Spring Term

The Marlows #11

by Sally Hayward

Spring Term is set at Kingscote School in the months following Run Away Home. To Lawrie’s delight one of the events planned for an end of term Open Day will enable her to act, but she is bitterly disappointed at Miss Keith’s choice of play. Meanwhile Nicola’s singing ability is throwing her reluctantly into the limelight, and an exchange of letters between herself and Patrick, whose friendship might be developing into something more, causes more problems for Ginty than anyone could ever have imagined.

Genres: School Stories, Childrens

283 pages, Paperback

First published October 31, 2011

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picking up shortly after the events of Run Away Home , the tenth and final entry in Antonia Forest's series of children's novels about the school and holiday adventures of the Marlow family, published from 1948 through 1982, this recent continuation by Sally Hayward is that rarest of things in the literary world: a sequel written by another author that feels as if it came from the same pen as the originals. Following the younger four Marlow sisters - Ann, Ginty, Nick and Lawrie - as they return to Kingscote School, Spring Term builds upon a number of incidents and themes to be found in the earlier Forest books, from Nicola's uncultivated singing ability and Lawrie's devotion to the craft of acting, to Ginty's downward spiral into dishonesty. As Nicola finds herself, much to her own chagrin, being given singing lessons at the Minster in preparation for a competition on the BBC, and Lawrie (together with most of Forms Upper IV A and B) is absorbed in an upcoming performance of Cyrano de Bergerac for the school's Open Day, Ginty discovers that her actions in reading a private letter, and her later efforts to extricate herself from the consequences through falsehood, lead her further and further into trouble.

Sally Hayward, a lifelong Antonia Forest fan who originally wrote this continuation of the Marlow series for her own amusement, notes in her afterword that the events in Spring Term reflect (naturally) her own feelings and views about what might have happened next with the characters in her favorite books. While I can't say that her vision dovetails perfectly with my own - I think I would have allowed Ginty to learn her lesson at some point, but then, I find her depiction in the original Forest books rather troubling, as she seems to function as a sort of misogynist foil (a sort of pretty bad-girl) for the true heroine, Nicola - I did find her story immensely engaging, and in its own way, convincing. I had no trouble believing that Ginty could behave in the way depicted here, whatever I may think of her character's role in the series, and I appreciated the fact that some of the other Marlow sisters, from Ann to Rowan, were given scenes of the own. I also enjoyed the interaction between Nicola and Patrick - on that, I do agree with Hayward's interpretation! - as well as some of the discussions about religion.

All in all, this was a strong sequel to a strong series: engaging, convincing, and eminently readable. It isn't every book that keeps me reading well into the night, after a full day's work, a visit to the gym, and a long commute home! I will definitely be making a point to read any further efforts from this author.

[Emma Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm so happy I read this! I can't possibly afford the titles between Autumn and this one so I figured might as well take the plunge. I was dying to read more Kingscote stories and I wasn't disappointed. Some things were utterly confusing but Sally Hayward does a surprisingly good and very subtle job at quickly reminding the reader of what happened in previous books (which to me was of course very handy). I loved the writing which is as unique as Forest's and I really enjoyed Hayward's character study of Ginty and Ann, who aren't really given time to do much of anything in Autumn. I loved Nicola in this too, she's really grown quite a bit and the author's arguments for what happens to her makes a lot of sense. It felt so good to go back to this world - I regret nothing.

[Briar · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best sequels not written by the original author that I've ever read. Language - dialogue and description - all spot-on. Characters brilliant, and Sally Hayward develops them in the sort of way you feel Antonia Forest might have done. Plot, very much in the style of Antonia Forest, and Sally Hayward doesn't shy away from forcing her characters to make difficult decisions, or from the results when they do. Thoroughly recommended to any Antonia Forest fan!

[CLM · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well done! Ms. Hayward convincingly portrayed the author's characters and style and doubtless delighted more readers than I with this plot. It would be wrong to quibble over every "like" that should have been an "as."

[Trish at Between My Lines · Rating 5 out of 5]

I kept thinking of the "I can't believe it's not butter" add when I was reading this but along the lines of "I can't believe it's not Antonia Forest".

