The Wrong Chalet School
The CBB -> Book Discussions
#1: The Wrong Chalet School Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Sun Feb 08, 2004 2:45 pm

Favourite scene Least fave scene Should the Heads have let Jennifer go unpunished for her behaviour?

 

#2:  Author: Kate, Location: Ireland PostPosted: Sun Feb 08, 2004 4:12 pm

Wheee. Thanks KB. Smile I like this book, it's one of the last ones I got and it is still relatively new to me. For some reason when I saw it on the list of books, I always thought it was a book where Miss Bubb came back and tried out some of her mad ideas on the school - therefore it was made into the "Wrong" Chalet School. I think I must have read Gay just before I made up that theory! Favourite scene: A tie between when Katharine unpacks - very very funny - and when Blossom's escape when she gets locked in. Is it just me, or does Blossom come across much better here than she does in Peggy? In Peggy she seems dishonest (taking the cakes when Eilunedd offers, never feeling guilty like Sybil does) and really annoying - here she is just heedless, and becomes a far more sympathetic character. I love Aunt Luce, she's so funny. Also, the tennis bits reminded me of Trebizon, which I loved. Smile Least favourite scene: any bit with Katharine's parents - storyline is way too overused - practically the same as Kenya, and similar to Gay.

 

#3:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Sun Feb 08, 2004 4:15 pm

No problem, Kate. And I love your theory!

 

#4:  Author: Chelsea, Location: Your Imagination PostPosted: Sun Feb 08, 2004 5:09 pm

*loves Kate's theory. *agrees that Blossom comes across much better in this book. This is one of my favourite books since I really like Kat Gordon, though the story line with Mary Kate is a too contrived. I also like Kat unpacking the suitcase and Blossom getting out of the artroom - though I think the head is a little too crushing to Blossom over the whole affair.

 

#5:  Author: Nicci, Location: UK PostPosted: Sun Feb 08, 2004 6:31 pm

I didn't like this book to start with, but over the years I've come to quite enjoy it. Kat Gorden, I've always associated with KB for some reason, ever since being on the CBB. I also like the suitcase unpacking scene and the scene where BLossom gets locked in during the tennis match. I can't remember the specifics though, she did break the window in the end didn't she? I always thought good on the girl! I honestly don't remember anything really of Jennifer.

 

#6:  Author: Rachael,  PostPosted: Sun Feb 08, 2004 6:31 pm

Love this book because it was my first ... right down to the "flame" coloured uniform confusion .... It is similar to Kenya but at least this one comes first .. I find the parent thing too close to Carola which is immediately before... but I mentioned that on the Carola thread ... Love where Kat wobbles her nose like a rabbit in Herr Laubach's lesson Love Blossom's feistiness - she does come across better than in Peggy - this is what I like about Blossom, she's a real girl who we see matuing throughout the series ... Love Hilary Wilson - a nice, ordinary but representative CS girl Love the tennis match Love the Jennifer Penrose scene with GWTW or FA, depending on your version ... *happy sigh* Tophole read!

 

#7:  Author: Janet, Location: Ferndown, Dorset PostPosted: Sun Feb 08, 2004 10:33 pm

I like this also Katherine seems very "real", even given the tennis talent - I like the way she settles in and makes friends with people like Hilary I also like the jiu-jitsu (sp?) episode when Bride and Tom and co intervene and we see them trying to mete justice like proper seniors but also protect Maeve and her chums from Peggy as HG

 

#8:  Author: niscii, Location: Aberdeen PostPosted: Mon Feb 09, 2004 12:31 am

This is one of my favourites, possibly because we don't see Joey and therefore are spared the inevitable 'coming to the rescue' Very Happy I've also always associated Kat Gordon with Rebecca Mason in Trebizon, both are characters I really like. I do wish that we'd seen more of Kat when she got older but at that stage OOAO was reaching seniorship(new word!) so suppose she never stood a chance! I always felt that the Head was far too crushing to Blossom about the whole widow incident, I don't really think it merited that reaction. Totally agree that the whole parents being away thing is overused however in this instance it does mean that we get Aunt Luce instead and I think she's great, a really well written comedy character. The very obvious affection that Kat has for her scatty Aunt always makes me smile.

