Name: I prefer to be known as Rosamund
Age: 44
Location: Ireland
SLOCs/children/pets/imaginary friends: One lovely husband and one lovely child
Favourite and least favourite books and characters: I
love the books set in Austria. I had a rather unhappy home life and was bullied at school so the Austrian books provided an entire community for me to step into. As well as the early pupils and mistresses, we were introduced to the families of the pupils and many of the San doctors. So many kind, friendly people (for the most part). I also loved the idea of Madge and Joey setting off to a foreign country on a big adventure and I enjoyed the chapters depicting their travels to Austria and the early settling in period. My least favourite books are probably after Mary Lou leaves the CS. There was an endless succession of new pupils but none of them really stood out and there wasn't the same sense of community as in the earlier, Austrian, books. Aside from the Austrian books, my favourites were 'Three go to the Chalet School', 'Carola storms the Chalet School' and 'A problem for the Chalet School'. My favourite characters were Joey, Mary Lou, Carola and all the pupils who featured in the Austrian books. Oh and did I mention Rosamund
. I don't think I had a least favourite character. They all contributed something (for better or worse). A bit like life, I suppose. My attitude towards many of the characters has changed. I had very black and white opinions of the characters as a child/teenager - now I'm a lot more sympathetic to people like Joan Baker, Simone Lecoutier, Joyce Linton, Eustacia Benson etc.
How you got into the Chalet School: My sister was a big reader and collected them. One day I picked one up and got hooked. She had maybe twenty or so books at that stage but I didn't read them in the right sequence so of course, Joey went from being a mother of nine to a pupil at the school to a mother of triplets (and back again). And the location hopped all over the place. Anyway, I started looking out for the books too, so between us we managed to get hold of most of the books. There are maybe five or so that I haven't read. They were all Armada paperbooks and I didn't realize until relatively recently that the books were abridged. I started reading them when I was nine or ten and continued to read them right through my teens and into my early twenties. Then life took over (work and a boyfriend and buying a house) and I moved out and stopped reading the books. I guess I didn't need them anymore. But they'll always hold a special place in my heart.
How you found the CBB: I was googling the CS books and came across it
.
My SLOC wouldn't! I actually quite enjoy it, but not the other housework! I dust only when we have guests! Or not, if I can get away with it...
Welcome to the board, Rosamund. Enjoy!