The Chalet School and Richenda (by Elinor M Brent-Dyer)

(Amazon UK link)

The last time I read ‘The Chalet School and Richenda’ by Elinor M Brent-Dyer was at the end of 2015. At the time, I had the Armada paperback version, and said that I wasn’t going to look out for a full one. I’m not sure why, since the official guide states that there are ‘very major cuts’ in the abridged version. 

However, in the intervening decade, I have acquired a ‘Girls Gone By’ full edition; I don’t recall how. Perhaps my Armada was starting to fall to pieces, or perhaps I was offered a used GGBP version at a good price from a Chalet School Facebook group. But it seemed to be new when I picked it up to read a few days ago. I finished the previous book, 'The coming of age of the Chalet School' early in July, and then was travelling for most of August. 'Richenda'... is the 40th book in the original series. 

Richenda is an interesting character. She’s fifteen at the start of the book, though treated by her father (and her old Nanny) as if she were rather younger. Her father is rather old-school; he was widowed when Richenda was a toddler, and she hasn’t had much to do with him. He’s a collector of antique ceramics, in particular Chinese ones, and has a room where Richenda is not allowed to go unaccompanied. But she, too, has a passion for these ceramics, and can’t resist the temptation to go in and handle them.

So her father decides, as a punishment, to send her to the Chalet School in Switzerland. She’s devastated at leaving her friends and her current school, although she acknowledges that she’s not learning much there. Her father has no idea how to treat her, and no interest in understanding why she keeps going into his special room. He tells her she won’t be home until Christmas, and that he hopes her attitude improves by then.

But Richenda is basically a likeable girl. She travels to the school with a very negative attitude, but she gradually realises that the girls are friendly, the environment is beautiful, and the teaching is excellent. So she decides, perversely, to enjoy herself to get back at her father. She sends long letters to Nanny and to her best friend, but only terse notes to her father. And she works hard at her lessons, particularly French and German, so that she can stay in the form where she is placed, with the girls whom she is beginning to like.

While I don’t remember much from the last time I read the book, I can see how easily the full edition could have been abridged without losing much. There are quite a few somewhat long-winded, pseudo-moralising sections which I expect were removed. And apparently a whole chapter about a half-term expedition was missing in the Armada. I usually skim details of educational expeditions for Chalet School girls, but I quite enjoyed reading the one in this book. Richenda’s half-term is spent with the Maynard family, rather than with the school. 

There are other side stories, as ever with these books. In particular, there’s a lot of concern for Joey Maynard, who has been having some nasty bilious attacks. The eventual diagnosis is somewhat bizarre - Brent-Dyer was very vague and possibly somewhat ignorant about medical conditions. And she doesn’t even mention the fact that having nine children in fifteen years would put a serious toll on anyone’s body, even if, as with Joey, that included triplets, and one set of twins.

I liked the way we got to see the Chalet School through fresh and artistic eyes. I also liked the way Richenda’s personality is explored. She’s quite a thinker, but not ready to consider her father’s point of view until it’s pointed out to her. And I appreciated the way it became clearer that while Joey and Jack expect ‘obedience’ from their younger children, they’re always willing to explain their reasons. They also listen, and hug their children a lot, and spend time playing games and going places with them. Richenda’s father is portrayed as a rigid man, but not a deliberately cruel one. And when something shocking happens in the second part of the book, he realises just what his daughter means to him. 

I’m very pleased that I managed to acquire this book in the full edition, and already look forward to rereading it in another decade or so. Unfortunately the GGBP edition is not currently in print, and the used hardbacks tend to be extremely highly priced. If you can't find a full edition, the abridged Armada is still probably worth having, if you are a fan of this author and don't have it.  

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