- Hardcover: 320 pages
- Publisher: Doubleday Children's Books; 1st edition (3 Mar 2005)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0385608357
- ISBN-13: 978-0385608350
- Product Dimensions: 21.6 x 15.2 x 2.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 230,287 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Clean Break
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More About the Author
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk 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
Review
Praise for Jacqueline Wilson:
" A brilliant author of wit and subtlety."
- "The Times"
" Jacqueline Wilson tackles another delicate subject that is close to many children's hearts."
- "The Bookseller"
" Has a rare gift for writing lightly and amusingly about emotional issues."
- "Bookseller"
" A brilliant author of wit and subtlety."
- "The Times"
" Jacqueline Wilson tackles another delicate subject that is close to many children's hearts."
- "The Bookseller"
" Has a rare gift for writing lightly and amusingly about emotional issues."
- "Bookseller"
"From the Trade Paperback edition."
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
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.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I utterly loved this book because of the description and detail of the feelings of main character,Emily, or Emerald.As with all her novels, Jacqueline Wilson hooked me from beginning to end and I could just not put the book down.I highly recommend this book to girls aged 8 to 16.Go and buy it NOW!!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Clean Break definitely has some likeable aspects about it, and Jacqueline Wilson is a master at really conveying the thoughts and emotions of a child experiencing a parental breakup. I do however think this is one of her poorer attempts, especially in terms of plot and characterisation.
I felt sympathetic towards the character of Emily, who had esteem issues in terms of her weight and how she wasn't the dad's 'real' daughter. This was handled effectively, but for some reason I found the other characters, particularly the mum, to be self-absorbed and at times, aggravating. The gran was the only character I somewhat took to as she was the realist of the family and, however harsh it may seem, gave the family a dose of the truth about the unfaithful father. Additionally... *spoilers coming* after flitting from woman to woman the father returns at long last on Christmas Day and they seemingly live happily ever after. I know this is a children's book and all children's stories should have happy endings, but I felt this was a bit misleading for children who are experiencing divorce or the like for real. 'The Suitcase Kid' was much more realistic in handling such a topic and still managed to do so in a charming and bittersweet manner. It seemed to me the family were prepared to take the father back regardless of his affairs and who was more than likely going to cheat again. This to me made the characters very weak and the overall premise of the book pointless.
Another aspect I disliked, as another reviewer as pointed out, was the whole 'Jenna Williams' thing. I too found it cringeworthy, but maybe it's because I was a teenager when I read this book. There was just something very silly and even somewhat self-centered about it. There was also no real plot; the only climactic moment was Emily meeting her favourite author, spotting the dad in the same shopping centre and breaking her arm, which ultimately brings him back to the family. The main bulk of the book is just the goings-on of the family while the dad is playing away; the mum pining, the two younger children constantly whinging, the gran getting cross and Emily dreaming of the dad's return and writing stories about a reindeer glove puppet. It's nice to read on a rainy day but don't expect anything too stimulating.
Overall I give the book 3 stars, as it does evoke a degree of sympathy, and there are even bits which made me laugh out loud. It has its charming elements and is very Jacqueline Wilson-esque, but as I said earlier, I don't think by any means it is one of her best books.
I felt sympathetic towards the character of Emily, who had esteem issues in terms of her weight and how she wasn't the dad's 'real' daughter. This was handled effectively, but for some reason I found the other characters, particularly the mum, to be self-absorbed and at times, aggravating. The gran was the only character I somewhat took to as she was the realist of the family and, however harsh it may seem, gave the family a dose of the truth about the unfaithful father. Additionally... *spoilers coming* after flitting from woman to woman the father returns at long last on Christmas Day and they seemingly live happily ever after. I know this is a children's book and all children's stories should have happy endings, but I felt this was a bit misleading for children who are experiencing divorce or the like for real. 'The Suitcase Kid' was much more realistic in handling such a topic and still managed to do so in a charming and bittersweet manner. It seemed to me the family were prepared to take the father back regardless of his affairs and who was more than likely going to cheat again. This to me made the characters very weak and the overall premise of the book pointless.
Another aspect I disliked, as another reviewer as pointed out, was the whole 'Jenna Williams' thing. I too found it cringeworthy, but maybe it's because I was a teenager when I read this book. There was just something very silly and even somewhat self-centered about it. There was also no real plot; the only climactic moment was Emily meeting her favourite author, spotting the dad in the same shopping centre and breaking her arm, which ultimately brings him back to the family. The main bulk of the book is just the goings-on of the family while the dad is playing away; the mum pining, the two younger children constantly whinging, the gran getting cross and Emily dreaming of the dad's return and writing stories about a reindeer glove puppet. It's nice to read on a rainy day but don't expect anything too stimulating.
Overall I give the book 3 stars, as it does evoke a degree of sympathy, and there are even bits which made me laugh out loud. It has its charming elements and is very Jacqueline Wilson-esque, but as I said earlier, I don't think by any means it is one of her best books.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Clean Break
This story is about a happy family. There is a older sister called Emily and she has a brother called Maxie and a stepsister Vita. Read more
Published 1 day ago by N.A.C
My Favourite JW Book EVER!!!!!!!!
This is my favourite JW because me and Em are like twins. Apart from our situations, me and Em are twins. Read more
Published 25 days ago by Potterhead
Can't put down read but urealistic
It was a fantastic read, which I couldent put down until midnight. It kept you wanting to read more, I frequently felt sorry for Em it was good how she handled her weight. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Teens Like Reading Too
Writen by an 11 year old Bookworm!
My favourite? All of coarse! I love Jacqueline Wilson! I have all of her books, (nearly!) And Clean Break has gotta be one of the best! My special character has got to be Maxie. Read more
Published 5 months ago by L. Hayden
Will Her Wish Come True?
Em is trying to comfort Vita and Maxie because their mum and dad have broke up. Em likes telling fantasy stories to her brother and sister to cheer them up without showing how she... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Teacher
A young yet avid readers thoughts
Interesting book, the non-existent plot is true though! I think old Jackie ran out of ideas. All she needs is a full well and shell be okay again.
Published 15 months ago
such a good book.
i really did like this book its a great story. j.wilson always makes up such great storys about real life like this one which was a pleasure to read.
Published 17 months ago by terry beer
She's done it again!
As a teacher in a secondary school, I am always on the lookout for good quality fiction texts for my students. Read more
Published on 22 Oct 2009 by Cazbook
Clean Break
'Clean Break' by Jacqueline Wilson, was the first Jacqueline Wilson book i had ever read. The book then got me very interested in Jacqueline Wilson, and now she has ended up being... Read more
Published on 11 Feb 2009
clean break
I thought clean break was an excellent read because it shows children the emotions of their parents splitting up.
The children are Emily, Vita and Maxie. Read more
The children are Emily, Vita and Maxie. Read more
Published on 26 Jan 2009
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