Rating: 
Summary: A biased, but honest, review of a favourite book
Review: I should first of all declare my bias: I am Jaclyn's Australian literary agent (she has an American one too now) as well as a fellow author. But having got that out in the open, let me just say that from the moment I first picked up the manuscript of FEELING SORRY FOR CELIA from the pile of unsolicited manuscripts in my office and started to read, I couldn't put it down. Any publisher or agent can tell you how rare it is to find a manuscript that you read in one sitting and then run around the office screaming 'I've found something fantastic!'It's the story of a girl called Elizabeth, her troublesome friend Celia, school, parental relationships and all the difficulties of a teenager's life including first love and long-distance running. It's a very easy and enjoyable read, but not at the expense of the many serious and meaningful undercurrents that wind through it. Elizabeth's story is told completely in letters and notes, from herself, from her mother, and from organisations that exist only in Elizabeth's mind, like 'The Society of People who are Definitely Going to Fail High School (And Most Probably Life as Well)'. FEELING SORRY FOR CELIA is already a #1 bestseller in Australia. It was my favourite manuscript of 1999, and is one of my favourite books of the 21st century. I highly recommend it to you!
Rating:
Summary: Lost in life
Review: This Book was a great book and it was funny and sweet. It's about a teenage girl called Elizabeth Clarry. Life is pretty complicated for Elizabeth Clarry. Her best friend Celia keeps disappearing, she was first worrying about her when she didn't get on the bus one morning. Her absent father that was living in Canada suddenly reappears, and her communication with her mother consists entirely of wacky notes left on the fridge. On top of everything else, because her English teacher wants to rekindle the "Joy of the Envelope," She end's up writing to a Complete and Utter Stranger that ends up knowing more about Elizabeth than anyone else. But Elizabeth is on the verge of some major changes. She may lose her best friend, find a wonderful new friend, kiss the sexiest guy alive, and run in a marathon. So much can happen in the time that it takes to write a letter. No.1 best seller in Australia, this fabulous debut is a funny, touching, revealing story written entirely in the form of letters, messages, postcards - and bizarre missives from imaginary organisations like The Cold Hard Truth Association. Feeling Sorry for Celia captures, with rare acuity, female friendship and the bonding and parting that occurs as we grow. Jaclyn Moriarty's hilariously candid novel shows that the roller coaster ride of being a teenager is every bit as it should be. I thought that this was a very interesting book and after research I was not surprised it was No.1 best seller in Australia.
Rating:
Summary: Clever
Review: Not only does Moriarty capture Elizabeth's teen years beautifully, but she cleverly does so through letters, memos, and notes -- including those she and her mother exchange on the fridge. If you liked this book, try Egg on Three Sticks by Jackie Moyer Fischer. It's another compelling look at the teen years that somehow manages to transcend generations.
Rating: 
Summary: Feeling good about this one...
Review: I finished Feeling Sorry for Celia over the weekend, and I must say what a wonderfully unique book this is! Jaclyn Moriarty has done an excellent job with this one, and I will most definitely be on the lookout for her second book. Told entirely in letters, memos, postcards and faxes, Feeling Sorry for Celia tells the story of teenager Elizabeth Clarry. Elizabeth deals with the typical teen problems, but the main one is her best friend, Celia, who can't seem to stay home for more than a week before running away to far away places. The novel begins with Celia's disappearance once again, and Elizabeth is at a loss who to talk to. So when one of her teachers begins a pen-pal project with another school, Elizabeth finds a new friendship and confidante in Christina. Aside from dealing with friend problems, Elizabeth also finds that her absentee father has caused a little havoc himself. This novel takes readers on a journey through Elizabeth's life that is both funny and heartwarming. But there is a serious side to the story as well...read on to find out.... Interspersed between the real conversations amongst Elizabeth, her friends, mother and father, are letters from fake organizations like The Association of Teenagers, who accuse Elizabeth of not being a real teenager, or The Cold Hard Truth Association, who remind Elizabeth that she is not pretty enough for the boy of her dreams. This is the part that makes this novel unique -- I believe these fake letters reveal a part of Elizabeth's self-consciousness and make this story truly believeable and a joy to read. A quick weekend book, and one adults will love, too.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent; very well written
Review: 'Feeling Sorry for Celia' is now one of my favorite books. It's about a girl, Elizabeth Clarry, who lives in Australia with her mother (her father left when Elizabeth was a baby). Elizabeth is best friends with Celia Buckley, but Celia always runs away from home. Usually, Celia comes back after about a week or so, but this time, she has been gone longer than usual. Elizabeth's communication with her mother is only notes that are left on the refrigerator for each other. Meanwhile, at school, Elizabeth's teacher, Mr. Botherit, assigns 'pen pals' to each person. Elizabeth writes to Christina Kratovac, and soon they develop a friendship through letters. Elizabeth deals with all of these things in her life- her hobby of running and participating in marathons, a best friend who has run away from home, a pen pal with other problems, communicating through notes with her mother, and going out to awkward dinners with her father. Her father also has a family that lives in Canada that Elizabeth has never met, and her father doesn't seem too anxious for her to meet them. I would definitely recommend this book to any teenage girl, I'm sure it won't disappoint you!
