The Chalet School Wins the Trick
The CBB -> Book Discussions
#1: The Chalet School Wins the Trick Author: Rachael,  PostPosted: Mon Jul 19, 2004 11:49 am

There is no summary for this book Fave/worst scenes? What's your intial impression of the five and their vendetta against the school? How do you like Audrey's reformation throughout the book? What do you think about Josette not being able to join the Millies? Win: Would a jolly good spanking earlier on have resolved the problem? Anything else?

 

#2:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Tue Jul 20, 2004 3:31 pm

It looks as though no-one wants to reply to this, so I thought I'd post, just to get the ball rolling. I'll answer the discussion points once I've had a re-read.

 

#3:  Author: Ellie, Location: Lincolnshire PostPosted: Tue Jul 20, 2004 11:36 pm

What's your intial impression of the five and their vendetta against the school? Understandable I suppose, given Rosalie's manner, but fairly childish - then again, they were children. How do you like Audrey's reformation throughout the book? I think it shows her becoming more mature and thoughtful, although it seems to be Solange who becomes reconciled to the school first, after her chat with Maria, and that seems to influence Audrey. Having said that, I haven't read this for a while so my memory may be playing tricks on me. What do you think about Josette not being able to join the Millies? Um, I don't actually remember this at all in the book, but I think it's hard lines on Josette, although, IIRC she seemed to snaffle a husband pretty quickly despite not being 'finished' Win: Would a jolly good spanking earlier on have resolved the problem? Win is one of the most irritating and annoying little brats ever! Not only would I have liked to give her a good spanking, I'd have left her in the hole in the ground and flung copious amounts of earth on top of her. I didn't like the way in which Rosli was shown to have a stereotypical lower class tendency to dissolve into hysterics when Win was discovered to be missing - apart from the favoured few domestics, Anna, Karen and er, EBD's servants seem incapable of dealing with any situation calmly. They may have been poor and uneducated but this does NOT mean they had to be incompetant.

 

#4:  Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Tue Jul 20, 2004 11:45 pm

One of my least favourite books so it doesn't get a re-read very often. I'll help Ellie shovel the dirt in on top of Win! I do remember being rather incensed that Josette was yanked off to Australia but that seems to be when EBD was writing the Russells out of the series apart from guest appearances and the odd mention. I also thought the idea of Rösli having hysterics was so unlikely and a slur on the 'servants'. Very Victorian.

 

#5:  Author: Lisa_T, Location: Belfast PostPosted: Tue Jul 20, 2004 11:54 pm

There's something in the transcript of Ruey too about Josette- Hilda tells Josette, out of the blue and in front of the other girls, that she won't be going to St Mildred's. She then refused to answer any question on the subject. That's one of the very few occasions when Hilda really annoys me and strikes me as unfair!

 

#6:  Author: MissPrint, Location: Edinburgh PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2004 12:00 am

I remember waiting so long to find this book, and when I finally got is, what a disappointment! Win could have done with a good spanking, as could most ot the rest of the five. Can't remeber what I paid for it, but it was definitely too much. I'm revelling in Tyrol years atm.

 

#7:  Author: Donna, Location: Liverpool PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2004 11:41 am

my least favourite as well - I've only read it once since I bought it last year. In fact, I dislike it so much, i can't think of anything else to say on the topic, so a pretty pointless post really! Smile

 

#8:  Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2004 1:30 pm

This is also quite high on my list of CS books I am not keen on. I think 'the five' are quite childish on occaision - the time when they meet Len on the path for instance and their calm assumption that they could do as they like. I think Audrey seems to mature well in the book, it can't have been easy for her having her father so ill. If I'd had charge of young Win for more thn five minutes she would have had a good spanking and been put firmly in her place. I feel really sorry for Rosli in this. If she was as prone to hyterics as that what was she doing in charge of the children anyway?