 

#9:  Author: Ruth, Location: Lincolnshire, England PostPosted: Mon Feb 09, 2004 10:46 am

I like this book. I like Kat Gordon. I remember when I read it first that I was annoyed that someone had had the audacity to open a school and call it the Chalet School and copy the uniform. I love the way Blossom escapes from the art room. I like the Blossom is portrayed in this book. And the tennis scenes are great. I don't think Jennifer should have been unpunished - bad behaviour of any kind should never be left unpunished.

 

#10:  Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle PostPosted: Tue Feb 10, 2004 1:12 am

Like everyone else love the unpacking scene and Blossom getting out of the art room. Dislike the bit with the parents but my ideas are filed under Carola. This is another comfort read book, especially in the winter if I have a cold. There is something about being snuggled under a duvet with a hot drink, cold outside and reading a story about summer.

 

#11:  Author: jennifer, Location: Sunny California PostPosted: Tue Feb 10, 2004 2:17 am

This is actually the last of the series I read. I liked the portrayal of Katherine's Aunt - a nice woman but someone who should never have been given charge of a child - and Katherine's attempts to explain/apologise for her. I've never liked the way Blossom was reprimanded for not thinking. A junior comes with a message telling her to go meet a teacher - and she's to come to the conclusion that this is a practical joke? I'd like to see the explanation: "I'm sorry I didn't come when you sent for me - I though someone was trying to trick me."! I'm fairly indifferent about Jennifer Penrose's lack of punishment, but given that she sabotaged another girl's sports day and then lied when asked about her involvement, some sort of official reprimand would have been appropriate.

 

#12:  Author: Chelsea, Location: Your Imagination PostPosted: Tue Feb 10, 2004 2:22 am

I loved Kat always trying to explain Aunt Luce - especially to Matey!

 

#13:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Tue Feb 10, 2004 7:56 am

I was always glad that Matey was able to accept her explanation!

 

#14:  Author: Sarah_L, Location: Leeds PostPosted: Tue Feb 10, 2004 5:13 pm

Having never read this book, what did Jennifer Penrose do?

 

#15:  Author: pim, Location: St Andrews (right next to the beach) PostPosted: Tue Feb 10, 2004 7:44 pm

I know that I really like this one but having not read it since last summer I can't be sure about any specifics. It was just one of the better ones where the characters seemed really real and the sort of people you wanted to be friends with.

 

#16:  Author: jennifer, Location: Sunny California PostPosted: Tue Feb 10, 2004 8:44 pm

Sarah_L wrote:
Having never read this book, what did Jennifer Penrose do?
Let's see, She skipped out on the form's gardening session and was berated by Blossom for being lazy. She was then caught reading a 'forbidden book', and through the application of some faulty logic blamed Blossom for this. She then got a junior to tell Blossom that Laubach was waiting for her in the art room, and locked her in, causing her to miss her tennis game against another school. Blossom broke out by smashing the window. Jennifer then lied about her involvement when directely asked about it by the head. Later on, she had nightmares about Blossom cutting her face, sending her into hysterics. This was deemed ample punishment by the staff.

 

#17:  Author: Ellie, Location: Lincolnshire PostPosted: Tue Feb 10, 2004 9:10 pm

This was one of my first CS books, maybe the very first since I can remember it so much more clearly than some of the others, although it's also one of my favourites too. I love Aunt Luce, I wish I could have had an Aunt like that. I loved the scene where Katharine was unpacking. The Art room was OK, but almost exactly the same incident is used in the non CS "Carnation of the Upper lV" I think Jenifer should definitely have been punished, it was just too convenient for her to begin suffering nightmares about Blossom cutting her face, especially as she didn't seem a particularly sensitive girl, but EBD generally seemed keen to avoid expelling any of her pupils so I suppose she used this as an exuse to be lenient. I think it was very unfair of the staff to blame Blossom for getting locked in the art room, I bet if it had been Mary Lou no-one woud have found fault at all.

