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Leaving Jetty Road
Nat, Lise, and Sofia are best friends. This year, their last year of high school, none of them foresees the changes that will occur in their lives.
This is the year that Nat—the go-between, the peacemaker—gets a job and meets a drop-dead gorgeous chef named Josh.
This is the year that Lise—quiet, shy, and solitary Lise—decides to take control of her life by taking control of her weight.
This is the year that Sofia—the ultimate guy magnet—gets her nose pierced and falls seriously in love for the first time in her life.
This is the year that will change each of them forever.
This is the year that Nat—the go-between, the peacemaker—gets a job and meets a drop-dead gorgeous chef named Josh.
This is the year that Lise—quiet, shy, and solitary Lise—decides to take control of her life by taking control of her weight.
This is the year that Sofia—the ultimate guy magnet—gets her nose pierced and falls seriously in love for the first time in her life.
This is the year that will change each of them forever.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published August 25, 2004
10 people are currently reading
339 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca Burton
3 books4 followersRebecca Burton is the author of three novels, most recently her novella, Ravenous Girls, which won the 20/40 Publishing Prize and is published by Finlay Lloyd Publications. Her two previous books were the young adult novels Leaving Jetty Road and Beyond Evie, both published by HarperCollins Australia and overseas.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
May 29, 2012
I will start off by saying that I LOVE LOVE LOVE that Leaving Jetty Road was set in my hometown of Adelaide, South Australia. Glenelg is a very popular beachside suburb here (I think it's overrated, but that's just me lol), and I could picture it all in my head as I was reading. Burton doesn't go into GREAT detail describing it, but what she does write about the place IS very accurate. Jetty Road is the real main road leading down to the beach and the jetty, and it's lined with shops, ranging from cafes (alas, the Wild Carrot Cafe was imagined by Burton!), craft and clothing stores. There are indeed two tram lines running along the road that take you from the beach right into the heart of Adelaide city.
So yes, what I did love about the book was that it was set in Adelaide and I caught onto a couple of local colloquialisms (there weren't many) like shopping in Rundle Mall, the notorious 40-degree weather we get in summer, the Moreton Bay fig they sit under, a mention of the Italian food chain Fasta Pasta, swotvac*... these all contributed to the book's authenticity for me.
What I thought was strange was that it was only in the POVs of two of the three girls spoken about in the blurb. I kept waiting for a POV of Sofia to come but it never came. However in the end, I accepted that we probably didn't need one as we found out enough about her life through her two friends. The REAL heart of the story came from Nat, and how she perceived herself and those around her, most particularly her mum, and secondly, Lise. Nat experiences her first love, and gets her very first job, and these happenings are balanced nicely by Lise's chapters of her personal body-image issues and insecurities. On top of all this, we have the stresses of Year 12 and exams, and the third (and free-spirited) wheel of the duo - Sofia, who pops up every now and again.
Credit to Burton for creating a realistic portrayal of an eating disorder and anxiety; how it not only effects the person suffering, but their family and friends too. I liked that it wasn't too heavy handed. At times I wanted to dive into the pages and shake Lise until she came to her senses, because the way she saw herself was heart-breaking.
I originally had this pinned down as a 3/5 stars, but now I'm upgrading it to a 4 after writing my review. Mainly because it was a great book, with realistic situations and characters, and a well-rounded, hopeful, positive ending. I can't imagine wanting to read it again in a hurry, but it was an easy read and I loved that it was Australian.
* Swotvac is a term commonly used in Australia to describe the 'revision week', the week before end-of-year exams start. It combines the term SWOT (an acronym for Study WithOut Teachers) and VAC, for Vacation. Most terrifying week of my 17-year-old self back in 2006 :P
So yes, what I did love about the book was that it was set in Adelaide and I caught onto a couple of local colloquialisms (there weren't many) like shopping in Rundle Mall, the notorious 40-degree weather we get in summer, the Moreton Bay fig they sit under, a mention of the Italian food chain Fasta Pasta, swotvac*... these all contributed to the book's authenticity for me.
