Chalet School - plot inconsistency bothering me

[VintageGardenia]

I don't know why I suddenly thought of this but perhaps my first 3 consecutive glasses of postnatal wine have brought out my inner dullness.

There is a Chalet School book (Exploits?) where some of the girls bake apple pies and mistakenly use cloves of garlic instead of cloves.

Not believable and silly.

Here's the Antonia Forest website.

I had a lovely time at mums reading the Chalet books I had there, It got me through a stressful week.
They did make me laugh though, all the needlework they had to do.
And the horrible matrons. The Society for the Suppression of Matron.

Thank you, Idris. I've saved the link so that's part of my Christmas wish-list sorted.

I agree, Chalet School books are a great alternative to valium, despite the gaping holes in the plots, the tedious narrow escapes from death and the increasing smugness of the heroines towards the end of the series.

Which one slated "Forever Amber," as unsuitable for Chalet girls? I've always wondered why it was singled out for criticism. Did the author (can't remember her - Kathleen someone ???) snub E B-D at an award ceremony or something?

Thank you, Idris. I've saved the link so that's part of my Christmas wish-list sorted.

I agree, Chalet School books are a great alternative to valium, despite the gaping holes in the plots, the tedious narrow escapes from death and the increasing smugness of the heroines towards the end of the series.

Which one slated "Forever Amber," as unsuitable for Chalet girls? I've always wondered why it was singled out for criticism. Did the author (can't remember her - Kathleen someone ???) snub E B-D at an award ceremony or something?

Forever Amber was in the reprinted version of the Wrong Chalet School and it was Jennifer Penrose who read it. I can't remember which book it was in the original version - I feel it was Gone with the Wind but I could well be wrong.

Also not sure when the change in books happened.

Wasn't Forever Amber supposed to be somewhat 'racy' and thus the condemnation (ie, you were 'common' if you read such things, put on makeup and thought about (hiss) boys).

Mind you, given Joey's fecundity (not something to say when drunk), they more than made up for it when they married. Think of the state of her pelvic floor . . . No Tena Lady available then.

Jem was a bit of a dictatorial prig from what I can remember. He was always making Joey stay in bed and bossed people around. Jack was a bit more normal but there was a very paternalistic view about all of it. Drs word was god.

REally glad people remember poor old Miss Ferrers and the bending the legs. I too thought Mary Lou unbearable - terribly smug.

Ant and Bee. I hope I haven't got rid. OH NO!!!! need to go search cupboards but don't want to incase I did PANIC. £30 SERIOUSLY!!!

Feeling urge to re read children's books but don't know whether I can cope with husband's funny looks as various pages fall out and are scattered across the duvet. Went through a re reading Laura Ingalls Wilder stage last year and a Joesphine/Christina/Diana Pullen Thompson phase the year before. Dare I risk it???

Very of Tiernsee holiday! Also reminded how desperate I was to read Forever Amber because it was banned at the Chalet. I was sure it would be utterly filthy but I presume it was just a bit breathless and passionate. I still haven't read it!

I must admit I am reading teen fiction at the moment (Twilight series). You can read an entire Chalet School book in one bathtime, flyingmum. Useful.

LOL at Joey making up for lost time. I don't think they were even allowed to menstruate till they left school. Only common girls had periods.

It wasn't that filthy, but certainly on the racy side. I also read it because of the CS connection.
The other author I got into as a result of the Chalet School was Angela Thirkell, because in A Problem for the Chalet School one of the prefects buys 'the new Angela Thirkell' and so when I came across one in a secondhand bookshop I had to have it. Now I have all of hers - and she was nearly as prolific as EBD!

"Madge was broke"

Don't you think though that there's 'broke' and then there's 'upper middle class between the wars broke" - I mean, no-one in the stories is on the poverty line. I presumed they were all supported by old family capital, investments, share dividends etc. as well as their professions.

I think there is quite a lot about money, actually. The Maynards have cash because of a relative of Jack's who dies and leaves them a house in the New Forest, I think. Joey often talks about getting paid for her books. Miss Annersley frequently talks to parents about fees. I know it's not forensic detail but quite a lot for children's books, I think.

