The CBB :: View topic - The Chalet School Reunion

#1: The Chalet School Reunion Author: Rachael,

Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 9:28 am

A summary of this book may be found here Fave/worst scenes? How do you like the Neil/Grizel romance? How does Grizel come across in this book - do you find it sad that she is still harking back to when she was responsible for Len's burns in Carola Storms? What did you like best about seeing all the foundation stones together again? Thoughts on Reg's groundwork regarding Len? Anything else?

#2: Author: Ray, Location: Bristol, England

Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 11:00 am

This was the one book that I wanted to read above all else when I was initially collecting CS (once I got into the series) and it's the one I was most irritated by when it looked as if Armada weren't going to publish it. (I know they did, eventually - but by then, I'd stopped looking!). I finally got to read it via Raya's transcripts site late last year and I've read (and reread) it several times since. So... Fave/Worst Scenes: Fave scene is probably Grizel's arrival at Freudesheim - it's such a lovely welcome and Joey's put so much thought into it and into what's going to happen. It's a real 'awwww' moment for me. Worst scene HAS to be Hillary Graves casually dosing some random hysterical child. Great Gooseberries, you couldn't get away with that now and I doubt you got away with that then! I'm also not too keen on the repetition of the cliff-collapse at the glacier - although that, at least, was not exactly like it happened in New Mistress. How do you like the Neil/Grizel romance? I like it. Grand romance is one of the hardest things to actually write and considering EBD is mainly a children's author, the concentration on the adult side of life is nicely done. It's not in any great depth and there is a little bit of a sense that Grizel feels it's her last chance, but on the other hand, there is enough interraction between her and Neil - and enough tender moments (like the letter chasing!) - to carry it. How does Grizel come across? She starts out as someone who's very, very clearly at the end of her tether with everything. She's depressed - she does, at one point, contemplate suicide - and I can completely see things panning out in that way for her, given everything that she's gone through. I do think it's sad that she's still worried about Len's arm from Carola, but at the same time, it's totally believable. I also, very, very much like the way she changes, gradually, over the course of the book. In that respect, it's very similar to the way she matures in Head Girl. Seeing the foundation stones again? Just such a great idea! Smile

I like pretty much all of it (though barring the glarring EBDism about whether or not the Triplets were at the Auberge with Bruno!) and it's just such fun to see so many familiar characters. I think I'd have liked to have seen Margia and Amy Stevens mentioned, and ditto Elsie Carr, but them apart, EBD covers virtually everyone who was there in the first four books. Thoughts on Reg's groundwork regarding Len? This won't surprise anyone, but I like it. It's a nice hint of what EBD may have originally intended with Reg and Len - ie something a lot more like Joey and Jack, with Reg getting to know Len properly, as a school girl (and vice versa). In some ways, it's a pity that she didn't/couldn't keep this approach up. Anything else? It's nice to see Grizel finally find peace and find a home. She's one of my early favourite characters and one that EBD didn't entirely know what to do with a lot of the time. It's also interesting to see Len, at sixteen, actually being quite heedless when it comes to the path down from Wettadorf - it's a very human moment, and interesting because it does put to the sword at least SOME of Len's reputation for being perfect. (After all, if she was perfect, she'd have realised the streams were likely to be rather fuller than when they were frozen over!) All in all, though it was a long wait, it's a great read - and it's a much more adult-oriented book than most of the school stories themselves. Ray * Smile

#3: Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester

Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 6:21 pm

Fave/worst scenes? I'm quite fond of the one where Con's group go up to wherever, and Grizel is with them, and doesn't notice Sheppard or Hamilton Smile