What I thought was strange was that it was only in the POVs of two of the three girls spoken about in the blurb. I kept waiting for a POV of Sofia to come but it never came. However in the end, I accepted that we probably didn't need one as we found out enough about her life through her two friends. The REAL heart of the story came from Nat, and how she perceived herself and those around her, most particularly her mum, and secondly, Lise. Nat experiences her first love, and gets her very first job, and these happenings are balanced nicely by Lise's chapters of her personal body-image issues and insecurities. On top of all this, we have the stresses of Year 12 and exams, and the third (and free-spirited) wheel of the duo - Sofia, who pops up every now and again.
Credit to Burton for creating a realistic portrayal of an eating disorder and anxiety; how it not only effects the person suffering, but their family and friends too. I liked that it wasn't too heavy handed. At times I wanted to dive into the pages and shake Lise until she came to her senses, because the way she saw herself was heart-breaking.
I originally had this pinned down as a 3/5 stars, but now I'm upgrading it to a 4 after writing my review. Mainly because it was a great book, with realistic situations and characters, and a well-rounded, hopeful, positive ending. I can't imagine wanting to read it again in a hurry, but it was an easy read and I loved that it was Australian.
* Swotvac is a term commonly used in Australia to describe the 'revision week', the week before end-of-year exams start. It combines the term SWOT (an acronym for Study WithOut Teachers) and VAC, for Vacation. Most terrifying week of my 17-year-old self back in 2006 :P
November 6, 2012
Reviewed by Marta Morrison for TeensReadToo.com
Leaving Jetty Road was a good read. I enjoyed the book and the different characters. Nat, the main narrator, is a calm B personality, Lise is the intense, very shy A personality, and Sofia just walks to another drummer.
In their twelfth grade year in Australia they make a New Year's resolution to become vegetarians. This leads the three of them on different life paths. Sofia finds her true love, Nat finds her first love, and, for Lise, being a vegetarian is the magic bullet for weight loss. Unfortunately, that same magic bullet also leads Lise to intense exercise and makes her panic attacks become wickedly more frequent.
I liked the way the author got into the heads of Lise and Nat and gave them a very realistic voice. The reasons that Lise has for becoming anorexic are valid and real. She feels inferior within her family, school, and tight social circle. Nat, going through the throes of first love, made me think of that time in my life as well. The way that the relationships changed throughout the course of the book was amazing and also very realistic. I had to laugh, though, because periodically throughout the book I had to remind myself that the setting is in Australia. Summer heat in December? School beginning in January? Being cold in June? Oh yeah, Australia!
All in all, LEAVING JETTY ROAD is a memorable book and one that I think most girls will identify with.
Leaving Jetty Road was a good read. I enjoyed the book and the different characters. Nat, the main narrator, is a calm B personality, Lise is the intense, very shy A personality, and Sofia just walks to another drummer.
In their twelfth grade year in Australia they make a New Year's resolution to become vegetarians. This leads the three of them on different life paths. Sofia finds her true love, Nat finds her first love, and, for Lise, being a vegetarian is the magic bullet for weight loss. Unfortunately, that same magic bullet also leads Lise to intense exercise and makes her panic attacks become wickedly more frequent.
I liked the way the author got into the heads of Lise and Nat and gave them a very realistic voice. The reasons that Lise has for becoming anorexic are valid and real. She feels inferior within her family, school, and tight social circle. Nat, going through the throes of first love, made me think of that time in my life as well. The way that the relationships changed throughout the course of the book was amazing and also very realistic. I had to laugh, though, because periodically throughout the book I had to remind myself that the setting is in Australia. Summer heat in December? School beginning in January? Being cold in June? Oh yeah, Australia!
All in all, LEAVING JETTY ROAD is a memorable book and one that I think most girls will identify with.
July 31, 2021
Trigger warnings: eating disorder, mental health, anxiety, slut shaming.