 

#18:  Author: Chelsea, Location: Your Imagination PostPosted: Tue Feb 10, 2004 10:49 pm

I don't know, people (even ML) get in trouble for weird things sometimes - thinking of ML getting in trouble for hiding on the wardrobe on St. Nick's in ML at the CS.

 

#19:  Author: Sarah_L, Location: Leeds PostPosted: Tue Feb 10, 2004 10:54 pm

Mary-Lou getting into trouble. Surprised

 

#20:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Wed Feb 11, 2004 7:12 am

That's always fun to read! ROFL

 

#21:  Author: Angel, Location: London, England PostPosted: Wed Feb 11, 2004 10:56 pm

Jennifer was worse than Thekla. I think her parents should have been spoken to, and that she should have been quietly removed. I just got Wrong this morning.

 

#22:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Thu Feb 12, 2004 5:34 am

HP or PB?

 

#23:  Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Thu Feb 12, 2004 10:14 am

I definitely think the mistresses tell the girls they think to be irresponsible to 'think' more, but I do think it was unfair on Blossom, and that other characters would have got away with it.

 

#24:  Author: Angel, Location: London, England PostPosted: Thu Feb 12, 2004 10:48 am

PB I already have Harry Potter.

 

#25:  Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Thu Feb 12, 2004 6:30 pm

LOL, but I think your treading dangerous ground

 

#26:  Author: Chelsea, Location: Your Imagination PostPosted: Thu Feb 12, 2004 8:45 pm

Ally wrote:
LOL, but I think your treading dangerous ground
Took me a while to figure out what you were talking about - quick on the uptake, that's me (or is it I)! *that's from Visitor's, btw

 

#27:  Author: Angel, Location: London, England PostPosted: Thu Feb 12, 2004 10:21 pm

Whereas I'm lost.

 

#28:  Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US PostPosted: Fri Feb 13, 2004 12:32 am

Quote:
HP or PB
My first reaction to this was also along the lines of "Harry Potter or Plot Bunny. Which is Wrong?" Had to read the previous post twice... The problem with abbreviations...

 

#29:  Author: Angel, Location: London, England PostPosted: Fri Feb 13, 2004 12:37 am

*thinks* Wrong Plot Bunny --- oh no. Be afraid. Be very very afraid. Miss Bell - the Aunt of Katie....

 

#30: wrong chalet school Author: mohini, Location: india PostPosted: Fri Feb 13, 2004 6:59 am

this is undoubtedly my favourite book of all. it is a throughly enjoyable book.All characters seem true to life. Jennifer is childish and is ounished accordingly. blossom comes out as a gierl with some character and not only a pretty face. Katherine is also very well described. There is no single scene which I did not like

 

#31:  Author: Lisa_T, Location: Belfast PostPosted: Sun Feb 15, 2004 2:25 am

Re Jennifer- that's rather inconsistent, I agree, but there's quite a bit about her backgrounda tthe beginning of 'Shocks', when Hilda more or less explains why she didn't come down on Jennfier like a ton of bricks. ML gets in trouble quite a lot in these books. Nothing major, but she's told off in shocks, bride, and i think in Does It again as well. Each time because she's being so very Mary-Louish... so she didn't always get away with it! Wink The Head is stricter with ML in the HB of ML - it makes me squirm to read it! (although i have to be careful. My HB of ML is very fragile).

 

#32:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Sun Feb 15, 2004 8:35 am

Lisa_T wrote:
The Head is stricter with ML in the HB of ML - it makes me squirm to read it! (although i have to be careful. My HB of ML is very fragile).
She's very firm, isn't she? It astonished me!

 

#33:  Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Sun Feb 15, 2004 11:51 am

*Wails* I want to read the HB of Mary-Lou!!

 

#34:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Sun Feb 15, 2004 12:07 pm

I'm sure it will be up on the transcripts site eventualy...