 

#9:  Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2004 4:25 pm

I'm afraid that this one also doesn't rank very high with me, probably because the main focus is on the "Caramie lot," who aren't terribly sympathetic characters. Audrey's growing up seems realistic, and requires remarkably little CS intervention -- in fact, Hilda's speech to her at the end doesn't seem at all fair, especially given that Audrey had no responsibility whatsoever for Win's final disappearance. It was nice to see Maria Marani MacLaren "back". I am puzzled about the "English pronunciation" of Maria, though. Mar-i-a and Mar-ee-a sound the same as far as I'm concerned. Pronounced as in, "How do you solve a problem like Maria?" Rösli's panic didn't seem terribly out of place to me at first, especially since she'd just dealt competently (for EBD-brand first aid Confused ) with serious jam burns. I didn't get annoyed until she was presented as calming down "now that her master was here to take charge." If I were Josette, I would think visiting Australia & possibly New Zealand much more exciting than just another term between school and university, but can see her regrets. One thing that struck me as odd was the shocked reaction of the staff to the middles' "shrieking joyfully" when the CS won at tennis. I'd never thought of cheering the home team as particularly rude! Is/was this the normal perception? Liked Jenny's tolerantly amused reaction, however. That's about it. If I'd read this one earlier, you wouldn't have had to explain that invigilator is just English English for proctor Smile . Still another language question, though. How does colour-washing differ from painting?

 

#10:  Author: Richenda,  PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2004 4:29 pm

[quote="Kathy_S"] It was nice to see Maria Marani MacLaren "back". I am puzzled about the "English pronunciation" of Maria, though. Mar-i-a and Mar-ee-a sound the same as far as I'm concerned. Pronounced as in, "How do you solve a problem like Maria?" I think the traditional english pronunciation of Maria is like Mariah Carey (my english lit teacher insisted on this from Mansfield Park) and the continental version is like the sound of music version. The continental version seems to have usurped the english version now.

 

#11:  Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2004 4:44 pm

Im rather glad not to be the only one who finds Trick rather a disappointment. I once didn't buy a cheap HB with DW because I both didn't like it and its wrapper! Saying that I do like Audrey, and she does mature through the book, and I feel sorry for her about Win's disapearence. However, I don't like the other girls that much, especially not Win, I wonder how she would have grown up and whether she would have become a Chalet School Girl? I do like Solange though, and wished EBD could have developed her more. I feel very sorry for Josette, surely it should have been her decision (or at least she should have been consulted) before Madge decided to pull her out of school. But then I also feel sorry for Sybil missing out on her training. At least Madge didn't show favouritism by allowing Josette to stay, as she might have (see all previous comments about Madge's handling of Sybil, especially after Josette's accident) Probably the worst thing about the book though is the title - where did that come from!

 

#12:  Author: Rachael,  PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2004 4:46 pm

You're right Richenda - thank goodness! *thinking Black Maria (Mar-eye-ah) police cars!* And yes, the title sucks!! - perhaps it was a newsletter comp. Wink Laughing

 

#13:  Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2004 5:11 pm

Joey wrote:
You wouldn't believe how hard it is sometimes to get the right title for a book, Audrey. More than once I've gone on writing the whole thing, and at the end I still can't think what to call it.
The Chalet School Wins the Trick (oh, the irony)

 

#14:  Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2004 5:30 pm

lol Kathy Perhaps EBD realised it was terrible, and that was her apology??

 

#15:  Author: claire, Location: South Wales PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2004 7:16 pm

I have a feeling that at that point in the book she had no idea of what to call it - but can you think of any other better titles for the book (I agree Wins the Trick is pretty dire)

 

#16:  Author: Dawn, Location: Leeds, West Yorks PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2004 11:02 pm

Carolyn P wrote:
I must be very slow, this is the first time I've made the connection between the title and the name of the character.
Embarassed Embarassed Embarassed not as slow as me - I just sat here reading this and trying to work out the connection - it took me nearly a minute Embarassed Embarassed Embarassed

 

#17:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Thu Jul 22, 2004 9:29 am

Er, ladies, I'm not sure that EBD intended a pun. I always read the title as EBD using a card game term, One wins tricks in whist and in rummy.