This was highly recommended by an English teacher at work last year (who has since left the school, I should add) to the point where she put it on a recommended reading list for her students. And so we ordered a copy of it and I figured I should read it and wow I wish I hadn't because this was a mess.
Nat and Sofia's stories were, like, fine, I guess? Lise's story was...yeah. No. A mess. Let's start with the fact that at the beginning of the story she's referred to as "curvy", "big-hipped" and "chunky". We're also told that she's an Australian size 12. Oh and also she weighs FIFTY FIVE KILOS???? (121lbs) Her anorexia starts, as was the case with my cousin as a teenager, with vegetarianism and then veganism. She starts running every morning. People compliment her on how good she looks now that she's not a chunky 55kg. She's thrilled when she gets to 45kg (100lbs) because she finally weighs less than Sofia, who's super hot and all the boys love her. And yet NO ONE - including her doctor father - has been like "Uhhhhhhhh girl".
By the time my cousin reached 45kg, she had been hospitalised MULTIPLE times. And she definitely wasn't "chunky" when she started out. She was cox of her school rowing team. So it just felt like everyone in Lise's life just kind of didn't give a shit about her. And then in the end, her recovery is all very simple and easy and I call bullshit.
Look, I liked that this was set in Adelaide because there are very few books set in South Australia. But this honestly felt like it was trying to be Queen Kat, Carmel and St Jude Get a Life and instead it was just aggressively not good.
This was highly recommended by an English teacher at work last year (who has since left the school, I should add) to the point where she put it on a recommended reading list for her students. And so we ordered a copy of it and I figured I should read it and wow I wish I hadn't because this was a mess.
Nat and Sofia's stories were, like, fine, I guess? Lise's story was...yeah. No. A mess. Let's start with the fact that at the beginning of the story she's referred to as "curvy", "big-hipped" and "chunky". We're also told that she's an Australian size 12. Oh and also she weighs FIFTY FIVE KILOS???? (121lbs) Her anorexia starts, as was the case with my cousin as a teenager, with vegetarianism and then veganism. She starts running every morning. People compliment her on how good she looks now that she's not a chunky 55kg. She's thrilled when she gets to 45kg (100lbs) because she finally weighs less than Sofia, who's super hot and all the boys love her. And yet NO ONE - including her doctor father - has been like "Uhhhhhhhh girl".
By the time my cousin reached 45kg, she had been hospitalised MULTIPLE times. And she definitely wasn't "chunky" when she started out. She was cox of her school rowing team. So it just felt like everyone in Lise's life just kind of didn't give a shit about her. And then in the end, her recovery is all very simple and easy and I call bullshit.
Look, I liked that this was set in Adelaide because there are very few books set in South Australia. But this honestly felt like it was trying to be Queen Kat, Carmel and St Jude Get a Life and instead it was just aggressively not good.
March 7, 2025
read as a teen, came back for the nostalgia 🫶
July 11, 2008
Lise, Nat and Sofia are three girls in high school in Australia who make a New Year's resolution to become vegetarian. Lise takes it too far and becomes anorexic. The other girls go about their somewhat normal lives. It's told from Nat and Lise's perspectives in alternating sections. The book works because you see Lise both from Nat's perspective but you get the added benefit of being inside her head once in awhile. Though I didn't love the book, it's still a good portrayal of a frighteningly common disease.
December 31, 2008
Wow. This is again, more of a girl book. (Ehhmm Josh) xP
Anyways, this book is rrreeeeallllyyyy good. It's SO detailed and the amount of friendship and love in it...wow...it's just REALLY aamaazing. I think that all the girls should read this book 'cause it'll teach you a lot of important things in life. It's really touching and really detailed and when you read Leaving Jetty Road, it's like your IN the book. It's like you can SEE everything and FEEL everything that the characters are seeing and going through. So seriously. READ THIS BOOK! :)
Anyways, this book is rrreeeeallllyyyy good. It's SO detailed and the amount of friendship and love in it...wow...it's just REALLY aamaazing. I think that all the girls should read this book 'cause it'll teach you a lot of important things in life. It's really touching and really detailed and when you read Leaving Jetty Road, it's like your IN the book. It's like you can SEE everything and FEEL everything that the characters are seeing and going through. So seriously. READ THIS BOOK! :)
August 15, 2010
Not bad, although I think the book takes a rather simplistic view of the characters' problems. I wish the author had delved deeper - not that I want the characters to suffer more, per se, but I felt that she didn't do more than scratch the surface.
