The Piper's Son

by Melina Marchetta

Other authors: See the other authors section.

Series: Salvation (2)

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518	40	47,065	(4.03)	18
Young Adult Fiction. Young Adult Literature. HTML: The award-winning author of Finnikin of the Rock and Jellicoe Road pens a raw, compelling novel about a family's hard-won healing on the other side of trauma. (Age 14 and up) Award-winning author Melina Marchetta reopens the story of the group of friends from her acclaimed novel Saving Francesca - but five years have passed, and now it's Thomas Mackee who needs saving. After his favorite uncle was blown to bits on his way to work in a foreign city, Tom watched his family implode. He quit school and turned his back on his music and everyone that mattered, including the girl he can't forget. Shooting for oblivion, he's hit rock bottom, forced to live with his single, pregnant aunt, work at the Union pub with his former friends, and reckon with his grieving, alcoholic father. Tom's in no shape to mend what's broken. But what if no one else is either? An unflinching look at family, forgiveness, and the fierce inner workings of love and friendship, The Piper's Son redefines what it means to go home again. .… (more)

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Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta (gilmore)
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Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta (gilmore)
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On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta (Cailiosa)

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Australian Women's Writing 2003 - 2014 (22)

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Quick Word: Melina Marchetta writes novels that punch you in the gut, leave your heart aching and you mind opened wide. Recommended. (

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TashaBookStuff | Jan 13, 2024 |

Let’s face it – I'm not going to finish this weird book. I’m totally confused: I pretty much loved [a:Marchetta's|47104|Melina Marchetta|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1277655889p2/47104.jpg] earlier novel “[b:Saving Francesca|82434|Saving Francesca|Melina Marchetta|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327865374l/82434._SY75_.jpg|18042740]”. It was one of the best books I’ve read 2019 so far.

Thus, I expected to love “The Piper’s Son” as well but I never got into this book. Somehow, the entire book with its plethora of characters and jumps in time falls flat for me.

What I’m taking away for myself is this: Just as in music there are one-hit wonders in literature as well. To me, it seems like Marchetta is one of those – she wrote one amazing book in which she told the one great story she had to share with all of us and for that I’m grateful.

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philantrop | Oct 21, 2019 |

Let’s face it – I'm not going to finish this weird book. I’m totally confused: I pretty much loved Marchetta’s earlier novel “Saving Francesca”. It was one of the best books I’ve read 2019 so far.

Thus, I expected to love “The Piper’s Son” as well but I never got into this book. Somehow, the entire book with its plethora of characters and jumps in time falls flat for me.

What I’m taking away for myself is this: Just as in music there are one-hit wonders in literature as well. To me, it seems like Marchetta is one of those – she wrote one amazing book in which she told the one great story she had to share with all of us and for that I’m grateful. (

)

philantrop | Jul 14, 2019 |

The beautiful characters I've come to expect from Melina Marchetta. (

)

devilish2 | Apr 4, 2018 |

PopSugar '15 #29--A book set somewhere you've always wanted to visit (Australia)
First read in 2013 Love Marchetta's book. (

)

VanChocStrawberry | Apr 2, 2018 |

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Author name	Role	Type of author	Work?	Status
Marchetta, Melina	—	primary author	all editions	confirmed
Finney, Michael	Narrator	secondary author	some editions	confirmed

▾Series and work relationships

Belongs to Series

Salvation (2)

▾Awards and Honors

Awards

CBCA Book of the Year (Notable Book – Older Readers – 2011)

Miles Franklin Literary Award (Longlist – 2011)

New South Wales Premier's Literary Award (Shortlist – Ethel Turner Prize – 2011)

Prime Minister's Literary Award (Shortlist – Young Adult Fiction – 2011)

Queensland Literary Awards (Finalist – Young Adult – 2010)

Notable Lists

The Best Children's Books of the Year (Fourteen and Older – 2012)

Best Fiction for Young Adults (Selection – 2012)

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▾Common Knowledge

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Canonical title

The Piper's Son

Original title

Alternative titles

Original publication date

2010

People/Characters

Thomas Mackee

Tara Finke

Francesca Spinelli (Frankie)

Important places

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Queensland, Australia

Same, Timor

(show all 6 items)

Important events

London Tube Attacks

Related movies

Epigraph

Dedication

For my dad, Antonino, whose dream it is to have his children and grandchildren living under his roof, and for my mum, Adelina, who'd love us to live next door. This could be as close as it gets.

And in memory of Morgan J. Hill, who loved Joe Satriani.

First words

The string slices into the skin of his fingers and no matter how tough the calluses, it tears.

Quotations

Last words

(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)

Disambiguation notice

Publisher's editors

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Original language

Canonical DDC/MDS

Canonical LCC

▾References

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Wikipedia in English

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▾Book descriptions

Young Adult Fiction. Young Adult Literature. HTML:

The award-winning author of Finnikin of the Rock and Jellicoe Road pens a raw, compelling novel about a family's hard-won healing on the other side of trauma.
(Age 14 and up)

Award-winning author Melina Marchetta reopens the story of the group of friends from her acclaimed novel Saving Francesca - but five years have passed, and now it's Thomas Mackee who needs saving. After his favorite uncle was blown to bits on his way to work in a foreign city, Tom watched his family implode. He quit school and turned his back on his music and everyone that mattered, including the girl he can't forget. Shooting for oblivion, he's hit rock bottom, forced to live with his single, pregnant aunt, work at the Union pub with his former friends, and reckon with his grieving, alcoholic father. Tom's in no shape to mend what's broken. But what if no one else is either? An unflinching look at family, forgiveness, and the fierce inner workings of love and friendship, The Piper's Son redefines what it means to go home again.

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▾LibraryThing members' description

Book description

Melina Marchetta's brilliant, heart-wrenching new novel takes up the story of the group of friends from her best-selling, much-loved book Saving Francesca - only this time it's five years later and Thomas Mackee is the one who needs saving.
Thomas Mackee wants oblivion. Wants to forget parents who leave and friends he used to care about and a string of one-night stands, and favourite uncles being blown to smithereens on their way to work on the other side of the world.
But when his flatmates turn him out of the house, Tom moves in with his single, pregnant aunt, Georgie. And starts working at the Union pub with his former friends. And winds up living with his grieving father again. And remembers how he abandoned Tara Finke two years ago, after his uncle's death.
And in a year when everything's broken, Tom realises that his family and friends need him to help put the pieces back together as much as he needs them.

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