 

#35:  Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Sun Feb 15, 2004 12:18 pm

megaphone If anyone one out there wants to offer!!

 

#36:  Author: Kirsty, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Sun Feb 15, 2004 2:41 pm

*slowly raises hand* I'll do it. Who needs a life outside this board Wink

 

#37:  Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Sun Feb 15, 2004 5:18 pm

*Huggles Kirsty* Will you really, thank you so much drummer

 

#38:  Author: claire, Location: South Wales PostPosted: Sun Feb 15, 2004 8:53 pm

Thanks Kirsty - is it very cut?

 

#39:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Sun Feb 15, 2004 9:31 pm

It has lots of little bits missing that add immeasurably to the story!

 

#40:  Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Sun Feb 15, 2004 9:58 pm

Back to Wrong (just for a bit) Could you imagine going to a school where the tunic was bright orange? It sounded awful!! And why didn't Kat get suspicious when she ended up on an Island, not at Tanswick?

 

#41:  Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle PostPosted: Mon Feb 16, 2004 12:18 am

Maybe she didn't know where Tanswick was.

 

#42:  Author: Chelsea, Location: Your Imagination PostPosted: Mon Feb 16, 2004 12:30 am

Also curious as to how she manged to get the correct uniform - it was in her trunk, since she says she'll be glad to change into the proper one once her trunk gets there. Also, if the letter was never sent, she'd never have been sent the details about getting the train to school on the first day.

 

#43:  Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Mon Feb 16, 2004 12:30 pm

I got the feeling the choice of uniform was based upon Aunt Luce's artistic impression of what 'flame' was, but the thing that confused me is that she said that it couldn't be the orange tunics, because the letter said brown. How unlikely is it that the school would change its uniform that quickly, even with a new head? As for the Island/Tanswick thing. When Aunt Luce trys to find the Chalet school, there are three, one in Sussex, one on an Island in South Wales and one at Tanswick. This would make the island quite distinct. I suppose it was just down to 'luck' that the two schools were getting exactly the same train!

 

#44:  Author: Janet, Location: Ferndown, Dorset PostPosted: Sat Mar 20, 2004 5:51 pm

I like this book as Katherine is a very ordinary schoolgirl, well apart from the tennis that is! But no running away, no nasty aunt/cousin, happy to be there etc I suppose I mean she's very credibleBut I did always think that Jennifer Penrise over-reacted a bit to Blossom and those dreams about her face being ripped to shreds ...Presumably that was down to her reading matter though - if it wasn't Gone with the Wind it was probably some cheap thriller!!

 

#45:  Author: KB, Location: Melbourne, Australia PostPosted: Sun Mar 21, 2004 6:10 am

I think even in spite of the tennis, she's ordinary. It's usual for people to be very good at one thing, and that's hers. Just because they keep saying she'll be in Wimbeldon, etc, doesn't mean she's really necessarily at that standard. It's hard to judge just among schoolgirls!

 

#46:  Author: Sarah_L, Location: Leeds PostPosted: Tue Sep 14, 2004 8:39 pm

I've just read this book and I enjoyed it. I haven't read all of them from that period, so that made it fresh. I like Katharine, and I wish we'd heard more about her and her friends in future books, rather than odd mentions. Elinor Pennell especially is someone who is fairly obviously heading for HG, but who isn't mentioned that much, even when she does make HG. It's a shame we don't hear too much about Jennifer afterwards, apart from at the start of Shocks. Was she mentioned at all in the prior books? Katharine having a forgetful, scatty aunt annoyed me, as it's yet another aunt. I also hated the coincidences about her parents. There must have been lots of Britons held prisoner by the Chinese, yet Miss Annersley was able to find out information, and one of the girls knew something too. The fact that Mary-Kate's father is also in China is another annoyance. This book was written in the 1950s, but timeline wise I guess it should have been 1947/48(?). Was anything actually happening in China involving foreigners in the late 40s?

 

#47:  Author: claire, Location: South Wales PostPosted: Tue Sep 14, 2004 9:16 pm

Wrong was set in 1949

 

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