Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
I'm never too pleased with the ND books. But I have always admired Nancy's bravery and determination. Jewel thieves don't scare her, even if she does get pushed off a ship.
For this and other book reviews, visit www.bargain-sleuth.com
This review is for both editions, which are completely different stories. The ORiginal Text and the Revised Text.
I found it interesting that at the beginning of the Original Text, it is mentioned that Nancy solved her mystery "some years before" so I think this marks the point when she's 18; in previous editions, her age isn't mentioned, but I believe in The Secret of the Old Clock she is mentioned as being 16.
Nancy, Bess and George are supposed to take a trip to Buenos Aires with a girls' school, but one of the mothers raises a snit fit. The girls don't get on the boat until about half-way through the book, and plenty happens before that.
Nancy is close enough to a lightning strike that she's knocked out. It wouldn't be a Nancy Drew book unless she lost consciousness! She also gets in a fender bender (not her fault, of course) and it only costs $50 to fix. Wouldn't that be nice!
Nancy's gifted a white long-haired cat and decides to travel to South America with it. I should also point out there's no mention of her dog, Togo, in the book. So now she has a cat instead of a dog.
On page 135, George gives a recap of the mysteries thus far: "The trunk episode; Doris Trenton's love affairs; the red-haired stranger; and the unhappy Mrs. Joslin and her daughter; all keep Nancy up and doing."
Bess isn't fat-shamed by anyone but herself in this book. She's the only one who comments on how much food she's consuming.
When the girls get to Buenos Aires, it seems like no one from the ship has anyone else's addresses while they are spending time in the city; there's a lot of chasing down addresses in this book.
Nancy is investigating a luggage shop where she believes her missing trunk is, and a pile of luggage falls on her and knocks her out. When she comes to and makes her way to the front door, she faints. Another knockout!
The mystery was good, although I wished there would have been some sort of travelogue or history of Buenos Aires as you might find in the Revised Texts of Nancy Drew novels.
In the Revised Text, Nancy, Bess and George are returning on a ship from Holland. They must have had a European tour, because it's mentioned later in the book that Nancy bought a swimsuit in Switzerland. Their cabinmate happens to be Nelda Detweiler from Johannesburg, South Africa. She's going to school in America, but she's also running away from scandal: she's been accused of stealing a diamond bracelet from a jeweler. Of course, she's innocent, and Nancy will do everything in her power to prove her innocence.
In an unbelievable, even for a Nancy Drew story, event happens. As the ship is sailing across the Atlantic Ocean, a meteor heads straight for them. Yes, a bloody METEOR! It strikes the water and creates a tidal wave that rocks the large ship.
In another one of the quirks of the Revised Texts, the girls say prayers of thanks that they weren't hurt during a time of catastrophe. Harriet Adams, the ghostwriter of the later Nancy Drew mysteries, liked to casually include Nancy going to church in almost every book.
In the concussion department, George gets knocked out and Nancy faints. Just another typical Nancy Drew adventure. I swear, these girls get knocked on their heads more than NFL players.
It's revealed in the book that no matter where Nancy goes, she's always packing a flashlight. I always wonder about the size of her purse, and the size of her flashlight and magnifying glass, which also makes an appearance.
In another unbelievable event, Nancy and Nelda are picked up by two men dressed as fisherman with stocking masks on and thrown overboard. Luckily, George suspects something and gets the ship stopped. A rescue boat is launched and the girls are found. This I found hard to believe. A big cruise ship can't just stop on a dime (as we all learned with the Titanic), and it's dark out. Even with the use of huge spotlights, I found the girls' rescue too easy.
This review is for both editions, which are completely different stories. The ORiginal Text and the Revised Text.
I found it interesting that at the beginning of the Original Text, it is mentioned that Nancy solved her mystery "some years before" so I think this marks the point when she's 18; in previous editions, her age isn't mentioned, but I believe in The Secret of the Old Clock she is mentioned as being 16.
Nancy, Bess and George are supposed to take a trip to Buenos Aires with a girls' school, but one of the mothers raises a snit fit. The girls don't get on the boat until about half-way through the book, and plenty happens before that.
Nancy is close enough to a lightning strike that she's knocked out. It wouldn't be a Nancy Drew book unless she lost consciousness! She also gets in a fender bender (not her fault, of course) and it only costs $50 to fix. Wouldn't that be nice!
Nancy's gifted a white long-haired cat and decides to travel to South America with it. I should also point out there's no mention of her dog, Togo, in the book. So now she has a cat instead of a dog.
On page 135, George gives a recap of the mysteries thus far: "The trunk episode; Doris Trenton's love affairs; the red-haired stranger; and the unhappy Mrs. Joslin and her daughter; all keep Nancy up and doing."
Bess isn't fat-shamed by anyone but herself in this book. She's the only one who comments on how much food she's consuming.
When the girls get to Buenos Aires, it seems like no one from the ship has anyone else's addresses while they are spending time in the city; there's a lot of chasing down addresses in this book.
Nancy is investigating a luggage shop where she believes her missing trunk is, and a pile of luggage falls on her and knocks her out. When she comes to and makes her way to the front door, she faints. Another knockout!
The mystery was good, although I wished there would have been some sort of travelogue or history of Buenos Aires as you might find in the Revised Texts of Nancy Drew novels.
In the Revised Text, Nancy, Bess and George are returning on a ship from Holland. They must have had a European tour, because it's mentioned later in the book that Nancy bought a swimsuit in Switzerland. Their cabinmate happens to be Nelda Detweiler from Johannesburg, South Africa. She's going to school in America, but she's also running away from scandal: she's been accused of stealing a diamond bracelet from a jeweler. Of course, she's innocent, and Nancy will do everything in her power to prove her innocence.