How do you like the Neil/Grizel romance? Grizel was never a favourite character mine, but I loved the romance. Even when I was younger, it seemed terribly romantic, and far more detailed than most of EBD's marriages. How does Grizel come across in this book - do you find it sad that she is still harking back to when she was responsible for Len's burns in Carola Storms? Well, it is a little sad, but I know for a fact I would do the same in her position, so it's understandable. She comes across as a monumentally human charactre, with all the flaws as well as good points, and someone who is very depressed by what life threw at her. What did you like best about seeing all the foundation stones together again? Well, it was really nice to catch up on people, but so many were missing, it always kind of disappointed me. Thoughts on Reg's groundwork regarding Len? I felt that cae rather out of the blue, since before then we hadn't heard of him since Jo to the Rescue. I always found it a bit weird to be honest. ~LadyG

#4: Author: Ruth, Location: Lincolnshire, England

Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2004 1:19 pm

Fave/worst scenes? My favourite scene would have to be when Sophie Hamel catches the tablecloth with her cardigan buttons and pulls it off the table! Followed closely by Grizel's arrival and Joey's welcome. Don't have a worst scene. How do I like the Neil/Grizel romance? I like it. I hoped that they would marry and was ever so pleased when they did! I am glad that Grizel finds happiness at long last. How does Grizel come across in this book? It is obvious that her experiences have made her bitter. She is rather nervous and cagey (not wanting to meet people). It is sad to see that she still blames herself for Len's burns. What did I like best about seeing all the foundation stones together again? I liked being able to catch up on what they all had been doing - since you only ever get them mentioned in passing usually. Thoughts on Reg's groundwork regarding Len? Good. I really like the way he is determined to get her.

#5: Author: Ellie, Location: Lincolnshire

Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2004 12:21 am

This is one of my favourite CS books - it's fun to see the earliest members of school all grown up, and to find out how their lives have developed. Fave/worst scenes? Actually, I liked the scene where Margot slapped the girl in the lift - it made a refreshing change to see Margot being featured without being 'bad', but even in this book we see Grizel thinking that she wouldn't trust Margot as much as Len. How do you like the Neil/Grizel romance? I thought it was really nice - I like Neil Shepherd (wasn't he one of the Apollo astronauts who made the first moon landing btw?) and I think he was ideal husband for Grizel, and I'm glad that she finally found happiness in her life. How does Grizel come across in this book - do you find it sad that she is still harking back to when she was responsible for Len's burns in Carola Storms? Obviously this book was her great chance to be reformed - and she certainly grasped it with both hands. I think that Mary Lou helped in this, not by butting in, just by the example she set, one which Grizel tried to emulate. As for the burns, I can't imagine that it would have been something she thought about everyday of her life, but seeing Len again would inevitably bring the incident back to mind. What did you like best about seeing all the foundation stones together again? I enjoyed seeing the girls as grown wives and mothers, although I wish Juliet had got more book time - considering that at one point Joey thought of her as almost another sister, she sems to have become almost a non-person by the time the school becomes re-established in Guernsey. Thoughts on Reg's groundwork regarding Len? Hmmm, I think that if Reg had spoken about the possibility of marrying my hypothetical schoolgirl daughter my first reaction would have been to laugh at him, then I would have thought it was slightly weird - then again, I'm not married to a doctor who I first met when I was a schoolgirl. Anything else? I'm definitely in the camp that thinks that Dr Hamilton was being lined up as a future husband for Con, apart from that, Len's accident, and her reactions both at the time and afterwards seem to make her more like a regular schoolgirl and less of a paragon of virtue. Also Regarding the accident, it's a little strange that Simone, who a few pages earlier was being described as one of the members of the party who would be most in need of a lift back to Freudesheim is sent to run for help.

