Changes for the Chalet School

This is the last of the stories set on St Briavel's Island and it is a mixture of looking back - lots of footnotes referring to previous books - and looking ahead - the school is moving to Switzerland next term - but not much present. There are accounts of two expeditions, one of which actually goes off without incident! but the book mainly consists of everyday school life and discussion about the new school - of what needs to be done with school equipment etc. This doesn't mean it's a dull read, sometimes you just need to hear about such details, but it will be good to get back to the glamour and excitement of Abroad.

In this book, the School prepares to leave St Briavel's, where they have been for a while during the war, and return to the Oberland. There's not a lot of plot - it's very much a formulaic school story, but there's a bit of light relief when the girls visit the Cadbury factory in Birmingham, and have some trouble with pigs at night...

Bride Bettany is still Head Girl, and the Maynard triplets return from Canada at last, stronger and more confident. Margot strikes up a friendship with the unpredictable Emerence Hope, much to the dismay of the authorities, but is persuaded to work hard after being placed in a form much lower than that of her sisters.

This is an important book for continuity if reading through; it's about half-way through show more the series, and shows the school packing up for a permanent - and planned - removal from the island where they have been so happy for the past few years. But it's not one of my favourites.

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