group of kid(s) in story: - high school
Parents/lack of parents problem?
Loving/sexing? - guy chasing

Main Character
Gender - Female
Profession/status:
Age: - a teen
Ethnicity/Nationality

Main Adversary
Identity: - none

Setting
City? Yes

Writing Style
Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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