The Chalet School in the Oberland

While this is not one of the better Chalet School books I have a sneaking affection for it. It is lovely to get back to Abroad again, as the Finishing Branch opens in Switzerland. All the girls are at least sixteen and some are eighteen and so nearly grown-up! While boarding school stories are about wealthy families, when the characters are young girls they behave as schoolgirls of that age do everywhere, wealthy or not, so that is not the most important aspect. However only a certain class of girl goes to Finishing School so there's much less of an everyman (everywoman?) feel to this story. It also makes it much more dated. There are definite differences between this and a similar story published today. The first thing that strikes the show more modern-day reader is the amount of smoking that goes on - by staff and students. When some girls are found smoking they are not reprimanded for that, as the teacher who finds them has not been told whether they may smoke or not, but they are all severely rebuked for playing cards on a Sunday. One of the girls - not an ex-Chalet School student - receives letters from a boy and comes close to being asked to leave for this - that sort of thing isn't done in a decent boarding school. Apart from these differences it is the usual Chalet School story: some lessons (though these are less prominent), descriptions of the dining room, dormitories etc, a ramble, a mishap in the snow, a frightening train journey, a party and, instead of a nativity play, a pantomime - described in too much detail. Although the finishing branch remains part of the series this is the only book in which it plays such a prominent part and EBD goes back to the age-group she writes about best. show less

The Chalet School opens a sixth-form 'finishing school' in Switzerland. A mixture of 38 girls from various schools begin the term together, headed by Miss Wilson and one or two other familiar faces from the series.

Gradually the girls learn to work and play together. There are some old favourite characters, including Peggy Bettany who goes through a very difficult period. There are also some new folk, some of whom struggle with the Chalet School ethos until a crisis happens. This book is a little different from some of the others; enjoyable light reading, with a pantomime rather than the usual Nativity play or summer fair at the end.

Re-read after about twelve years, while recovering from a cold and feeling very tired, and it made most show more enjoyable fluffy reading. Re-read again another 12 years later and enjoyed it afresh.

Latest full review here: https://suesbookreviews.blogspot.com/2024/02/the-chalet-school-in-oberland-by-el... show less