Clean Break is a novel by Jacqueline Wilson, originally published in 2005, revolving around a young girl called Emily, otherwise known as Em, dealing with her step-father's affair and eventual abandonment of his family to be with his affair partner.
Tropes:
- Affectionate Nickname: Frankie's for Emily is Emerald. The rest of the family call her Em.
- Ambiguous Ending: Em, her mother, brother and sister run downstairs after hearing someone pretending to be Father Christmas, heavily implying that her stepfather Frankie has returned, and with Em stating it will be "the best Christmas ever".
- Anger Born of Worry: Ellen worries for Julie's physical and emotional state and hates Frankie for leaving her in so much financial trouble. Unfortunately in his absence she directs her frustration at Julie and the children, browbeating her daughter for crying and reacting with No Sympathy to their upset, which does little to improve the situation.
- Animal Motifs: Em is often likened to a hippopotamus, with her stocky frame, and the fact that bullies in school refer to her as "The Hippo". She also likens herself to a whale once or twice.
- Em also states that Sarah, Frankie's girlfriend, likens her and her siblings to stray dogs.
- Big Eater: Em.
- Boyish Short Hair: Sarah has black stubble.
- Bully Magnet: Em is made fun of at school for being fat while Maxie is taunted for being 'girly' and easily frightened.
- Cigarette of Anxiety: Julie briefly takes up smoking again after Frankie leaves.
- Companion Cube: Vita, Em's younger sister, gets a toy reindeer called Dancer for Christmas, which she carries around like a comfort blanket. Em herself finds and provides great comfort in animating the puppet like a real person with its own personality throughout the book.
- Crappy Holidays: Frankie leaves Julie at Christmas, after getting caught on the phone with Sarah. Christmas Day is spent with he and Julie having an unholy row then making an attempt to pretend normalcy for the children's sake, followed by Frankie walking out the next day.
- Deadpan Snarker: Sarah, Frankie's girlfriend.
- Em's friend, Yvonne, also qualifies.
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Diagnosed by the Audience: Em's younger brother Maxie displays a number of traits associated with autism, e.g. his sensory issues around food and clothes, and refusal to sleep in a bed. - Dissapeared Dad: Frankie leaving the family for another woman kicks off the story. After a few infrequent visits, he cuts contact with the family entirely and doesn't reappear again until late into the story.
- Domestic Abuse: Em's biological father, Barry, was violent to her mother, but because Em was only very young when they left, she doesn't really remember him. When she runs into him at a fairground, it appears he is a much better father to two toddler sons.
- Double-Meaning Title: Refers to both Julie's insistence on a "clean break" with Frankie for the sake of the children; and Em breaking her arm, which ultimately brings Frankie back into their lives.
- Establishing Character Moment: One for each of the kids on Christmas morning. Em keeps her siblings from waking their parents early by telling them a story; Maxie refuses to sleep in a proper bed and is easily distressed; Vita teases him by pretending all the presents are for her and enjoys her favourite story of a flattering version of her called Princess Vita.
- Expy: Jenna Williams, Em's favourite author, is a paper-thin parody of Jacqueline Wilson, all the way down to her physical appearance.
- Fiery Red Head: Em's friend Yvonne has a sharp tongue and isn't afraid to speak her mind.
- Generation Xerox: It's implied Gran's husband, Julie's father, also walked out on her, which is why she's so bitter about Julie's former partners.
- Good Parents: Julie, Em's mother, is kind and loving, despite the struggles the family are facing.
- Em's grandmother, Ellen, also qualifies as this to Julie; while she can be short-tempered, her family's wellbeing is paramount to her.
- Good Stepmother: A male version. Frankie loves Em, even though he isn't actually her biological father.
- Grew a Spine: Julie starts out as a Love Martyr, devastated by Frankie's breakup and still wanting him back despite him leaving her for another woman. By the end of the book she seems to have accepted that Love Cannot Overcome and decides against getting back into a relationship.
- Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: Em and Julie both qualify.
- Huge Guy, Tiny Girl: Em's biological father Barry is a towering, obese man who dwarfs both his ex and current wife.
- Frankie is also much taller than Sarah, who has a thin, waifish frame.
- Important Haircut: Frankie has had one by the end of the book after his new girlfriend keeps nagging him about it.
- Jerkass: Sarah is a rude, snarky woman who doesn't even try to interact with her stepchildren, and puts them down.
- Jerkass Has a Point: While Ellen does come off as rude towards Frankie, she isn't wrong in stating that he does flake on the children. She also harshly derides Julie for wanting to take Frankie back, pointing out how badly he's treated her.
- Malicious Misnaming: Sarah calls Vita "Em".
- May–December Romance: Em's grandmother Ellen falls in love with a widower fives years younger than her during a holiday to Spain.
- Parents as People: Frankie. He's an imaginative, patient and doting father that loves all his kids dearly but is unable to face up to the distress he's caused the family and ends up running away from the problem altogether by cutting ties with them. He's also unable provide any financial support, leaving Julie to work off the bills in his stead.
- Raven Hair, Ivory Skin: Em's friend Jenny is described as having very pale skin and long black hair.
- Frankie also qualifies and presumably so does Maxie, who is described as looking a lot like Frankie.
- Recovered Alcoholic: A throwaway line from Em's biological father about being off the drink suggests he is a former alcoholic.
- Shared Universe: Em's favourite author, Jenna Williams, reappears in other books by Wilson. Em is also a fan of Casper Dream, a character from Midnight.
- Smoking Is Not Cool: Sarah is a chainsmoker, and Vita calls her out on it. Julie used to be a heavy smoker but gave it up when she met Frankie.
- The Storyteller: Em often makes up stories for Vita and Maxie, later writing them down in a book. Frankie is also very good at making up stories which the children love.
- Struggling Single Mother: Julie works herself to exhaustion trying to pay the bills with no help from Frankie.
- Sympathetic P.O.V.: Em and her half-siblings adore Frankie (Em's stepfather) but it can't be denied he cheated on their mother, took them out of school to an unknown location without telling anyone and then all but disappears from their lives for the rest of the year. Justified as they are children and don't fully comprehend the situation. All they want is for Dad to come back.
- Those Two Girls: Jenny and Yvonne.
- Took a Level in Kindness: Ellen after getting in a relationship with Eddie.
- Wanted a Gender-Conforming Grandchild: Ellen disapproves of Maxie trying on his mother's shoes and wanting to put on lipstick with his sisters; and complains that this is inappropriate behaviour for a boy.
- Weight Woe: Em feels very self-conscious about her weight, not helped by the kids at school bullying her for it and her gran wanting her to be on a diet. She appears to have lost some weight by the end of the book.
- Your Cheating Heart: Frankie was seeing Sarah behind Julie's back for six months. Nor does it appear to be the first time he's had an affair.
- You're Not My Father: When Em's biological father Barry suggests he wants a relationship with her, she declines, saying she already has a dad (Frankie.)
