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Original poster

AIBU To Think That The Plots Of The Chalet School Books Were Really Improbable

453 replies

TheShellBeach · 22/02/2023 15:30

.................................such as Prince Cosimo, the endless kidnappings, all the train crashes/bus crashes/car crashes/plane crashes/boat sinkings hang on a minute, were there any boat sinkings

Okay, I've just remembered that there were a couple of near misses with boats when the CS was on the island. Joey was nearly flung overboard once (a missed opportunity for EBD to get rid of her IMO) and there were probably others.

Anyway - all aboard and ahoy there.

OP posts:
hels71 · 25/02/2023 09:00

PlaitBilledDuckyPuss · 25/02/2023 01:29

She was anticipating a school girl reader out for a good time not a long time when she threw together those plots.

And that is how many of us came to love these books. We read them eagerly as 10 year olds, and then never stopped enjoying them - but as we grew up and carried on re-reading, we acquired a more realistic perspective about the events and characters - and, if anything, realising how delightfully bonkers much of it was only made us appreciate the books more.

As I mentioned on the previous thread, to build such an incredibly detailed world and write so many books in one universe is an incredible achievement, and the fact we are still talking about them more than 50 years after EBD's death really says all there is to say.

Absolutely.

PlaitBilledDuckyPuss · 25/02/2023 01:29

She was anticipating a school girl reader out for a good time not a long time when she threw together those plots.

And that is how many of us came to love these books. We read them eagerly as 10 year olds, and then never stopped enjoying them - but as we grew up and carried on re-reading, we acquired a more realistic perspective about the events and characters - and, if anything, realising how delightfully bonkers much of it was only made us appreciate the books more.

As I mentioned on the previous thread, to build such an incredibly detailed world and write so many books in one universe is an incredible achievement, and the fact we are still talking about them more than 50 years after EBD's death really says all there is to say.

Original poster
TheShellBeach · 25/02/2023 00:42

saffy9876 · 25/02/2023 00:34

To be fair to Joey she was breast feeding triplets, no wonder she wanted a nap. Anyway, this delicious fruit drink - does anyone have a recipe?

I can thoroughly recommend Prosecco with soda water and a little Aperol.
On ice.

OP posts:
saffy9876 · 25/02/2023 00:34

To be fair to Joey she was breast feeding triplets, no wonder she wanted a nap. Anyway, this delicious fruit drink - does anyone have a recipe?

Original poster
TheShellBeach · 25/02/2023 00:21

Everyonesinvited · 24/02/2023 23:02

Then stop acting surprised like EBD owed you something believable! She was anticipating a school girl reader out for a good time not a long time when she threw together those plots. No thoughts of worthy, critical collectors were in her mind!

Presumably Hamlet should be given the same once over as it is at least in the canon and subject to higher levels of scrutiny?

You're a fan of fiction for school girls, not a literary critic raising a rueful eyebrow at Exit, Pursued by a Bear. EBD simply wasn't writing for you and probably wouldn't be able to fathom why you're buying her books. You're free to do so of course, it's just odd to pour focus and cash into something you don't love. Like a model train enthusiast who finds model trains twee - just why. Unless you're going to say that you actually have a deep seated affection for the books? If so why not talk some about it?

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Wow. Talk about spectacularly missing the point of a thread.
Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
TheShellBeach · 24/02/2023 23:14

Tintackedsea · 24/02/2023 23:11

I loved the Highland Twins. Wildly, madly exciting to read Gaelic in such an English book. Second sight, linty eyes, full highland dress... ALL the tropes!

I've just started to read it again.
Maybe it contains the least likely plot of them all..............

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Tintackedsea · 24/02/2023 23:11

I loved the Highland Twins. Wildly, madly exciting to read Gaelic in such an English book. Second sight, linty eyes, full highland dress... ALL the tropes!

Everyonesinvited · 24/02/2023 23:02

TheShellBeach · 24/02/2023 22:21

I've read them all.
I know exactly what to expect when I open a CS book.
I'm still actively collecting them, actually.

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Then stop acting surprised like EBD owed you something believable! She was anticipating a school girl reader out for a good time not a long time when she threw together those plots. No thoughts of worthy, critical collectors were in her mind!

Presumably Hamlet should be given the same once over as it is at least in the canon and subject to higher levels of scrutiny?

You're a fan of fiction for school girls, not a literary critic raising a rueful eyebrow at Exit, Pursued by a Bear. EBD simply wasn't writing for you and probably wouldn't be able to fathom why you're buying her books. You're free to do so of course, it's just odd to pour focus and cash into something you don't love. Like a model train enthusiast who finds model trains twee - just why. Unless you're going to say that you actually have a deep seated affection for the books? If so why not talk some about it?

Original poster
TheShellBeach · 24/02/2023 22:21

Everyonesinvited · 24/02/2023 21:50

Seriously though, did you open the book and expect it to be plausible? Wouldn't you rather read King Lear if you need to feel it isn't straining your credulity - no wait....

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I've read them all.
I know exactly what to expect when I open a CS book.
I'm still actively collecting them, actually.

OP posts:
HollyGolightly4 · 24/02/2023 22:18

Everyonesinvited · 24/02/2023 21:50

Seriously though, did you open the book and expect it to be plausible? Wouldn't you rather read King Lear if you need to feel it isn't straining your credulity - no wait....

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Honestly, it's light hearted!

I was looking forward to a new thread 🤣. I'm too new for the old ones. In fact, it was the one over Christmas that prompted me to join!

