Excellent review. I think you've nailed what I didn't like about the extreme melodrama of Ginty at the end - I was thinking of that comment by Anthony Merrick too. I also felt that Monica's rejection of her wasn't quite in keping with what we've seen of her character. It made me think of the bit in Peter's Room where Patrick wants his character to betray the others, and Ginty, iirc, isn't quite sure if she wants her character to be loyal despite all; I envisioned Monica being more that type.
The other main thing I didn't like was Lawrie finding out something about Nicholas, because the fact that she now knows Nicola kept it from her isn't resolved. (And I didn't or a second buy that Edwin would send Rose to Kingscote, so that screamed plot mtive to get him there and interacting with Lawrie.)
Monica hasn't had an easy term, so maybe she's not as forgiving as she might be otherwise, but if that's the case, SH should have shown us more of her point of view to get that across. I envisioned her as more loyal and steady too, from what we've seen of her.
Lawrie had to find out about it sooner or later, but you're right that it should have been resolved. It would have been nice if Nicola told her - Lawrie seemed to have developed a bit of maturity, and she and Nicola were getting on well again, so maybe Nicola could have decided to take the risk of Lawrie being insufferable about Nicholas. I don't buy Edwin sending Rose to Kingscote at all either (can he afford it? Does he want to afford it when Colebridge Grammar is right there?) and even using it as an excuse for Rose to see the performance isn't like him - he's never usually that conscious of what the children like doing.
Reading reviews - and this is a very interesting one - is making me want to read it and see the original of some of the things which have been mentioned in several people's commentaries. But I just don't think I can bear to read what she does to poor old Ginty.
Here via trennels: thanks for linking to this from the community.
I found it a really enjoyable read, but maybe not if you're attached to Ginty. Hopefully she'll do another in which Ginty runs off to work in a stable and rehabilitates herself!
I wonder if I'm the only reader of Spring Term who was convinced by the Ginty storyline? Perhaps it was at least in part because I'd heard people discussing Ginty Going Bad and how it was unconvincing, so I ended up expecting her to rob a bank or start mainlining heroin - and then her relatively restrained spiral into dishonesty was comparatively believable.
The one part that didn't ring true for me was the overtness of Patrick and Nicola - it's not that I don't believe in their relationship, but I can't see them openly admitting that it's anything more than a hawks-and-riding type friendship, at this stage at least.
Other than that, I agree with much of you review - especially on the writing; I was really impressed at how Sally Hayward managed to get a flavour of AF without it becoming a pastiche.
I was... less unconvinced than I expected to be from slemslempike's review, but I don't think she could become quite so dishonest in just one term, no matter how difficult. I saw some speculation that maybe SH was trying to get Ginty to run away to Ireland. (I wish AF had managed to write that book, if only because I can't quite imagine how she'd do it.)
I quite enjoyed Patrick and Nicola (or at least Nicola not having to be baffled and hurt about Patrick's behaviour any more), but I think you're right about the overtness. That letter in which he basically professes love, which he couldn't do with Ginty without putting his Rupert hat on - too soon.
I was really favourably impressed with the writing.
Thanks for this; I enjoyed it more than I expected to, having read a review on trennels from someone who hadn't enjoyed it much. I'm fairly sure, though, that I'd read bits of it at the fanfic stage!
Re Ginty - it felt to me that the scene was being set for (what we know Forest had planned for her) her to run off to Ireland to work in a stable and her father to decree that That was It and she could now Get On With It, and Ann going to try to rescue her, thus missing out her chance of becoming Head Girl. I wonder if Sally Hayward is planning another sequel?
I thought in Attic Term that Ginty didn't get it because of course she wasn't really reading it and they should have known she wouldn't. She hasn't quite worked out that there are rules for everyone, including her. And P hung up just on the off-chance that she actually was - which I suppose is a sign that he senses she doesn't have a full dose of the Marlow Moral Uprightness. Maybe that's what happens to her in Spring Term, actually - she thinks she doesn't have to behave properly because she has ~feelings, like in AT when she convinces herself it's OK to use the phone because she's lonely.
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The other main thing I didn't like was Lawrie finding out something about Nicholas, because the fact that she now knows Nicola kept it from her isn't resolved. (And I didn't or a second buy that Edwin would send Rose to Kingscote, so that screamed plot mtive to get him there and interacting with Lawrie.)
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Lawrie had to find out about it sooner or later, but you're right that it should have been resolved. It would have been nice if Nicola told her - Lawrie seemed to have developed a bit of maturity, and she and Nicola were getting on well again, so maybe Nicola could have decided to take the risk of Lawrie being insufferable about Nicholas. I don't buy Edwin sending Rose to Kingscote at all either (can he afford it? Does he want to afford it when Colebridge Grammar is right there?) and even using it as an excuse for Rose to see the performance isn't like him - he's never usually that conscious of what the children like doing.
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Here via trennels: thanks for linking to this from the community.
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I wonder if I'm the only reader of Spring Term who was convinced by the Ginty storyline? Perhaps it was at least in part because I'd heard people discussing Ginty Going Bad and how it was unconvincing, so I ended up expecting her to rob a bank or start mainlining heroin - and then her relatively restrained spiral into dishonesty was comparatively believable.
The one part that didn't ring true for me was the overtness of Patrick and Nicola - it's not that I don't believe in their relationship, but I can't see them openly admitting that it's anything more than a hawks-and-riding type friendship, at this stage at least.
Other than that, I agree with much of you review - especially on the writing; I was really impressed at how Sally Hayward managed to get a flavour of AF without it becoming a pastiche.
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I was... less unconvinced than I expected to be from slemslempike's review, but I don't think she could become quite so dishonest in just one term, no matter how difficult. I saw some speculation that maybe SH was trying to get Ginty to run away to Ireland. (I wish AF had managed to write that book, if only because I can't quite imagine how she'd do it.)
I quite enjoyed Patrick and Nicola (or at least Nicola not having to be baffled and hurt about Patrick's behaviour any more), but I think you're right about the overtness. That letter in which he basically professes love, which he couldn't do with Ginty without putting his Rupert hat on - too soon.
I was really favourably impressed with the writing.
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Re Ginty - it felt to me that the scene was being set for (what we know Forest had planned for her) her to run off to Ireland to work in a stable and her father to decree that That was It and she could now Get On With It, and Ann going to try to rescue her, thus missing out her chance of becoming Head Girl. I wonder if Sally Hayward is planning another sequel?
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it felt to me that the scene was being set for (what we know Forest had planned for her) her to run off to Ireland to work in a stable
I've been wondering that. I hope she does write another! Even if I can't quite imagine even AF pulling it off.
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I hope you enjoy it! It was a great read.
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