A Romantic Spotlight (Marchetta Madness)

Hello guys! I can't believe Marchetta Madness is almost over!

And since we are so close to the end, I want to talk about one of the things I love the most in Melina's books: the Romance.

Melina's books are wonderful for so many different reasons, but her characterization is particularly masterful, and no matter how rich the contexts and environments, there is always a lot of love and many kinds of love going around.

There are wonderful friendships and amazing family ties in all of the stories, but I love the way she writes romance. I love that when her girls fall in love they do so completely and without losing themselves. I love that her guys sound like guys and that they are fierce about the people they love.

So, here are some of my farorite romantic moments in Melina's books.

Fair warning, though, spoilers lay ahead!

(On the) Jellicoe Road

This first quote is one of my favorite parts of the whole book. Taylor is in a mood, the quest she's conducting with Jonah isn't going as planned and they are both at the far end of their patience. And I've always loved the scene because it's so Jonah.

"I'm here because of you. You're my priority. Your happiness, in some fucked way, is tuned into mine. Get that through your thick skull. Would I like it any other way? Hell, yes, but I don't think that will happen in my life time."

Then, a little ahead:

"What are you thinking?" I whisper after a while.
"That you deserve romance," he says.
I trace his face with my fingers. "Let me see. A guy tells me (too spoilery)... and then drives seven hours straight without whingeing once, on a wild-goose chase in search of my mother with absolutely no clue where to start. He is, in all probability, going to get court martialled because of me, has put up with my moodiness all day long, and knows exactly what to order me for breakfast. It doesn't get any more romantic than that, Jonah."
"I'm in year eleven, Taylor. I'm not going to get court-martialed."
"Just say you get expelled?"
"Then so be it. I still would have driven for seven hours and ordered you hot chocolate and white toast and marmalade."

See, I love that it's kind of a "Grand Gesture" moment, but in a completely practical way.

In The Piper's Son, there are two moments that I love.
The first one is all Will and Frankie. I'm going to have to cut it up a little 'cause it's long:

Francesca sits on the bench. Opposite her, with a lot of space between them, and a lot of silence, Will leans on the preparation bench.
“What do you always say about me?” Tom hears him ask.
She’s not answering.
“Frankie?”
“That you used calculus to work out whether we should be together or not,” she says.
“I mean when you’re trying to compliment me.”
“That you’re the smartest guy I know,” she says finally in a flat voice.(...)
“Why would the smartest guy you know do something stupid and lose you?” he asks.
She sighs. “Because smart guys have two brains, Will. One in their head and one in their pants.”
“Yeah, well both my brains are connected and one is always reminding the other of you.”
“I thought we weren’t going to drive each other crazy with this type of stuff, Frankie,” Will says, frustrated.
(...)
“Come here,” she says.
“No, you come here.”
“I said it first.”
“Rock paper scissors.”
“No. Because you’ll do nerdy calculations and work out what I chose the last six times and then you’ll win.”
Will pushes away from the table and his hand snakes out and he pulls her toward him and Tom figures that Will was always going to go to her first.

And this one is all Tara and Tom (It's a scene very near the end, so fair warning)

“I spilt my guts out all over the arrival lounge at Sydney’s domestic airport, Tara. It’s as bloody romantic as you’ll ever get from me. Where are you?”
“At a public phone in arrivals. I’ve run out of credit. I used my reprimanding voice and told my parents and Frankie and Justine that they couldn’t come near me for the next five minutes. I can see the four of them from here. They’re talking about me. They have a look of fear on their face. Even my parents, who created me, are afraid. I see that look on a lot of people’s faces when they see me, Tom. Never yours.”
“I keep it hidden, but it’s there. Believe me, you frighten me to death, but for different reasons.”

Nothing to add, but a happy sigh.


I also got a very soft spot for the romances of the adults. Like Sam and Georgie in Piper's Son. Hannah and Jude in Jellicoe. And, of course, Beatriss and Trevanion - I think I love them most of all.

I don't want to spoil Froi, as it's all too new and in Finnikin they had few scenes together, but the following scene always stuck to me, when Trevanion finds out Beatriss is still alive:

"Her strength, it comes from you," she said quietly.
"What?" The question was like a bark, but she did not shrink back.
"Beatriss."
There was a sharp hiss of breath, and Finnikin found himself in his father's path as Trevanion advanced tosard her furiously. "Beatriss is--"
"Do not speak her name! Do not dare taint her memory," he raged.
Evanjalin did not move. "Sometimes when people sleep they agonize about decisions made. Other times they think back on the past. She spends much time doing both. I do believe it is Beatriss who has worked through the dark magic to find me."
"You lie to taunt me!"
"Enough, Evanjalin," Sir Topher ordered. "Beatriss is dead."
Finnikin felt his father flinch at the words, but Evanjalin held Trevanion's gaze.
"Most nights she is restless. There are too many people to worry about, and she wonders how she will be able to make things right. How can she be someone other than Beatriss the Beautiful or Beatriss the Beloved? But then, just when she's about to lose hope, she remembers what you would whisper to her, Captain Trevanion. That she was Beatriss the Bold. Beatriss the Brave. To all others she was a fragile flower, but you would not let her be."
Finnikin's hand was still against Trevanion's chest; his father's heart was beating out of control.
"She remembers the nights you lay with her when she worried about something happening to you. 'What would I do without you?' she would cry. Do you remember your response, Captain Trevanion? 'What needs to be done, Beatriss."

*Sigh* this scene breaks my heart each and every time.

So, these are some of my favorite scenes of the books, I tried to keep this short but I think that didn't work out so well. But what can you do when you have so much awesome to pick from?

Anyway, what about you? Any favorite scenes?

PS - Sorry for the crappy formatting. Blogger is trying to destroy me