95-116: The rest of the year.

[lnr]

I'm a bit behind in writing these up. Most of the rest consists of a whole pile of chalet school books:

95: Theordora and the chalet school: Elinor M Brent-Dyer: ISBN 0-00-692303-8
96: Joey and co in Tirol: Elinor M Brent-Dyer: ISBN 0-00-694394-2
97: Ruey Richardson at the chalet school: Elinor M Brent-Dyer: ISBN 0-00-692437-5
98: A leader in the chalet school: Elinor M Brent-Dyer: ISBN 0-00-692506-5
99: The chalet school wins the trick: Elinor M Brent-Dyer: ISBN 0-00-692507-3
100: A future chalet school girl: Elinor M Brent-Dyer: ISBN 0-00-694189-3
101: The feud in the chalet school: Elinor M Brent-Dyer: ISBN 0-00-692652-5
102: The chalet school triplets: Elinor M Brent-Dyer: ISBN 0-00-692651-7
103: The chalet school reunion: Elinor M Brent-Dyer: ISBN 0-00-694387-X
104: Jane and the chalet school: Elinor M Brent-Dyer: ISBN 0-00-693903-1
105: Redheads at the chalet school: Elinor M Brent-Dyer: ISBN 0-00-693904-X
106: Adrienne and the chalet school: Elinor M Brent-Dyer: ISBN 0-00-694093-5
107: Sunmmer term at the chalet school: Elinor M Brent-Dyer: ISBN 1-904417-28-0
108: Challenge for the chalet school: Elinor M Brent-Dyer: ISBN 0-00-694107-9
109: Two Sams at the chalet school: Elinor M Brent-Dyer: ISBN 0-00-694140-0
110: Althea joins the chalet school: Elinor M Brent-Dyer: ISBN 0-00-694188-5
111: Prefects of the chalet school: Elinor M Brent-Dyer: ISBN 0-00-694187-7

These pick up the story where it left off and carry on until the last term of Len, Con and Margot's time at school. It seems a fitting place to end the series that started with their mother's schooldays. Much of the usual excitement occurs. Joey finds more young people to adopt and bring along to school. The school itself adopts another nearby school for a while. Much rivalry and jealousy goes on between new girls and so on. Nice to see some of the newer children beginning to fill out as characters and carry on popping up from book after book even when they're not the main focus. There are implausible disasters of course: a train crash, flooding, lightning strikes, a kidnapping; but hey, they're part of the bread and butter of the school. And of course in the end everyone pulls round and helps out just as a good Chalet School girl would do. It seems strange to have finished the entire series now, there are a handful of odds and ends written or co-written by other people that I'll probably read at some point though. Overall I think unless you're a big fan then the whole series is a bit of a big investment though!

Since I finished those I've been keeping on with the fairly light reading theme:

112: Fire and Hemlock: Diana Wynne Jones: ISBN 0-00-675519-4

Loved this when Janet lent it to me, and the kind ceb-fairy bought it for me for my birthday, so happy to read it again. Wonderful fantasy novel of the best sort, mixing old myth and fairy tale with modern life and young people. Recommended to all.

113: Harry Potter and the order of the phoenix: J K Rowling: ISDN 0-7475-6107-9

First time through this in English, having finished it in French at the beginning of the year. Enjoyed it thoroughly, though I felt it was awfully short of actual *plot* for such a long book. Still, I shall be looking forward to the next one.

114: Return of the bunny suicides: Andy Riley: ISBN 0-340-83403-X

Cartoon sequel and almost as funny as the first. Particularly loved the Dalek, Terminator and Sauron ones. An excellent Christmas present from Richard.

115: Pride and Promiscuity: The lost sex scenes of Jane Austen: Arielle Eckstut: ISBN 1-84195-458-6

A fascinating historical find which lends an entirely new depth to the novels I know and love. I shall never look at Charlotte and Mr Collins in quite the same way. Thanks Janet, another excellent Christmas present.

116: Trouble with lichen: John Wyndham: ISBN ???

Picked up and read at relativity to while away a quiet afternoon I enjoyed this as ever. I still think the Triffids is my favourite but this is rather lovely. Anyone who loves old-fashioned Science Fiction should really try Wyndham if they haven't before. Excellent stuff.

And that rounds up 2004. I think on balance I've spent less time reading this year than I have in the past, but that in mostly reading fairly short, light works I've probably read at least as many books as usual, if not more. Oh and if you want to see the full list for this year see my memories