Very authentic follow up and I zoomed through it enthralled by the storyline.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was charming -- the tone is right in line with the original canon, and I enjoyed it a lot. The only minor beef I'd have with it is I feel Ginty -- who I am not fond of in the SLIGHTEST, may I add -- got rather short shrift here to an extent that seemed a little cruel, but I basically loved everything else and it was such a fun read. Great work. The play especially made me feel very much like I was reading an original Antonia Forest; great characterisation for Tim and Nicola and Lawrie in particular.

[Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not quite Forest herself, but does very nicely to be going on with.

[Betsy A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fill-in novel which wraps up Antonia Forest’s novels about the Marlow family and their often crazy life. It’s easy to be skeptical of stories not written by the original author (there is so much dreadful ‘fanfiction’ out there), but Sally Hayward’s “Spring Term” brings Kingscote and the Marlows to life. It seamlessly fits into the series as the final story of the Marlows, beginning immediately after the story “Run Away Home”, where various Marlows and their friend Patrick Merrick run into serious trouble.

I found this story even more enjoyable than Forest’s novels, as some of them were either annoying, depressing, or outright dreadful. My first Forest novel was “Autumn Term”, which starts the series, and it was my favorite, probably because of its focus on Nicola, who is arguably the best and most interesting Marlow. Like that story, the primary focus in book is on Nicola.

The girls head back to school with the usual subsequent occurrences. Nicola, Lawrie and Ginty all share a room, and this leads to the primary kerfuffle in the novel. Ginty reads a letter from Patrick to Nicola, which is such a dishonorable act Ginty refuses to own up to it when she is caught. Her moral failing leads to more and more lies, which subsequently winds up with disastrous results for her personally. Nicola’s form has to perform a play, “Cyrano de Bergerac”, in the original French, for a special “Open Day” for the school. This leads to much handwringing and trouble for that Form. Nicola is tapped to enter a special singing competition, much to her dismay, but she becomes more reconciled to her fate as time goes on.

There is great trouble between the sisters (Nicola, Ann, Ginty), Lawrie is self-absorbed and annoying but brilliant in acting as always, and Nicola’s relationship with Patrick grows. One part I really enjoyed was Nicola’s interaction with the singing master Dr. Herrick; their relationship as student and teacher is heartwarming.

Overall, the “Open Day” and its events are a success, with everyone shining except Ginty. The abrupt ending to Ginty’s story was a bit jarring and I missed the closure of her story, though it is easy to extrapolate what would happen to her. The novel doesn’t spell anything out, but the reader is left with a sense of a positive future for the rest of the Marlows and Patrick. Antonia Forest couldn’t finish the series, but Sally Hayward stepped in admirably and did it for her. I consider this part of the Kingscote canon just as much as any of AF’s originals.

[Deb Lancaster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicola and Patrick belong together, natch. But Ginty was thrown hard under a bus. Loved it basically. Write another one.

[Leonie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This doesn't have the moments of exact rightness of the real thing, and while some of Lawrie's moments are good, I think Hayward understands her less than Forest and she is definitely more comfortable with Nicola. But really I think the only real misstep was the Ginty letter thing. It captured too perfectly the feeling of anxiety dreams; Ginty might as well have found herself naked and late in the exam hall. I thought Ginty was actually in character, without being exaggerated into a hate figure, but the plot felt like someone self-indulgently lamming into her without mercy. Hayward did manage to make me feel like I was getting more of Forest's world, though, which was a lovely gift. She got the language right without parody -- it's only when I see fic for Antonia Forest that I realise quite how distinct her language is and how easy it would be to overdo it or otherwise mess it up. She set up things I'd like to see more of, like Lawrie and Nicola and the actorly ancestry and I would like to see what poor old Ginty does next. I liked that Ginty realised Patrick wasn't even her type in the end. I'd like to know whether Nicola takes singing seriously in the future, and for Miranda or Esther to visit the Marlows. I'd be very happy for Hayward to write another.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dilemma, because in a way I'm interrupting Antonia Forest (with the historical ones still to read) with another author. But this book is so good that actually it doesn't feel like another author. Brilliant plot - there is an enormous amount going on, but it all fits - and superb characterisation: they are all AF's characters, but they develop, in exactly the right way, through the story. And how lovely to meet Selby at long last.