Description
Looking for Alibrandi meets Arrested Development in this YA screwball comedy about a student exchange gone hilariously, criminally wrong.
Maria Petranelli will do anything to get away from her overbearing Italian-Australian family. She’s over their constant heckling about getting a boyfriend, their unspoken belief that she’s not normal, and their loudly spoken belief that she’s incapable of doing, well, anything. So when her family declares she ‘couldn’t handle living in Italy’, Maria immediately signs up to go there on student exchange. What could possibly go wrong? Well, everything …
Despite months of mental preparation for every possible scenario, Maria is out of her depth in Italy. She struggles with the language, immediately gets scammed, and is bewildered by her growing attraction to Kennedy, thesweet-but-hopeless American exchange student who is determined to be her friend … if only Maria would let her.
When the two girls accidentally witness a crime, Maria discovers just what she can and can’t handle. Being kidnapped in the boot of a car and driven off into the Italian countryside? Maybe. But working out her feelings for Kennedy before it’s too late?
Maria Petranelli is prepared for anything … except this.
Review
Maria Petranelli is sixteen and has never had a boyfriend, a fact that is ridiculed by her large and controlling Italian-Australian family. Sure, she is quiet, but she is a bit fed up with being thought of as “poor Maria”.
So in the heat of another large family gathering Maria declares that is going to go on an exchange program to Italy. She doesn’t even speak Italian, despite her background, and so this idea is also ridiculed by her entire family. But Maria will show them! First she is off to Rome, for a one month intensive language school course. She doesn't even get on the right bus, and so her mishap adventure begins...
An American girl called Kennedy tries to befriend her, but Maria is wary of friendships and doesn’t trust other people. But then she is scammed, witnesses a double murder, gets locked in the boot of a car, is mistaken for a crime bosses’ daughter and gets held for ransom.
Ultimately, the girls are caught between two warring criminal gangs, are tricked by crooked police, but are also helped by some wonderful people along the way.
One helper recognises the feelings that the girls are obviously developing for each other, and encourages Maria to own up to her feelings before this adventure is over and she never sees Kennedy again. Will they survive and, more poignantly, will they actually do something about their feelings?
This is an hilarious look at a stubborn girl who is totally out of her depth, who gets into ridiculous situations, but is big hearted and has a highly engaging voice, and you just want something to eventually go right for her. You can’t help but loving Maria and her naivety. With themes of challenging yourself, pursuing your dreams, growing up and accepting your own sexuality, this is a big-hearted, easy to read and sometimes unbelievable novel that will best suit readers in lower and middle secondary.