In an unbelievable, even for a Nancy Drew story, event happens. As the ship is sailing across the Atlantic Ocean, a meteor heads straight for them. Yes, a bloody METEOR! It strikes the water and creates a tidal wave that rocks the large ship.
In another one of the quirks of the Revised Texts, the girls say prayers of thanks that they weren't hurt during a time of catastrophe. Harriet Adams, the ghostwriter of the later Nancy Drew mysteries, liked to casually include Nancy going to church in almost every book.
In the concussion department, George gets knocked out and Nancy faints. Just another typical Nancy Drew adventure. I swear, these girls get knocked on their heads more than NFL players.
It's revealed in the book that no matter where Nancy goes, she's always packing a flashlight. I always wonder about the size of her purse, and the size of her flashlight and magnifying glass, which also makes an appearance.
In another unbelievable event, Nancy and Nelda are picked up by two men dressed as fisherman with stocking masks on and thrown overboard. Luckily, George suspects something and gets the ship stopped. A rescue boat is launched and the girls are found. This I found hard to believe. A big cruise ship can't just stop on a dime (as we all learned with the Titanic), and it's dark out. Even with the use of huge spotlights, I found the girls' rescue too easy.
I read Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys throughout my school and college days.
Nancy Drew is an amateur detective who solves crimes with occasional help from her best friends, Bess and George and, her boyfriend Ned. She also has occasional help from her father Carson Drew who runs a private law practice. From finding stolen goods to missing persons and solving mysterious happenings, Nancy is a force of nature.
Until I discovered that Carolyn Keene is a pen name for a whole bunch of ghostwriters, I used to feel confused about the slight differences in each character from books to book over the many series of Nancy Drew mysteries. I like the character of Nancy best in the original books written by Mildred Wirt Benson where Nancy is truly a character to root for – an independent and street smart girl with a penchant for trouble.
Nancy Drew is an amateur detective who solves crimes with occasional help from her best friends, Bess and George and, her boyfriend Ned. She also has occasional help from her father Carson Drew who runs a private law practice. From finding stolen goods to missing persons and solving mysterious happenings, Nancy is a force of nature.
Until I discovered that Carolyn Keene is a pen name for a whole bunch of ghostwriters, I used to feel confused about the slight differences in each character from books to book over the many series of Nancy Drew mysteries. I like the character of Nancy best in the original books written by Mildred Wirt Benson where Nancy is truly a character to root for – an independent and street smart girl with a penchant for trouble.
mysterious
Nancy and her gal pals take a trip on the LOOOOVVE BOOOAAAAT
No, it's not actually like the LOOOOVVE BOOOAAAAT; it's more like the POORLY SECURED MYSTEERRRY BOOOAAAAT
Soon she'll be meeting another boy . . .
The POORLY SECURED MYSTEERRRY BOOOAAAAT
Seems like several times she gets thrown overboard . . .
There are costumes and unmarked luggage and kidnappings and attacks with blunt Obbbjjeeects . . .
There's no security onboard so Nancy must defend herself from all the suspeeeccttts . .
They disguise themselves badly and communicate by the sign language finger alphabet . . .
which Nancy does not understand except for the letters of her own name . . .
Luckily all the villains' plotting contains phrases like BEWARE NANCY DREW and WARN CREW and WAS BEN WED. Common phrases that all criminals use, of course!
Nancy has quite a group of friends and acquaintances for this journey. She has her usual sidekicks Bess & George; they meet a new friend and roommate named Nelda; Nancy spends most of every day asking the assistant purser Rod for information that hopefully won't get her killed; AND for fun, the girls meet a fun group of bright young things, led by a real go-getter named Al. If anyone wants to coordinate a swimming race or ping pong tournament, Al is your guy!
Two other major plot elements are a seemingly bottomless traveling trunk that the girls are constantly fussing over, tearing out the lining, fretting about how to put the lining back in; they literally lose sleep over this. Also, they are constantly bothered by a terror of a little boy named "Bobby" whose parents never seem to be around. I think he threw them overboard; or they threw themselves overboard because he is just that awful.
If you find yourself on a cruise with Nancy Drew, you're going to need a refund if you're not dead by the end of it!
No, it's not actually like the LOOOOVVE BOOOAAAAT; it's more like the POORLY SECURED MYSTEERRRY BOOOAAAAT
Soon she'll be meeting another boy . . .
The POORLY SECURED MYSTEERRRY BOOOAAAAT
Seems like several times she gets thrown overboard . . .
There are costumes and unmarked luggage and kidnappings and attacks with blunt Obbbjjeeects . . .
There's no security onboard so Nancy must defend herself from all the suspeeeccttts . .
They disguise themselves badly and communicate by the sign language finger alphabet . . .
which Nancy does not understand except for the letters of her own name . . .
Luckily all the villains' plotting contains phrases like BEWARE NANCY DREW and WARN CREW and WAS BEN WED. Common phrases that all criminals use, of course!
Nancy has quite a group of friends and acquaintances for this journey. She has her usual sidekicks Bess & George; they meet a new friend and roommate named Nelda; Nancy spends most of every day asking the assistant purser Rod for information that hopefully won't get her killed; AND for fun, the girls meet a fun group of bright young things, led by a real go-getter named Al. If anyone wants to coordinate a swimming race or ping pong tournament, Al is your guy!
Two other major plot elements are a seemingly bottomless traveling trunk that the girls are constantly fussing over, tearing out the lining, fretting about how to put the lining back in; they literally lose sleep over this. Also, they are constantly bothered by a terror of a little boy named "Bobby" whose parents never seem to be around. I think he threw them overboard; or they threw themselves overboard because he is just that awful.
If you find yourself on a cruise with Nancy Drew, you're going to need a refund if you're not dead by the end of it!
The Nancy Drew books were a big part of my childhood.
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No