MOLLIE ON THE MARCH

Mollie Carberry continues to fight for women’s rights in 1912 Dublin.

When last readers saw her, (The Making of Mollie, 2017) 14-year-old Mollie and her best friend, Nora, had become suffragists. They maintain their dedication to the cause throughout the summer of 1912, despite interference from their frenemy, Grace, who’s forced to live with Nora for several weeks; handsome Frank, visiting Mollie’s brother, Harry; and Barnaby, the neighbor’s annoying dog. Mr. Asquith, the British Prime Minister, is visiting Dublin in July, and Mollie and Nora are determined to express their opinions even if it means disguising themselves to make them look older—and even though the situation turns rather more dangerous than they expected. As its prequel did, the novel unfolds as a series of letters written to Mollie’s friend Frances, now spending the summer in America. Though Mollie and the setting retain their charm, the sequel suffers from lack of narrative tension. Mollie’s opinions remain consistent, and her actions aren’t as interesting as in the previous book.

This sequel does not work well as a stand-alone nor add much to Mollie’s story; readers should stop after Book 1. (Historical fiction. 10-14)