December 28, 2018
If you have lived in Adelaide and know Glenelg, you will relate to this book. Being in Yr 12 at a girls' private school with the future ahead of you, choices you make have an impact not only on yourself but those close to you too. Value your friendships. Old friends are like diamonds most precious and rare. False friends are like autumn leaves found everywhere.
Read
August 1, 2021
Trigger & Content Warnings
Slut shaming
Eating disorder
Disordered eating & exercise
Weight loss discussed
Slut shaming
Eating disorder
Disordered eating & exercise
Weight loss discussed
March 1, 2013
2.5 Stars.
Starting Year 12 at their high school, best friends Nat, Lise, and Sofe are all hoping to get good grades and maybe even fall in love.
Nat gets a job at a local cafe and meets Josh, the drop dead gorgeous chef. They have an instant connectionlustiness and Nat is swimming in happiness.
Lise, on the other hand, is busy being torn apart by her own mind. She wants to lose weight desperately and it soon becomes an obsession. Normally chubby Lise is now getting compliments on how lean and fit she's looking. But the compliments quickly turn to wary amazement, and even worry, on how she's eating...or lack of eating.
Not much to say on this one. I couldn't stand one of the narrators, Nat, and her 'you know?' and 'totally' talk. Plus she was a selfish bitch.
Nat blames her other for not helping Lise when her issues were becoming apparent, when she herself didn't give two shits on how her best friend for years was doing all because of her hot new beau. And then she expects sympathy after she breaks up with Josh and wanting things to be 'more simple like they used to be'.
Lise infuriated me as well with her "I'm not thin enough!" and "I don't look any different, even though I'm 90 pounds." mindset but I pitied and felt for her because I know that's what anorexic girls think. It's all psychological, and you just have to tell someone about it.
Sofia was really this book's saving grace, surprisingly. She was the only girl I liked, and slightly envied for her freedom.
Starting Year 12 at their high school, best friends Nat, Lise, and Sofe are all hoping to get good grades and maybe even fall in love.
Nat gets a job at a local cafe and meets Josh, the drop dead gorgeous chef. They have an instant connection
Lise, on the other hand, is busy being torn apart by her own mind. She wants to lose weight desperately and it soon becomes an obsession. Normally chubby Lise is now getting compliments on how lean and fit she's looking. But the compliments quickly turn to wary amazement, and even worry, on how she's eating...or lack of eating.
Not much to say on this one. I couldn't stand one of the narrators, Nat, and her 'you know?' and 'totally' talk. Plus she was a selfish bitch.
Nat blames her other for not helping Lise when her issues were becoming apparent, when she herself didn't give two shits on how her best friend for years was doing all because of her hot new beau. And then she expects sympathy after she breaks up with Josh and wanting things to be 'more simple like they used to be'.
Lise infuriated me as well with her "I'm not thin enough!" and "I don't look any different, even though I'm 90 pounds." mindset but I pitied and felt for her because I know that's what anorexic girls think. It's all psychological, and you just have to tell someone about it.
Sofia was really this book's saving grace, surprisingly. She was the only girl I liked, and slightly envied for her freedom.
September 7, 2014
The first thing I have to say is that the title should be printed in a different font, because for the longest time I called this book, Leaving Jelly Road, because I couldn't tell the difference. But aside from that, its a very good read.
The only interesting story line in this book is the story line about the girl with the eating disorder. (I haven't read it in a while so I forgot names) The other girls are very minor characters with forgettable stories and personalities. The girl with he eating disorder was however very impactful, and basically carried the whole story. My heart went with her through every trial she faced, and I'll completely honest, at times I skipped over a few pages from the other characters points of view to get to her story.
