The Chalet School

[ShellacB]

There seem to be plenty of old Chalet School Threads, but I can't find a current one.

In the middle of a re read. I have just finished the Tyrolean and Herefordshire ones. I loved them!

I do remember the Swiss books not being quite of the same quality, so not sure whether to read them all.

Could anyone recommend the best Swiss books if I was to skim through?

I’m working my way through them again. Currently on 22. Peggy of the Chalet School. Great comfort reading during this heatwave.

I'm using fadedpage because they are free - also no stress about losing a book anywhere!

I am so amused by the language and the way language has changed. I keep looking at the normal books on my Kindle and none of them seem as attractive as these ridiculous stories with zero consistency and formulaic plots. At 80% into the story there is always the big dramatic plot device all tidily finished by the end.

Some CS customs feel madder the older I get when rereading. Like the entire school setting up deckchairs (in Hall? Their common rooms?) after lunch for their rest and then putting them all away again afterwards! Imagine the clatter and hassle as a hundred girls tried to set them up correctly, dragged them around or collapsed them and then had to stack them all somewhere in storage!

Why not just lie down on their beds for a half hour with the dormitory prefect checking there were no riots? But I suppose it would get in the way of Matey’s prescriptive ideas about hospital corners and bed making ..,? 😀

Yes I began a read through last year and am planning to finish it this summer!

In my opinion The Chalet School at Exile is the best book in the series and The Chalet School at War is probably the second best.

Apart from that all of the Tyrolean years are wonderful too

Over the past six months I have re-read the books for the first time in a few years. I was very struck by delicate Joey, lady of the swoons and always needing careful medical supervision lighting up a cigarette on occasion. Although she points out to her daughters that they haven't often seen her smoking, she reminds them that they might not smoke themselves until they're 18. She does add, I think, that if they're sensible, they won't start but it's certainly not verboten. How times have changed! I must admit to skimming the later books where EDB seemed to be phoning it in. They were frankly dull but I don't think I could ever deny (or want to) what an impact they had on young me.