 

#18:  Author: Ray, Location: Bristol, England PostPosted: Thu Jul 22, 2004 9:30 am

I finished rereading this yesterday and, a little bit like Leader, I found it better than I remembered. Fave/worst scenes? No real favourites I did rather dislike the re-use of the Win disappears plot and I wasn't terribly keen on Miss Annersley's speech to Audrey. What's your intial impression of the five and their vendetta against the school? As someone else has said, this is basically a retred of the Mystic M. I think the characters here are slightly less irritating than the Balbinis, but not by much. How do you like Audrey's reformation throughout the book? I think this is the saving grace of the book, really it shows a very natural and growing realisation that things aren't quite how you think about them as a child. I think it's probably one of EBD's best pieces of showing a character maturing, and for once, it isn't enforced by some dramatic (and possibly improbable) event, and nor does it hinge on Mary-Lou/Len/Joey/a.n.other CS character talking to her. What do you think about Josette not being able to join the Millies? Grossly unfair of Madge for both Sybs and Josette, which is something that she's never come across as being at any other point in the series (and I DO include her reaction to Josette's accident in that - I don't feel that Sybs gets reminded of it all THAT much, and most of those reminders come from other people, not Madge). Win: Would a jolly good spanking earlier on have resolved the problem? I don't know about resolved the problem, but boy would it have felt good if you had very much to do with the little brat! Anything else? There's been a lot of comment about Rosli's hysterics, so I paid particular attention to that bit and I don't think it's that out of place at all. She's remarkably calm in the face of Anna's jam burns, and it's only really when she realises that Win really has run off/disappeared that she starts to get panicy - and who wouldn't at that point? As for the line about Jack taking over, it's maybe a little irritatingly phrased (after all, "the man of the house" does sound a bit patronising these days), but I've been in the situation myself where I've found myself literally thinking "thank God there's a responsible adult to take over" which is not so far different (I was over eighteen at the time so technically I was a responsible adult). I still don't think it's going to be a frequently read book, but it is better than I remember! Ray *Smile*

 

#19:  Author: Ruth, Location: Lincolnshire, England PostPosted: Thu Jul 22, 2004 11:11 am

This is my least favourite of the entire series. The five of them are very childish in their vendetta against the school. I was glad to see Audrey mature as the book went on. It is rather hard on Josette having to miss out on being a Millie but she is obviously happy in Australia! Win needs a good spanking! The title, I agree, is rather wide - isn't it? - sort of covers a multitude of sins!

 

#20:  Author: Lisa_T, Location: Belfast PostPosted: Thu Jul 22, 2004 7:21 pm

i was never keen on this one and can never decide whether i would jump on it with shrieks of joy if i found it in HB. then again i probably would. In one way, this reminds me a little of AF's school stories (don't lynch me, please!) because it is unusual in that the Staff in this book (particularly the Head) come across as much more remote than in the rest of the series. Also the preoccupation with exams and so on is very realistic, but you don't see that same detailed attention to the taking of public exams in the rest of the series- it's normally just referred to in passing. Colour washing, Kathy, I imagine is a very thin paint solution, possibly placed over a white paint base. Watercolourish effect, if you like.

 

#21:  Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle PostPosted: Thu Jul 22, 2004 11:56 pm

Kathy, I always though the difference between painting and colour washing in this instance meant they were painting the walls instead of wallpapering them. Much more common nowadays than then. When I was little my dad always called it 'Wallpamuring' the walls as the brand of pain you used was called 'Walpamur' as far as I remember. Painting meant undercoating and gloss painting the woodwork. I didn't realise I hadn't put this in my earlier post.