#6: Author: Sarah_K, Location: St Albans/Leicester

Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2004 1:18 am

I've only just got this book, literally finished my first read today and I loved it. It's gone way up to the top of my favourite CS book list, perhaps not THE top but somewhere up there. Fave/worst scenes? I think Grizel's arrival at Freudesheim has to be one of my favourites, it totally reminded me of why I loved Joey when I first read the series (before I was corrupted by the CBB). I'm not sure about worst, Margot slapping that kid was odd and I started to get very annoyed with all of Joey's pet names for Grizel- she was really OTT in places. How do you like the Neil/Grizel romance? I adored it. It started slowly, gave a good chance for them to get to know each other a bit and then continued gently even after the accident. Neil is the perfect guy for Grizel and he seems to bring out the best in her. Plus I have to say that I totally melted at his proposal. I think this is now my favourite romance of the books. How does Grizel come across in this book - do you find it sad that she is still harking back to when she was responsible for Len's burns in Carola Storms? Yes it is sad but then again I think it's actually very much true to Grizel. She's a poor figure at the start of the book but then that's the point. All the disappointment and bitterness in her life was hardly going to leave her bouncy and cheerful. I thought there was a good journey from the start to her recovery too. What did you like best about seeing all the foundation stones together again? That's so hard, I think I just liked that you could still recognise them. There characters had matured a bit but Corney was still very much Corney and the same with the others. Thoughts on Reg's groundwork regarding Len? This is the first book I've owned that really talks about Reg other than Prefects as I've not got a lot of the Swiss books. It does sound like the start of Joey/Jack except he's much older than her. I'e got to say I found it slightly creepy though he did sound niceish. Anything else? I really liked Mary-Lou in this book. Her and Grizel together were a sort of odd couple but you could see how they helped each other. It's good to see a slightly more human side of ML, she's not superhuman and she can't solve everything. Smilarly it's good to see the more human side of Len, making mistakes etc.

#7: Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US

Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2004 4:25 pm

I also like this one, and think it gives us some of EBD’s most three-dimensional characters – Grizel, Mary-Lou, and Joey in particular. The Neil-Grizel match develops well, if a trifle quickly – particularly the way Joey seems to consider it a done deal within a week of the accident, when there’s no earlier indication she’s even heard of the guy. But Neil’s clearly a caring person who brings out the best in Grizel -- and I can’t help liking a man who frequents second-hand bookshops, even if he is a doctor Very Happy

. As for both Len & Stacy harking back to old guilts now and then – sounds normal to me. Nothing like guilt or embarrassment for haunting a body years later. The reunion itself seems way too abbreviated, as we don’t get enough time with most of the participants – though of course that’s the way it is with reunions, and it’s good that Joey made it a house party rather than a one day affair, leaving us space to imagine more of the catching up that probably went on. Reg’s talking to Jack about Len does seem odd to me, but otherwise he comes across as a good egg rather than slimy. And it’s nice to be reassured that Joey does indeed think Len should meet more boys before making such decisions (Reading too many drabbles, me?) As for favorite parts -- well, one that no one’s yet mentioned is the opening conversation between Joey & Rosalie, which is one I particularly enjoy. It can’t have been easy to write such realistic interaction while simultaneously setting the scene and showing Joey with all her quirks. To quote Corney later on, "Gee! I could kill you sometimes, Joey!" But I imagine, like Rosalie, I’d treasure her friendship all the same. I also greatly sympathize with Corney crossing the stream, as one who was never much good at tripping daintily across stepping stones. (only plain tripping -- recalls lying flat on face in creek, struggling under weighty backpack) Vocab question: What’s a tamasha, and how do you pronounce it? (not in my dictionary -- though neither is hunky-dory, which is a perfectly normal expression, though not as common as it once was)

#8: Author: Rachael,

Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2004 4:43 pm

Haven't a clue - what's the context?

#9: Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US

Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2004 4:59 pm

Quote:

"I think," she pondered as she walked, "that as soon as this tamasha of Joey's is over I'll get her alone and tell her – something, at any rate.

I'm torn as to whether it's a variant of "shindig" or "beanfest" -- or perhaps something more along the lines of "hullabaloo," since I think I've also heard "tommyshaw" (not sure if this is right spelling) meaning across between that and a brawl.