Original poster
TheShellBeach · 24/02/2023 22:12

Everyonesinvited · 24/02/2023 21:50

Seriously though, did you open the book and expect it to be plausible? Wouldn't you rather read King Lear if you need to feel it isn't straining your credulity - no wait....

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Lawks

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Everyonesinvited · 24/02/2023 21:50

TheShellBeach · 24/02/2023 18:06

Well that's me telt, as we say in Scotland.Grin

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Seriously though, did you open the book and expect it to be plausible? Wouldn't you rather read King Lear if you need to feel it isn't straining your credulity - no wait....

RoundedToast · 24/02/2023 21:42

HollyGolightly4 · 24/02/2023 20:30

I agree! At least I hope so.

What about getting on a wrong train a la Peggy Bettany, and spending a night in a strange man's house because you chatted to his daughter? And subsequently, he's the long lost cousin of your headteacher!

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It’s also strange they had enough food in the house for them and the right number of spare rooms…

The CS staff did not seem to think the whole thing even slightly unusual.

HollyGolightly4 · 24/02/2023 20:30

PlaitBilledDuckyPuss · 24/02/2023 17:56

It's more of a fond observation than a serious question, I think.

We pretend to decry it, but really we love the implausibility of the Chalet School plots on these threads. Wink

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I agree! At least I hope so.

What about getting on a wrong train a la Peggy Bettany, and spending a night in a strange man's house because you chatted to his daughter? And subsequently, he's the long lost cousin of your headteacher!

Talia99 · 24/02/2023 20:20

Leftoverssandwich · 24/02/2023 19:05

I really liked Trebizon because it did feel more grounded in my familiar world. The Chalet girls never seemed to have much concern for the academic stuff whereas Rebecca agonised about it all a lot. Even the Blyton lot have some angst over School Cert!

If EBD had focused on the academics, her completely insane ‘we won’t bother to actually teach you the languages but two thirds of your lessons will be in them’ ethos would be shown up. You’d have to have girls worrying about failing because they haven’t understood the 1/3 of the science or history or geography taught in German for example.

AIBU to think my daughter being taught for vital public exams in a language the (expensive private) school knows she doesn’t speak is not acceptable?

ALittleBitStuck · 24/02/2023 19:33

I used to be obsessed with CS. I was then packed off to be an international boarder (we lived abroad) and I can't tell you what a let down it was. Most exciting event was when we had flashers outside the common room and our house mistress went out with her black lab and let it loose on them.

Leftoverssandwich · 24/02/2023 19:05

I really liked Trebizon because it did feel more grounded in my familiar world. The Chalet girls never seemed to have much concern for the academic stuff whereas Rebecca agonised about it all a lot. Even the Blyton lot have some angst over School Cert!

Original poster
TheShellBeach · 24/02/2023 18:06

Everyonesinvited · 24/02/2023 16:19

What on earth do you expect from a children's book of that era. You're not wrong but the question is unreasonable and absurd.

Well that's me telt, as we say in Scotland.Grin

OP posts:
PlaitBilledDuckyPuss · 24/02/2023 17:56

Everyonesinvited · 24/02/2023 16:19

What on earth do you expect from a children's book of that era. You're not wrong but the question is unreasonable and absurd.

It's more of a fond observation than a serious question, I think.

We pretend to decry it, but really we love the implausibility of the Chalet School plots on these threads. Wink

Original poster
TheShellBeach · 24/02/2023 17:40

Biscuitsneeded · 24/02/2023 16:31

I'm seriously impressed at the level of detail you all recall, and I used to devour those books! Now all I remember is that Joey always got 'brain fever' - or am I getting confused with Mallory Towers?

I'm the one who suffers brain fever when I read about Joey and her breeziness.Hmm

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Biscuitsneeded · 24/02/2023 16:31

I'm seriously impressed at the level of detail you all recall, and I used to devour those books! Now all I remember is that Joey always got 'brain fever' - or am I getting confused with Mallory Towers?

RoundedToast · 24/02/2023 16:27

CrackedLookingGlass · 22/02/2023 17:54

Yes, that’s the part that kills me. This kidnap gang is fine with abducting a girl they think is the daughter of their police nemesis with the intention of getting her addicted to drugs and then giving her back as a hopeless wreck, but still are correct about valid train tickets, administer the sedative they knock her out with in the inevitable ‘rich, creamy milk’ and the hard-bitten female gang member knits when on duty. Grin

Am I alone in kind of liking Miss Bubb? Or at least liking that she was apparently the only CS staff member ever to be more interested in academic results than in preventing the girls getting TB? (When really, is the best thing to do against a highly infectious disease to collect a lot of ‘delicate’ girls with close family members who actually have TB and keep them in the same building?)

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Maybe the kidnapper was a Chalet School Girl gone bad? But no matter how evil she became she couldn’t shake off industrious habits like knitting or drinking creamy milk?

As for Miss Bubb, she was not an ardent supporter of Guides so she clearly deserved everything she got and more.

Everyonesinvited · 24/02/2023 16:19

What on earth do you expect from a children's book of that era. You're not wrong but the question is unreasonable and absurd.

PlaitBilledDuckyPuss · 24/02/2023 16:11

The Trebizon books have a certain charm and they have a modern feel (well, the 1980s is modern by my standards). My main criticism is that they feel under-written compared to others of the genre, and I agree with pp that Rebecca was unrealistically brilliant at tennis.

Original poster
TheShellBeach · 24/02/2023 16:06

Laineythenomad · 22/02/2023 15:52

Shiver me timbers and hurl Joey into the bilge tank! 😂

That made me think of Captain Pugwash.
And, for some reason, of Noggin The Nog.
I realize that this ages me tremendously.

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