Overview
Tragic Links is award-winning author Cathy Beveridge’s fourth young adult novel focusing on Canadian historic disasters. This time Jolene and her family find themselves in Quebec where her father is conducting research for his Museum of Disasters. From the first, Jolene finds herself caught up in an old family feud and a new romantic friendship with Stephan, a Mohawk descendant who is also her grandmother’s neighbour. When Jolene finds a time crease, she discovers Montreal in the 1920s and her own personal look-alike. Despite Stephan’s warnings, Jolene is determined to get to know her double, a decision that ultimately situates her in the midst of the devastating fire at a 1927 children’s matinee in the Laurier Palace Theatre. After a narrow escape, Jolene travels to Quebec City with Stephan and her family where she witnesses the Quebec Bridge collapse of 1907 and the tragic death of 75 steelworkers, many from the Mohawk nation. This novel explores several contemporary young adult issues, from generational problems to the nature of friendship to the difficulties of young romance. Through it all, Jolene grows in her understanding of her family, her insight into her own past, and her ability to comprehend her emotions.