For any young teen girl this is a good read to get insight on the real world and what it means to grow up and leave things behind. The characters are realatable, however forgettable they are, and I enjoyed reading this as a beach read during my free time a few summers ago.
The only interesting story line in this book is the story line about the girl with the eating disorder. (I haven't read it in a while so I forgot names) The other girls are very minor characters with forgettable stories and personalities. The girl with he eating disorder was however very impactful, and basically carried the whole story. My heart went with her through every trial she faced, and I'll completely honest, at times I skipped over a few pages from the other characters points of view to get to her story.
For any young teen girl this is a good read to get insight on the real world and what it means to grow up and leave things behind. The characters are realatable, however forgettable they are, and I enjoyed reading this as a beach read during my free time a few summers ago.
January 26, 2016
Nat, Lise, and Sofia are best friends. This year, their last year of high school, none of them foresees the changes that will occur in their lives. This is the year that Nat—the go-between, the peacemaker—gets a job and meets a drop-dead gorgeous chef named Josh. She forms a relationship with him and is devastated when she discovers that he has taken up with his ex-girlfirend whilst she studies for her final exams in SWAC Vac.
This is the year that Lise—quiet, shy, and solitary Lise—decides to take control of her life by taking control of her weight. Her mental health steadily declines and she suffers several panic attacks - which she fails to realise what they are. In the midst of one of her first Year 12 exams, she suffers a panic attack and runs out from the room. This then leads her to receiving help and she is hospitalized. This is the year that Sofia—the ultimate guy magnet—gets her nose pierced and falls seriously in love for the first time in her life. This is the year that will change each of them forever.
This is the year that Lise—quiet, shy, and solitary Lise—decides to take control of her life by taking control of her weight. Her mental health steadily declines and she suffers several panic attacks - which she fails to realise what they are. In the midst of one of her first Year 12 exams, she suffers a panic attack and runs out from the room. This then leads her to receiving help and she is hospitalized. This is the year that Sofia—the ultimate guy magnet—gets her nose pierced and falls seriously in love for the first time in her life. This is the year that will change each of them forever.
June 2, 2012
The premise of Leaving Jetty Road is a wonderful one.
A lot of people have stated in their reviews that this book is plot-less, and in a way, that’s true. It’s basically the lives of three girls as they uncover their true-selves. So really, there’s no main “plot.”
But I loved the lives of Nat, Soph and Lise. Especially Lise, who I think is one of the best female characters I’ve come across in a long time. I can also connect with her.
However, I found Nat and Soph’s story kind of paled in comparison to Lise’s. Sure, theirs were interesting and kept me turning pages, but could’ve been made a little more important. Then again, I guess that’s the whole charm of this story: it’s realistic. Not everybody’s going to have problems as major as Lise.
It’s a great book, but I don’t think it’s worth anything more than 4 stars. There’s just something preventing me from giving it more.
A lot of people have stated in their reviews that this book is plot-less, and in a way, that’s true. It’s basically the lives of three girls as they uncover their true-selves. So really, there’s no main “plot.”
But I loved the lives of Nat, Soph and Lise. Especially Lise, who I think is one of the best female characters I’ve come across in a long time. I can also connect with her.
However, I found Nat and Soph’s story kind of paled in comparison to Lise’s. Sure, theirs were interesting and kept me turning pages, but could’ve been made a little more important. Then again, I guess that’s the whole charm of this story: it’s realistic. Not everybody’s going to have problems as major as Lise.
It’s a great book, but I don’t think it’s worth anything more than 4 stars. There’s just something preventing me from giving it more.
November 12, 2010
LEAVING JETTY ROAD by Rebecca Burton
There's not really much to say about this book. It was pretty boring, not much happened, there wasn't really anything for me to care about or keep me truly interested. It wasn't a complete waste of time, but I would have rather spent the time on another book if I could've predicted the flatness of this book. It was a pretty dull read; I don't recommended this one.
