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Saving Francesca cover art

Saving Francesca

By: Melina Marchetta
Narrated by: Rebecca Macauley
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Editorial reviews

Teenage Francesca is having a tough time at her new high school, which has only recently started accepting girls, and things only get worse when her normally high-spirited mother has a depressive breakdown. Performer Rebecca Macauley does an excellent job capturing Francesca's struggles with just the right mix of plaintiveness and sass, and acclaimed Australian author Rebecca Macauley resists the temptation to tie everything up in a perfect bow. This is a well-written and immersive tale that provides a thoughtful meditation on themes of belonging, family, and identity.

Publisher's Summary

Francesca is at the beginning of her second term in Year 11 at an all boy's school that has just started accepting girls. She still misses her old friends, and, to make things worse, her mother has had a breakdown and can barely move from her bed.

But Francesca had not counted on the fierce loyalty of her new friends, or falling in love, or finding that it's within her power to bring her family back together.
©2003 Melina Marchetta (P)2003 Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd.
Literature & Fiction Coming of Age Depression Family & Relationships Peer Pressure Romance
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Critic Reviews

"A rich exploration of maturation, identity, family, and friendship." (The Bulletin)

What listeners say about Saving Francesca

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Audible.com.au reviews

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Profile Image for Fleur Ferris

A captivating and moving experience.

A great and emotionally driven story. The narrator did a great job and I fell into the story and listened to the entire book in one day.

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Profile Image for HERMZ

A Winner 🥳

An Aussie teenagr meeting challenges, shedding skins, figuring it out and taking us on her sad, funny, relatable journey. Dipping into family, friends, confusion, first love, school life, doubts, fear, fun times, bravery.

A really great book. Believable charachters. Narrator does it proud. Loved it.

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Enjoyable story

This was an enjoyable story and easy to listen to. I found it uncomplicated and easy story line to follow.

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Profile Image for Anonymous User

OUTSTANDING

Melina Marchetta is one of the best writers I've ever had a pleasure of reading. Saving Francesca hit me deep, made me laugh and cry and overall filled me with a sense of hope I want to hold on too for a long time.

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Feel good Australian story

So easy to fall in love with these characters, leaves you wanting more. A beautiful story for teenagers and adults.

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Profile Image for Teriza

One of my all time favourites

Melina Marchetta’s work is timeless, I think I’ve listened to this book maybe eight times now, and it always makes me feel exactly the same: full of hope and pure love for people and the way we relate to each other. She is the MASTER of meaningful relationships. Rebecca Macauley’s narration is absolutely outstanding - different voices for the characters, the emotion of what they’re saying, she brings the words to life.

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