Theodora and the Chalet School (by Elinor M Brent-Dyer)

(Amazon UK link)

In my slow re-reading of the Chalet School series by Elinor M Brent-Dyer, I reached the one numbered 42 in the original series. It follows straight on from ‘Trials for the Chalet School’, which I reread last month; unfortunately I still haven’t been able to find a reasonably priced full edition of that, but it was still enjoyable in the abridged Armada.

However, I managed to buy a full ‘Girls gone by’ paperback of ‘Theodora and the Chalet School’ about six years ago. I must have read a full hardback as a teenager, when I borrowed the whole series from my school library. But that was around fifty years ago. Since then I have only read it in the abridged Armada. The last time I read it was in 2016. I’m happy that I was able to acquire so many Armada editions in my teens, which tell the stories well. But I’m thoroughly enjoying the fuller editions, particularly those which were heavily abridged. 

‘Theodora’ opens with a scene of Joey Maynard and her friend Rosalie Dene (secretary to the Chalet School) peacefully dealing with paperwork together. Rosalie exclaims in horror at a letter - and I was quite convinced I had never before read the exchange that follows, as the two banter about the phrase Rosalie uses. I compared it to my Armada version, and - sure enough - several paragraphs were removed, right at the beginning. 

Theodora is fourteen, and is to be the only new girl in the summer term. She has been thrown out of three schools, although it was for pranks and wildness rather than anything dishonest. Unfortunately her mother seems to have written her off, which has made things worse. Joey suggests she be offered a new start, keeping her past to herself, and even abbreviating her name, so that she can be known as Ted.

I thought this an excellent addition to the series. It’s not one I had read all that frequently anyway, and it’s a bit different from some of the run-of-the-mill later books. Ted is a likeable person; she expects to be bored, and to be thrown out of the Chalet School. She doesn’t expect people to be friendly, and to offer to help her. Nor does she expect to find the work - and play - so interesting and fulfilling that she barely has time to think of anything against the rules. 

Ted is befriended by Len Maynard, and that starts another subplot involving Margot, youngest of the triplets, who develops an extreme jealousy. It’s quite unreasonable, since Margot has her own special friend Emerence, as several people point out to her. She insists that it’s different. Margot used to get into a lot of trouble, and had somewhat reformed, but this term she starts listening to her ‘devil’, as she puts it. And when she overhears something she thinks she has found a way to stop Len and Ted being so friendly…

I thought this thread was very well handled, particularly, again, in the full edition. I kept the paperback beside me, checking every so often. There really were large chunks removed from the original text. It was well done: all the important aspects of the story are there in the Armada version. But it lacks a lot of the conversation, and some entire scenes. Perhaps they’re not necessary, but I always like the thoughtful discussions, and extra details which Brent-Dyer put into her books. 

In particular I felt that Margot’s thought processes were clearer in the version I’ve just read, showing when she gives in to temptation, and when - sometimes - she manages to fight against it. There’s also just a brief hint that she is already dreaming of the future which she eventually reveals in the final book of the series. 

There isn’t a lot in the classroom in this book, although there’s a chapter or so involving three girls in isolation after contact with a dangerous infection. There are plenty of walks and a half-term weekend expedition which introduce some of the local places, but they’re not as educational as in some other books, and are instead a background to Margot’s jealousy coming to a head. 

The ‘Sale’ comes and goes with barely a mention, which I didn’t mind at all, and even the sports day at the end has only a page or so. Most of the book is taken up with Ted’s story, and I liked it very much. I appreciated Mary-Lou being involved, too; it's her last term as head girl. Some readers find her pushy and rather obnoxious, but I've always liked her, and appreciated her empathy and desire to solve problems. 

At the end of the book is a short story involving Ted’s mother’s cousin and her family, which I thought very well written, although I had worked out about half way through what was revealed, supposedly as a surprise, at the end. 

I would definitely recommend ‘Theodora and the Chalet School’ if you enjoy the series, particularly if you can get hold of a full version, either in one of the original hardbacks or the GGBP one which I have. Unfortunately they don’t stay in print very long, and can be quite expensive second-hand. And even the Armada edition is better than nothing. 

These books were, of course, intended for teenagers but most of today's audience seems to consist of people like me who remember them fondly from our own teenage years. 

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