#10: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2004 5:14 pm

I love this book as well, though I always wished that more of the first girls had a bigger role, such as Amy and Margia, and that Juliet was mentioned more ~ at one point its hard to remember she's there! But I do like the reminiscenses. I really loved Grizel's arrival, the description of her room, and the addition of the tea service, made it seem so homely, and showed Joey's true caring side. I really liked the romance. Neil is a great character, who understands Grizel, and has obviously had some similar experiences. The description of them as two lonely people was very moving. I feel that the mention of the burns is partly EBD reminding her audience of the event, but I do find it realistic. Having been parted all these years, and then receiving such hospitality from Jo, Grizel is going to be reminded of her guilt, when seeing Len. I agree that seeing a different side to Len is good, but I do feel sorry for the rest of the family being packed off (again) for the holidays, just so Joey could be hostess.

#11: Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US

Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2004 5:13 am

Just turned up a "tommyshaw" quote in Mistress Pat, where it represents Lucy Maud Montgomery's phonetic rendition of Irish immigrant dialect.

Judy Plum wrote:

I'm guessing ye'll always be Cuddles to me. And such a tommyshaw as we had finding a name for ye at that! Do ye be minding, Pat?

Maybe the same as Grizel's tamasha, do you think?

#12: Author: mohini, Location: india

Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2004 4:38 pm

tamasha is pronounced as ta- ma- sha with short sound of a in ta We use it in our language to describe something which is very loud and showy. It is used for road shows where everything is supposed to be bigger than life. In early days the artists used to perform in front of people on raod side and tell stories about Gods and other stories.There is song and dance included in this. The artists dress colourfully.

#13: Author: MissPrint, Location: Edinburgh

Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2004 4:54 pm

Wow, thanks Mohini. I had always assumed it was something like a stramash, which is somewhere between a party and a hullabaloo. Perhaps EBD had Indian connections after all.

#14: Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US

Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2004 8:09 pm

Thank you, Mohini! Very Happy

#15: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2004 5:10 pm

This has always been one of my favourite books as I love reading about the old girls. I just wish we had seen more of the party and had more old girls included (Margia and Amy have been mentioned). I would have liked to have seen Madge take part in this. I love the Sophie scene but I also like the part where Mollie Maynard arrives. I am glad Grizel and Neil got together and yeas it was quick but they are older and had nothing to hold them back. Grizel's character really did seem to soften at this point. I think it was quite natural that Grizel remembered about Len's burns, it would probably have become a strong mmory when she met her again, as it would probably have been their last interaction together.

#16: Author: Ann, Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, England

Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2004 5:24 pm

I've only just read this for the first time and I have to admit I was a bit disappointed. The actual reunion seems to be skimmed over and EBD hurtles through Grizel's recouperation and romance. That said, I thought it was a good idea and it was good to see Grizel getting her happy ending and becoming a Real Chalet School Girl at long last. It also contained what is now my favourite Corney moment:

Quote:

"Maynie was as slender as they come when she left us and look at her now! Oh gee! I guess that's done me!"

#17: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2004 9:56 pm

So many books to write down opinions of... so little time and energy... oh well here goes. I think that when I first read Reunion I was dissappointed with it. I thought that it would be one huge big reunion and that we'd find out about everybodies lifes etc. I do like the opening scenes at Jo's with Grizel and I do like the first few chapters of the reunion but I never really liked her accident. I would have liked it if Margia and Amy had been there, I could never understand why they weren't but people like Corney (only there with Grizel for one term although I was glad she was at the reunion) and Stacie (not in school with Grizel at all) were. I like seeing Maynie again and hearing her call Miss Annersley Nan, it represented just how much she had lost touch. I didn't like Reg's attitude to Len, to me that just doesn't fit in with EBD. On the one hand she's trying to protect the girls from the outside world but on the other she has Reg talking about wanting to marry a 15/16 year old who has no experience of what love feels. Grizel finding love with Neil was good, and as he was a doctor it kind of represented the forgiveness of Grizel by EBD!

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