Book Review: The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta

Diving off a table and getting 10 stitches on the head is no one's idea of a good time, but it might have been just what Tom Mackee needed. 

It has been two years since the senseless death of his beloved Uncle Joe - who died in London on his way to work on July 7th, 2005 (need I spell it out?) - and almost that long since his family imploded. Two years since he walked out on Tara Finke, the girl he just can't forget.

Now his life is a jumble of drugs, gigs and one night-stands. 

Until he wakes up in the hospital and winds up living with his single, pregnant Aunt Georgie, working with his former friends, and trying to figure out what to do with the broken family he still loves but has no idea how to deal with.

On the other hand there is Georgie, pregnant at 42 of her ex-boyfriend Sam, with whom she still has sex but can't talk. Sam who 'betrayed' her 7 years ago when he had a son with another woman (even though they were 'on a break', Georgie felt betrayed all the same). Sam who was there when she wouldn't let anyone else in.

Georgie, more than anyone, wants her family back. Not only Joe, though she would give up her soul to have him back, but everyone else who made the Finch-Mackee clan. 

Framed on the time-line of the return of Tom Finch - Dominic (Tom's dad) and Georgie's biological father, who died in Vietnam shortly after he married their mother (who then married Tom's best friend, Bill Mackee) - whose body is finally going to be returned to them;  The Piper's Son is story of family, loss, grief and music, and I loved every bit of it. 

Tom was flawed, complex and funny in a sly sort of way that could have me in tears one second and laughing the next. Georgie was complex as well, with so much anger and so much love inside of her. Both of them needing so much happiness, yet unable to really find it. 

There is something about Melina Marchetta's writing that always leaves me feeling raw inside, it just gets to me. Her writing is incredible nuanced and real. Proof of that is how different all the characters are from each other, yet, the ones that return from Saving Francesca still sound like they did back then (only that now like they are 21 instead of 17). I adored Tom's sister, Anabel - and loved that she was probably the person, other than Tara, that he loved the most. 

*sigh* It has been super hard to write this review without making it super long, super-spoilery and mega-fangirl, I hope I succeed. If not, just let me say this: GO READ THIS BOOK!!! Which comes on in the US on March 8 (I got the audio book as a "Please, please, buy it for me, it's my birthday!!!-present")

Favorite Quote: "Love is easy, it kind of comes with the territory, but liking is another story."- Tom

Ps- Put Aussie cover because I didn't like the US one. Kthxbai