Reviews

The Chalet School and Barbara by Elinor M. Brent-Dyer

avrilhj's review

3.0

Definitely not one of EBD's best, and only of interest to fans of the entire series. Little action, and only a small amount of character development. But this is the book in which the Chalet School moves to Switzerland and if, like me, you love the place this book is worth it just for the descriptions of Interlaken, Unterseen, Lake Thun and Berne. It made me Swiss-homesick!

elviolet's review

adventurous lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

celiaedf12's review

4.0

In 2008 I started a big read / re-read of the entire Chalet School series (well, the ones I could get my hands on). I got tired of it part way through, and the last one I read was The Wrong Chalet School (book 24 in a 58 book series - well, depending on how you're numbering them). I've realised these are the perfect easy comfort-food books for reading in the middle of the night while feeding a baby, so I picked up the series with this, book number 30 (using the Wikipedia series numbering).

This is the first book after the school (or the main branch of the school) moves to Switzerland and is full of lovely descriptions of the beauty of the alps and little Swiss villages. It's a typical new girl story - Barbara, a girl who has been at home with her mother for her whole life because of her delicate health is well enough to go to school, settles in well, overcomes some minor setbacks, marvels at the beauty of Switzerland and participates in the Christmas play. A very classic CS story.