January Books

[callmemadam]

LJ ate my entire posting. I am seriously displeased. Let's try again.

Dulcie’s Little Brother by Evelyn Everett Green. Starts very promisingly with two semi-orphan children living alone in a London attic. Just the sort of Victorian stuff I like. In no time at all, however, they are living in comfort in the country with distant relatives they didn’t know they had. The brother of the title, Tottie, is a revolting child who is nevertheless sympathetically portrayed. The book is the story of his reformation through the suffering of his sister.
The Lower Fourth Excels Itself by Nancy Breary. Yawn. Derivative plots, laboured humour, forgettable characters. Say what you like about Joey or Mary-Lou (and you will) everyone who’s read a Chalet School book has an opinion about them. I can never understand why people cry up Nancy Breary and disparage Angela Brazil, whom I like so much more. Now sold, hurrah!
Uncle Boo by Evelyn Everett Green. Children’s book. Set during the Boer War and full of passionate patriotism. Father goes off to war as a CIV so Mother and the children go to stay in the country with ‘Uncle Boo’ as they call him, who is a land agent. They learn about country life in what is really a series of cleverly disguised nature lessons. You could learn a lot about birds and flowers from this book. There are also a lot of dogs in it. Luckily father comes home safe and if that weren’t enough, an unexpected legacy means that they can all stay in the country instead of returning to London. One of her most commonly seen titles so it must have been very popular.
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterman.
The Week Before Christmas by Freda C Bond. Second book about the Carols
Nan and Ken a Story for Children by May Wynne. Children recovering from scarlet fever are sent to stay with their uncle for three months while their parents are in America. Never were there such children: a life threatening incident or two in every chapter. One for the charity shop bag.
Espresso Tales by Alexander McCall Smith.
Blue Shoes and Happiness by Alexander McCall Smith. The latest from the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency
Heavenly Date and Other Flirtations by Alexander McCall Smith. Short stories.
Kingsley Amis a Biography by Eric Jacobs.

Ongoing:
Made in Heaven by Adele Geras
The Young Step-Mother by Charlotte M Yonge (Oh joy,much more on this later.)
Charlotte M Yonge by Georgina Battiscombe

Comments

[mouse262.livejournal.com]

My sister collects Nancy Breary and I find that the more expensive the book, the better it is. Books like the lower fourth excels itself and give the fourth a bad name I struggled though. Books like At School with Petra,The Fourth was fun for Philippa and Rachel Changes Schools are excellent.

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

the more expensive the book, the better it is

That's interesting, because it is so often not the case. Some of the rarer EBDs, for instance. Glad to know someone else struggles with some Nancy Breary books. I like It was Fun in the Fourth, probably the easiest of all to get, for the character of Eeyore, but I know many people think it a poor book.

[huskyteer.livejournal.com]

It Was Fun In The Fourth reduces me to hysterics:

"I've fallen in!" announced Eeyore.

"It's wet," she said, sparing no detail.

Or something along those lines. Is it just me?

Are there any meerkats in Blue Shoes, or only on the cover?

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

I like that quote, too, but if those lines reduce you to hysterics, you'd probably like the rest of Breary's books more than I do.

Meerkats? Can't remember any but geckos feature. I have the hardback, which shows a gecko but no meerkats.