Funnily enough I have just come across Forever Amber mentioned in that brilliant book "Our Hidden Lives" (taken from mass obs diaries in 1946-47). It is virtually kept under the counter in someone's local library because of racy nature!

Was it Maria Von something or other who married a man with a ridiculously long name. I always had a smile imagining EBD typing laboriously out this HUGE name which had at least five components to it (lots of vons)

Does anyone remember the 'wrong Chalet School' where poor old Katherine is supposed to go to one school but lands up at our Chalet School. Now what are the chances of two schools called The Chalet school AND both having brown and 'flame' uniform...

Vintage - true, could get through whole book in bath . . . hmmm trip to Lush followed by Chalet School session. Mindful to call it 'The Chalet School in Hot Water'

von und zu weirtheimer ??? something like thet

I googled for this.

Trouble for the Chalet School

Marie von Eschenau and Baron Eugen von und zu Wertheimer get married over Christmas and Joey, Frieda, Simone, Paula, Irma and Robin are the bridesmaids.

Also later in that book:

"Jem Russell agrees to buy St Scholastika's from Miss Browne to use as a holiday home, after she sells her School to Madge."

I don't remember that at all. PMSL at buying a school so close to your own house to use as a holiday home.

Forever Amber isn't very racy at all - Amber has lots of lovers as she sleeps her way to the top of Stuart society (and gives it all up for mistaken love) but there is no graphic detail of sex like you'd expect had the book been written 30 or 40 years later (I've read it about three times). Far too racy for innocent Catholic schoolgirls though...

Yet another raving Chalet school obsessive here. AM slowly building up the lot via GGB - I have the lot in Armada but they are all so cut to ribbons (mind you armada versions go very well on ebay)

Having just re-read the first two books , I can correct a couple of pieces of "utter rot" on this thread.

Joey's life was not saved by Madge having her hair washed!! The doctor simply sent Madge off to the Kron Prinz Karl hotel (see I've been swotting) for a hair wash so she could relax and have a break from sitting with Joey day and night.

Twas Grizel, not Joey, that asked to have her hair washed in holy water.

I was a huge Chalet School fan as a girl. I have a grand total of 49 books. I used to kid myself I was keeping them for a future DD. Now I have a DS and no more are likely I must admit that actually I'm keeping them for me.

I'm missing around 10 I think - mostly the later ones which I'm not that bothered about. But I do wish I could get hold of Jo to the Rescue, Joey & Co in Tirol and the Chalet School Reunion. They all came back into print briefly a few years ago and I so wish I'd known. Now of course they're really expensive.

SGB - do you mean the Armada ones are heavily edited? Even the older ones? I didn't realise that.

Twinklemegan: yes, all the armada ones were cut, the older ones most of all. Some of the later Armada reprints were less heavily edited (Jo To The Rescue only lost a few paragraphs as I found ought when I got the GGB version). I think GGB are slowly reprinting the lot so it's worth keeping an eye on their website.

Yes the Armada version of exile has about a whole chapter missing

oOh and I was a CHip CLub nut as well. ONe used to get some quite startling things - HP Lovecraft, for instance.

Message withdrawn

How old would Joey et al be now??? (yes I know it's makebelieve but I'm a saddo who needs to know). I reckon about 87 or 88 ish for Joey.

Thanks for the 'incredibly long name search'. Lucky old Maria - that must have been fun writing out cheques.

Heaves sigh of relief that there are others out there 'like me' BUT what happens when we are all crumblies and shuffling off our mortal coil. Are there any younger readers out there to take up the mantle of Forest and EBD? Given that our school library chucked out all the Chalet school books it had about four to five years ago, are there any 11 year old girls reading them now?

(I have two boys - the eldest of which has severe dyslexia and doesn't do 'reading' books only listening to story cds - although he loves Jeeves and Wooster and Just William)

Yes, DD1 (11) reads them - although she prefers Malory Towers, Trebizon and Angela Brazil.

flyingmum he might like Jennings, I think S Fry read them for the audio books.

Theres certainly quite a few young members of the Chalet school fan clubs - the UK one has a newsletter addition for them. The reprints that Ann and Clarissa (of GGB) are making that a lot more possible given the amazing cost of the books

Which part of the series do people like best? Armishire Chalet School is where I go when desperate.