The Head Girl of the Chalet School

Fourth in the Chalet School series for teenagers, set in the Austrian Tyrol. In this book, Grizel Cochrane is made head girl for two terms. The staff are not sure that she will cope, particularly when her temper makes her do something irresponsible shortly before she takes up her new role.

However, Grizel determines to succeed. Her two terms as head girl are enlivened by a revengeful prefect, a snow fight which turns nasty, various weddings, an abduction, a trip to Salzburg that has an unpleasant ending, and a surprising discovery.

There's good characterisation, and a variety of plotlines, but overall I found it a bit mediocre on re-reading yet again ten and a half years after the previous time.

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Frankly not her best, though I really enjoyed the descriptions of the Tyrol and all the oher places they visit. The Chalet School series is really as much a travelogue as an adventure series and it adds real depth to the novels. That being said, Grizel and Cornelia were poorly drawn and the general kidnapping plot was beyond unrealistic. What is the most disturbing part of the book is really the sexism constantly thrown at the girls by various men, society at large and even female members of staff and the girls' acceptance of their status as spectators of men's lives. This happens at least twice when they can't enter a monument as it's forbidden to women and don't even comment on it and when Grizel is told women's purpose in life is to show more get married. This alone would warrant one star, I'm lenient as I haven't read the whole series and somewhat reserving judgement but it's disgusting. show less

This one is quite poignant to read again, having read the future of Grizel. All the way through, watching her make an effort to grow, I am aware of how she later fails and how life keeps her largely embittered until the very end of the series. That's one of the more interesting aspects of Brent Dyer's writing - not everyone becomes perfect and has a happy life. Many are less lucky, and Grizel is one.

Cornelia first enters in this story and I started looking for the evidence of her relationship with Mademoiselle, but that doesn't really start in this book. Later books often refer to the fact that she had most of her mothering from Mademoiselle, but I never could remember reading it initially (probably because I wasn't looking for it). So show more now I'm fascinated to find it as I reread and rediscover. Mademoiselle actually comes over as being not desperately capable in this book, which is interesting.

The most frustrating element is that two terms are covered in one book, with the result that much is skipped over. Now I can cope with a lot of details being skipped (there's only so much I want to know about the prefects' meetings and what they sell at the sale of work, for example. But it's quite surprising to discover that the return of Dick, and the introduction to Mollie, Rix, Peggy and Bridget are skipped over in a sentence. Jo and Madge meet their sister-in-law for the first time and there is not a word of mention about it. show less