Rating:
Summary: Quirky, witty and honest
Review: Jacyln Moriarty's debut novel is a refreshing antidote to the majority of books in the teen fiction genre: bland, patronising tales of lip gloss, spots and kissing techniques. Feeling Sorry For Celia, however, is full of spark and wit. While it never speaks down to its audience, it manages to communicate on the same wavelength, mainly through its charming and convincing heroine. Elizabeth is a shy 15-year-old with a passion for running, an embarrassingly eccentric mum and a best friend (the eponymous Celia) who has a tendency to do unpredictable, spur-of-the-moment things. When Celia runs away from home, Elizabeth attempts to track her down and in doing so, finds her life taking an unexpected turn.
These events are brilliantly chronicled in a series of letters that range from hilarious to poignant, to just plain mad. Meanwhile, we get an insight into Elizabeth's personal insecurities in letters from imaginary societies including The Cold Hard Truth Association, The Association of Teenagers and The Society Of People Who Are Definitely Going To Fail High School (And Most Probably Life As Well!). It is quirky details such as this that make Feeling Sorry For Celia such a uniquely charismatic read.
Another unusual feature of this book is that while it tackles such difficult subjects as suicide and teenage pregnancy with sensitivity, it is neither overtly sentimental nor preachy and does not underestimate its readers' maturity concerning these matters - unlike many novels aimed at teenagers, which make it condescendingly obvious when they are dealing with 'difficult issues'.
Feeling Sorry For Celia is a wryly observed and highly original novel by a talented author whose honest and witty style stands out against the rest of the bubblegum-sweet books on the teenage fiction market.
Rating:
Summary: Hilarious!
Review: This is the funniest book I've read in years. What an imaginative story! Teenagers can be so funny without even trying. I'd rank this right up there with An Egg on Three Sticks by Jackie Fischer.
Rating:
Summary: Funny funny funny!!!
Review: Not just another teen novel....This book made me laugh so hard I kept having to pick it up off the floor. Endearing characters, witty writing, and a clear nothing-is-sacred attitude.... don't miss this one, it's a gem.
Rating:
Summary: Who IS Celia?
Review: This is a well written novel, but I think it should have a different title. Celia is not mentioned much at all. The book is not even from her point-of-view. The cool part about this book though, is that it is written completely in letters and notes. The story is based in Austraila, which means the dialect and the word selection is much different than the ones in America. It's quite easy to understand, besides that. I especially liked this novel because it is so easy to relate to. I would reccomend this book for anyone from sixth grade on up to about eleventh grade. It is a quick and easy read, and it is quite funny, too!
Rating:
Summary: I haven't finished it, but it's wonderful!
Review: I just got this novel today and I only have about 20 pages left to read. It's wonderful!!! I keep thinking the authour has stolen my identity and given it to Elizabeth! The style of writing is fresh and unlike anything I've read before, and the characters and situations are real and often hilarious....Come on, even if Celia is crazy, you have to admit, who doesn't want to run off and join the circus???
This novel is excellent for any and all, and you don't have to worry about it getting dull or fake, because everything is just so believable and heart-wrenching! Read this book!! That's all I can say!
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