"There's only so much misery you can allow yourself before some little stubborn part of you bounces back in rebellion."
Overall Opinion: C
Full review on my blog. :)
~Kayla
My Blog
Leaving Jetty Road Review
There's not really much to say about this book. It was pretty boring, not much happened, there wasn't really anything for me to care about or keep me truly interested. It wasn't a complete waste of time, but I would have rather spent the time on another book if I could've predicted the flatness of this book. It was a pretty dull read; I don't recommended this one.
"There's only so much misery you can allow yourself before some little stubborn part of you bounces back in rebellion."
Overall Opinion: C
Full review on my blog. :)
~Kayla
My Blog
Leaving Jetty Road Review
July 23, 2016
This book by Rebecca Burton is a coming-of-age story about three teenage girls who are very determined to look for a better change on themselves.
Leaving Jetty Road narrates the challenges on love, friendship, health and school that the three best friends encounter in their lives. The aspect of an eating disorder, anorexia nervosa is included in the story which happens to one of the girls in the book.
Leaving Jetty Road narrates the challenges on love, friendship, health and school that the three best friends encounter in their lives. The aspect of an eating disorder, anorexia nervosa is included in the story which happens to one of the girls in the book.
July 20, 2012
Third wheel Sofie was pretty irrelevant, but I latched right onto what I saw of myself in Lise pulling away from her best friend as said friend gets wrapped up in a boy, and drowning in her anxiety ("The Fear" - oh how I recognized that, only here it was amplified even further). The anorexia on top of that, another of my favorite YA trends, was just icing. Surprise hit!
September 6, 2014
Something that bugged me so much I nearly put the book down: italicising odd works. Like Chandler from Friends, but not funny.
I overall found the book just okay. I've read it twice and it didn't get any better. I found Lise to be quite unrealistic and the other two weren't likeable. That said, parts of the story were good.
I overall found the book just okay. I've read it twice and it didn't get any better. I found Lise to be quite unrealistic and the other two weren't likeable. That said, parts of the story were good.
June 2, 2016
It takes place in Australia.
3 teen girls are fast friends and it's about their life as friends and also in their alone time.
one suffers from an eating disorder and the others either do not know or are afraid to approach her about it. They stay friends through prom, graduation, and life in general.
3 teen girls are fast friends and it's about their life as friends and also in their alone time.
one suffers from an eating disorder and the others either do not know or are afraid to approach her about it. They stay friends through prom, graduation, and life in general.
August 9, 2012
Just beautiful. Heavy, but fascinating and realistic at the same time. This book completely drew me in, and I can't even point out why.
The mood of the narration reminded me of Melina Marchetta's. What is it with these Aussie YA?
The mood of the narration reminded me of Melina Marchetta's. What is it with these Aussie YA?
July 20, 2016
I like how the novel is told back and forth between two characters, and how the eating disorder doesn't completely overwhelm the plot. Also, at the end of the book, a doctor has provided some information and statistics about eating disorders as well as warning signs and resources.
November 18, 2008
now leaving jetty road is a great book that anyone can enjoy. its about friendship, honesty, and love. read it!!! it's good.
February 5, 2009
This book was really good. I cried at the last half of the book. I would recomend it to anyone.
Read
July 22, 2009Read July 20 and 21
January 27, 2013
Re-read.
September 5, 2012
Great Aussie fiction.
Here's my review:
http://ldt9.wordpress.com/2012/09/05/...
Here's my review:
http://ldt9.wordpress.com/2012/09/05/...
January 1, 2013
3.5 stars.
August 21, 2009
This book was amazing!
Want to read
May 14, 2013$5 at AllBooks4Less (Australia) right now! ;)
April 22, 2017
I really liked the book. I liked the first person accounts from the two main characters. I really dug into who people really feel and what those around you think you are feeling. Great book about how hard it it to make life decisions.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews