History Literature / FallingApart

'''Simon''': We even went to the same Latin summer school a few years ago.

** To Literature/AliceInWonderland:

* UptownGirl: Simon is the uptown boy to Tina. He is a doctor's son, lives in a five-bedroom house and attends a fancy private school as a boarder (fees for boarders are usually substantially higher than for day pupils). On the other hand, Tina's mum is unable to work due to her mental health issues and her dad is an odd-job man.

* Incompatible Orientation: Simon is straight, so doesn't return Adam's feelings. He also tells Tina that [[spoiler:he was dared to ask out her ''or'' Jan, but it was obvious that Jan (who is suggested to be a lesbian) wouldn't accept.]]

* LovingAShadow: Simon isn't the person Tina thinks he is, but she ignores all the signs.

* SlutShaming: Tina recounts that Mr Brown called Louise a slag when she told him she was pregnant.

* SurvivorGuilt: Tina and Mrs Brown both suffer with intense guilt over Tim's death - Tina for encouraging him to climb the tree, and Mrs Brown for not coming to the park to supervise her children.

** When they are breaking up, Simon reveals [[spoiler]] he only pursued Tina as part of a bet with Adam. [[/spoiler]]

** When they are breaking up, Simon reveals he only pursued Tina as part of a bet with Adam.

* Determinator: Tina refuses to give up even when Simon finishes with her. She waits for him every afternoon at their former meeting spot and even follows him into his school chapel, convinced she can get him to take her back.

* TheReveal: We don't find out exactly what happened to Tim until the end of the book. When Tina's sisters visit her in hospital, she discusses how Tim died as a result of falling from of a tree he was climbing. She finally admits she blames herself for egging him on, but they reassure her it wasn't her fault.

* TeenPregnancy: Louise had her daughter Carly when she was eighteen. At one point, Tina is off school with a vomiting bug and her parents worry that she's following in her sister's footsteps.

* CrossesTheLineTwice: At the end of the book Jan makes a very dark joke about her baby niece Carly committing suicide.

* ValuesDissonance:
** A modern reader is likely to be as shocked as Simon is to hear that Tina's oldest sister Louise is married with a baby at 18. The average age of first marriage in the UK has risen since the 1980s and it would be very rare for an 18-year-old to get married nowadays.
** Boarding schools have also declined in popularity, due to high costs and child welfare concerns.
** The attitudes of the hospital staff and Tina's family towards mental illness are very of their time.

* TheWoobie: Poor, poor Tina. She's TheUnfavourite to her mother, blames herself for her twin brother's death and doesn't do well at school. Of course she's going to take it too far the moment someone shows her some affection.

Tina Brown is 15, the youngest of three sisters in a working-class family. Her family is still deeply affected by the loss of Tina's twin brother Tim eight years ago and she feels she is only half a person since he died. On the way to school one day, she encounters Adam and Simon, two sixth form[[note]]equivalent to the last 2 years of high school[[/note]] boys from a prestigious local boarding school. She and Simon quickly strike up a romance (albeit hampered by Adam's jealousy and mind games) but when Simon breaks up with her, she feels she can't go on living any more.

* DarkAndTroubledPast: Tina and her mother are still suffering with grief after Tim's death. Tina shows signs of mental health issues and mentions she used to hurt herself.

* InsultOfEndearment: Adam likes to call Tina "Teeny Tears".[[note]]Most likely a play on the Tiny Tears line of dolls[[/note]]

--> '''Geoff:''' Not you, Louise. Not now. Who'd be interested in a big fat slob like you?

* OnlySaneMan: Jan, a studious and level-headed girl who is determined to get into university and study history.

* TeenPregnancy: Louise had her daughter Carly when she was eighteen. At one point, Tina is sick and her parents worry that she's following in her sister's footsteps.
* ThereAreNoTherapists: Played with. It's not made clear whether Tina's mother has ever seen a therapist for her grief and she takes high doses of sedative medication years after Tim's death. When Tina is admitted to hospital, she speaks to a psychiatrist but he doesn't get to the root of her problems.

** Boarding schools have also declined in popularity.

* AllGaysLoveTheatre: Adam comes from an arty family and wants to be an actor.

* BittersweetEnding: Tina's parents react badly to her suicide attempt and Simon still won't see her, but Tina has made plans to attend group therapy and is finally beginning to see herself as a whole person.
* BoardingSchool: Simon and Adam attend Christopher's, an exclusive boys' private school complete with housemasters, stripy blazers, and a chapel.

** Geoff, Louise's husband. Tina asks Louise to come with her to a pub when she's first trying to meet up with Simon. When Louise jokes about getting off with a boy there, Geoff calls his wife a "big fat slob" to put her off her going.

Tina is 15, the youngest of three sisters in a working-class family. Her family is still deeply affected by the loss of Tina's twin brother Tim eight years ago and she feels she is only half a person since he died. On the way to school one day, she encounters Adam and Simon, two sixth form[[note]]equivalent to the last 2 years of high school[[/note]] boys from a prestigious local boarding school. She and Simon quickly strike up a romance (albeit hampered by Adam's jealousy and mind games) but when Simon breaks up with her, she feels she can't go on living any more.

* DrivenToSuicide: Following her breakup with Simon, Tina feels she has nothing to live for any more. She attempts suicide by overdosing on her mother's sleeping pills.

* {{Jerkass}}: Louise's husband Geoff. Tina asks Louise to come with her to a pub when she's first trying to meet up with Simon. When Louise jokes about getting off with a boy there, Geoff calls his wife a "big fat slob" to put her off her going.
* PetTheDog: After spending most of the story taunting her and trying to sabotage her relationship with Simon, Adam visits Tina in hospital after she overdoses. He even brings her favourite jam tarts.
* UptownGirl: Simon is the uptown boy to Tina. He is a doctor's son, lives in a five-bedroom house and attends a fancy private school as a boarder (fees for boarders are usually substantially higher than for day pupils).

* PetTheDog: After spending most of the story mocking her and trying to sabotage her relationship with Simon, Adam visits Tina in hospital after she overdoses. He even brings her favourite jam tarts.

* IncestSubtext: One reason why Tina likes Simon so much is because he physically resembles her late brother.

* ValuesDissonance: A modern reader is likely to be as shocked as Simon is to hear that Tina's oldest sister Louise is married with a baby at 18. The average age of first marriage in the UK has risen since the 1980s and it would be very rare for an 18-year-old to get married nowadays.

Tina is a 15-year-old girl from a working-class family. Her family is still deeply affected by the loss of Tina's twin brother Tim eight years ago and she feels she is only half a person since he died. On the way to school one day, she encounters Adam and Simon, two sixth form[[note]]equivalent to the last 2 years of high school[[/note]] boys from a prestigious local boarding school. She and Simon quickly strike up a romance (albeit hampered by Adam's jealousy and mind games) but when Simon breaks up with her, she feels she can't go on living any more.

* HairOfGoldHeartOfGold: Averted. Tim is described as having angelic golden curls but we later learn he had a naughty streak. Similarly, Simon has blonde hair and initially seems to fit this trope, but later treats Tina cruelly.

!!Tropes:

''Falling Apart'' is a young adult novel by British children's author ''Creator/JacquelineWilson''. It was originally published in 1989 by Oxford University Press, one of nine novels for teenagers Wilson wrote before she had her breakthrough with ''Literature/TheStoryOfTracyBeaker'' in the early 90s. These OUP books are relatively unknown, having been out of print for many years - bar ''Falling Apart'' which was reprinted by Melbourne-based Text Publishing in 2011.