 

#22:  Author: Richenda,  PostPosted: Fri Jul 23, 2004 9:07 am

Remember in 'Jo Returns', when Jo thinks of calling her book 'Cecily holds the fort' (or 'Malvina Wins Through')? Jo chose titles that covered just about everything on purpose! EBD was probably pushed for the title of her next book before she'd thought of the plot, so plumped for something all encompassing!

 

#23:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Fri Jul 23, 2004 12:36 pm

EBD may have been thinking about distempering the walls. it was possible to buy large tins of distemper, which were then diluted to the right consistency, and it was also possible to add colour to the distemper so that you got the shade you actually wanted.

 

#24:  Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US PostPosted: Fri Jul 23, 2004 2:38 pm

Thanks for all the colour-washing ideas. I'm not terribly familiar with "distempering walls," either, I'm afraid -- distemper to me is one of the diseases for which cat receives vaccinations. I'd seen the phrase at some point and assumed the walls were sick! mildew or something. Now prodded to look it up:
WordNet wrote:
a method of painting in which the pigments are mixed with water and a binder used for painting posters or murals or stage scenery to paint with distemper
Merriam-Webster wrote:
A preparation of opaque or body colors, in which the pigments are tempered or diluted with weak glue or size (cf. Tempera) instead of oil, usually for scene painting, or for walls and ceilings of rooms.
Also discovered there really was a definition for "color wash"
Quote:
a wash of whitewash or other water-base paint tinted with a colored pigment
(never thought of whitewash as a true paint though, just a mix of lime & water)

 

#25:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Fri Jul 23, 2004 3:43 pm

Don't we live and learn on this board!

 

#26:  Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Fri Jul 23, 2004 11:04 pm

Well, I guess when you think of it, it's pretty logical that colourwashing is like whitewashing but with a colour.......

 

#27:  Author: Lisa_T, Location: Belfast PostPosted: Fri Jul 23, 2004 11:21 pm

*smirks* and wasn't that what I told you? *goes looking for a new hat*

 

#28:  Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Fri Jul 23, 2004 11:52 pm

*reminds Lisa how dangerous being smug is........*

 

#29:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Sat Jul 24, 2004 5:15 pm

Enough, children, enough.

 

#30:  Author: Lisa_T, Location: Belfast PostPosted: Sat Jul 24, 2004 9:15 pm

Yes, miss. Do you want your zimmer frame, Miss? *wide-eyed innocence*

 

#31:  Author: MissPrint, Location: Edinburgh PostPosted: Sun Jul 25, 2004 12:12 am

Colourwashing was briefly back in vogue a few years ago, in the heyday of Changing Rooms and other makeover shows. I colourwashed my daughter's bedroom, mainly because I hadn't enough paint, and it seemed like a good idea at the time. Basically it means diluting your coloured emulsion to sloppy single cream consistency and applying it quickly with multidirectional brush strokes. The undercoat doesn't have to be white, depends what you are colourwaxhing with. I got the best effect using several testerpots of yellow/orange hues over white, and truly awful effects using dark blue. I discussed the results with a decorator, and he said that the pigments in blue paints don't lend themselves well to this technique, but yellow orange colours do. On the yellow wall, it gives the effect of subtle shading and movement, it looks great. On the blue walls it just looked patchy. I think it originally was distemper and colourisers, and gave a patchy effect similar to what I achieved with sloppy emulsion. Cheap and quick would be the key words I think.

 

#32:  Author: Lisa_T, Location: Belfast PostPosted: Sun Jul 25, 2004 12:54 pm

I suppose yoiu could use it with sponging/ ragging as well for diffierent effects. Sounds quite tuscany if it works with the red/yellow spectrum.

 

The CBB -> Book Discussions


output generated using printer-friendly topic mod, All times are GMT + 1 Hour

Page 1 of 1

Powered by phpBB 2.0.6 © 2001,2002 phpBB Group