This sequel to Catch Me Once, Catch Me Twice continues the story of Evelyn McCallum, now 15, in St. John’s, Newfoundland, awaiting the end of the Second World War and her father’s return from North Africa. In a very short time span, as the title indicates, Ev suffers a series of psychological blows. Her father’s death is confirmed in a way that ravages her spirit even more (he had previously been declared “missing in action”); her mother’s burgeoning friendship with a local doctor infuriates her; through a temper tantrum she causes a serious illness to her beloved young brother; her friendship with Peter, a friend of three years, is threatened; she acquires a boyfriend whom she rather quickly rejects; and she has to decide about writing a scholarship exam that will likely set her on the way to becoming an engineer like her father even though she would rather be a doctor. Among these major problems are an assortment of minor ones. Like most writers of young adult fiction, the author gives her protagonist the moral and intellectual strength to face and overcome her difficulties. She also provides Ev with kindly adults who take an interest in her – her grandfather, an elderly midwife, and a philosophical boat builder.
It is almost axiomatic that sequels in the area of realistic fiction rarely have the freshness of the first book. (L.M. Montgomery’s later Anne books, where the protagonist grows up and loses the charm of childhood, are proof of that.) However, Make or Break Spring is marked by a vigorous quality due to the emotional tension inherent in Ev’s problems. The St. John’s background is as vital as in the first book, with some end-of-war scenes in the city. The writing is clear and straightforward with only slight nuances of Newfoundland local speech. One memorable picture that lingers in the mind is that of two young teenagers who find an excitement in learning – a rarity in young adult novels.
Make or Break Spring