Having read 'Elsie Dinsmore', first of the (in)famous 'Elsie' books written at the end of the 19th century by Martha Finley featured in one of the Chalet School stories, I wasn't exactly eager to read any more. But then I did wonder if the series might improve... and there were several of them available free for my Kindle. So I downloaded some of them.
'Elsie's Girlhood' is apparently the third in the series, but I didn't seem to have missed anything by not having read the second. When this book begins, Elsie is a young teenager, established as a wealthy young lady, now living with her much-loved father. This book follows her friendships and her gradual maturing, as she falls in love for the first time.
There are some poignant moments as well as a few that made me roll my eyes somewhat. I did feel that the story was a little more realistic than the first, and that Elsie felt a bit more believable, although the chasm between the 'good' and the 'bad' people is a little too big to be true. The writing style was better than I remembered from the first book, and I found it very readable.
A strong Christian theme underlies the story, but it wasn't quite as overt as in the first book, and Elsie wasn't so irritating as she was as a young child; she no longer keeps dissolving into tears, and while she's hardly a typical teenager, she does seem rather more likeable.
I wouldn't particularly recommend it, but it's not a bad book, given the genre and age. Originally intended for teenagers, I doubt if most of today's teens would enjoy it.
Links are to current paperback editions of 'Elsie's Girlhood', but if you want to read it I would recommend, rather, downloading a free e-book edition from Project Gutenberg.
Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 10th May 2011
'Elsie's Girlhood' is apparently the third in the series, but I didn't seem to have missed anything by not having read the second. When this book begins, Elsie is a young teenager, established as a wealthy young lady, now living with her much-loved father. This book follows her friendships and her gradual maturing, as she falls in love for the first time.
There are some poignant moments as well as a few that made me roll my eyes somewhat. I did feel that the story was a little more realistic than the first, and that Elsie felt a bit more believable, although the chasm between the 'good' and the 'bad' people is a little too big to be true. The writing style was better than I remembered from the first book, and I found it very readable.
A strong Christian theme underlies the story, but it wasn't quite as overt as in the first book, and Elsie wasn't so irritating as she was as a young child; she no longer keeps dissolving into tears, and while she's hardly a typical teenager, she does seem rather more likeable.
I wouldn't particularly recommend it, but it's not a bad book, given the genre and age. Originally intended for teenagers, I doubt if most of today's teens would enjoy it.
Links are to current paperback editions of 'Elsie's Girlhood', but if you want to read it I would recommend, rather, downloading a free e-book edition from Project Gutenberg.
Review copyright Sue's Book Reviews, 10th May 2011
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