Clean Break

click here for more details, find new or used items

Jacqueline Wilson

Our price £4.49 (£5.99)

New from £1.04

Used from £0.20

Pages: 320 (Paperback)

ISBN: 044086643X

Pub: Corgi Yearling Books

Pub date: 2006-03-02

Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 11354

Editorial Review:

At just over 300 pages, Jacqueline Wilson's new novel Clean Break may be her longest yet, but her ever-increasing legions of fans will never complain. The more words from their favourite author they can get crammed into one book, the better. The country's most-borrowed author is again on familiar ground, with a cast of colourful and needy characters that could live just around the corner. Her ability to reflect modern life, and how ordinary people live it and struggle with it, is unparalleled in contemporary children's fiction.
Clean Break is told from the point of view of Em, or Emerald as she likes to be known, and is about what happens to her mum, gran, and two half-siblings, Maxie and Vita, when the man of the house leaves them for another woman. Her mum's second husband, Frankie, is not her real dad, but he has been Em's dad ever since she can remember and she does not want to let him abandon them all. It's an understandably traumatic departure.
Frankie leaves on Boxing Day morning and Em's mum, Julie, is devastated. They all cling on to the hope that he will soon return to them, but it quickly transpires that he's not coming back and that they're all just going to have to deal with their new circumstances in whatever way they can. Gran just goes on criticising her daughter, which doesn't help, but Em, Maxie and Vita find solace and comfort in their friends and heroes, real and imaginary.
Despite the story's sad themes, Wilson always leaves the reader and her characters with the shoots of new, better beginnings and hope for the future. Like any book, its worth is in the quality of its storytelling, and fortunately this particular author is great at doing just that.

(Age 9 and over) --John McLay

Reader Reviews:

Not her best! (7/13 people found this helpful)

Poor book. Really poor.

Like most of Wilson's books, it's told in first person. Emily wakes up on Christmas morning excited and happy about her presents. We learn how much she loves her dad, even though he isn't her 'real' dad. Younger brother Maxie and younger sister Vita wake up and the magic starts. Only the day ends with the discovery of her dad's affair, and he leaves. Emily, Vita and Maxie see their dad twice after this - once when he takes them to the seaside and once when he takes them to see a parade. After the seaside trip, Emily's mum tells him to leave them alone - she wants a clean break.

The rest of the book is pretty much about what happens to the family next - except that as far as I could see, nothing much DOES happen! That's the main reason I gave this book just the one star - it's boring! The family do go on holiday to Spain and Emily loses some weight after learning how to swim. So what? The book concludes when Emily's nan takes her to meet her favourite author and, coincidentally, bump into Emily's dad. Emily accidentally breaks her arm and he takes her to the hospital. Then ... what happens? It all goes a bit vague and waffly after then. But that's not the only reason I didn't like this book. WIlson's done a bit of marketing before in 'Best Friends' when Alice and Gemma play at being Tracy Beaker. I didn't really like that, but it was such a tiny part of the story it was fine to ignore it. In this, it was so blatant that I actually cringed. Emily's favourite author is 'Jenna Williams' and she describes the plots and characters of the books she likes best, which are blatantly parodies of Wilson's own books. I found this both embarrassing and daft.

So in conclusion, don't waste your time! Non existent plot, poor characters and cringeworthy attempt at boosting sales of books. The one funny part of the book involves Emily seeing a breakfast parade, with men dressed as bacon eggs and sausages, only, as Emily delicately puts it 'the sausage looked like something very rude!' That made me laugh. But the rest? Boring!

Excellent read (3/3 people found this helpful)

Another faboulously detailed and imaginative book by a very talented author. Heart warming story about a brave girl protecting her family.

Clean break (6/7 people found this helpful)

Clean break makes me so sad I feel like crying every time i read it.Jacqueline Wilson is my favourite author and if you like Vicky Angel you will definately like this book.

Em is a girl who loves her step father as if he was her own. Once after Christmas Em wakes up to find her father gone and her mum's heart broken. Did he go out really early for a walk or is this actually a Clean Break?

This book is recommended for people over 10 but if you are under 10 there will be other recomended books that you will definately enjoy

FANTASTIC (4/4 people found this helpful)

This story is about a young family. There is a older sister called Emily she has a brother called Maxie. But her sister Vita is there step sister. Vita has a really cool dad who is married to Emily's mum. Unfortunely one christmas they break up. Emily then tries to get them back together by planning day trips that never go right. Jacqueline Wilson has described in great detail of all the emotions of the characters espically Emily who desperatly wants to get them back together. She tells me so much about the characters i fell they come alive. Because i am a great fan i have read almost all of her books and i think this is one of her best. Iwould defintly recommend this to young teenagers. Does she succeed in getting her family back together? Well you will just have to read the book and find out.

CLEAN BREAK (1/4 people found this helpful)

GREAT EASY TO READ STORY JUST READ AM 11 YEARS I LOVE IT ONCE YOU READ ONE JACQUELINE BOOK YOU WANT THEM ALL. IVE READ ALL. THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST.IN FACT MAYBE THE BEST. YOUR BOOK WORM DAUGHTER WILL LOVE OR IF YOU WANT TO MAKE THEM READ INSTEAD OF TELLY BUY THIS (THEYLL BE ENGROSSED FOR HOURS).IT IS A MUST HAVE TO START OR FINISH A COLLECTION!!!

Similar Products

Candyfloss