Elinor Brent-Dyer's Writing - Year 1924
Year: 1924
Elinor's age at time of publication: 30
Title(s): The Maids of La Rochelle
Links to other works in the same year:
N/A
Links to other works in general:
The three key characters will reappear both later in the La Rochelle series but also will people the CS series from the war years onwards.
Mentions of Elsie J Oxenham's work gets an early beginning
Country dancing appears in this book for the first time and will appear at the Chalet School, Janeways, etc.
Janie's illness has parallels with Joey's, particularly in the bedside scenes although they are not as strongly written (and nobody sings her back from the brink)
There are echoes of Elizabeth's success in her writing career with Jo Bettany and hers (Jo Returns to the CS)
The retelling of local legends also plays a strong role in the CS series
Elizabeth has a "mermaid's pride of hair" just like Frieda Mensch
A major fire bringing matters to a head is echoed in New House Mistress
Peter de Garis' fate in some ways reflects that of Alured Saxon (Heather Leaves School), in that both die trying to save the lives of others
Pauline's feelings about her step-brother and Elizabeth are very similar to Clem Barras' ideas about her godfather, Clement Young, and Miss Linton (Three Go)
General Thoughts:
The key themes and events of this book revolve around legends concerning witchcraft are addressed most strongly in this book (although there are hints of them in others - EBD clearly finds the supernatural intriguing!). By setting a story in the foreign-but-still-English atmosphere of Guernsey, EBD is able to begin introducing foreign characters and ideas in a way that will clearly influence her later work. The three Temples are interesting characters, but it is Pauline Ozanne who is clearly the standout, having echoes of some of EBD's later 'Miss Prims' such as Verity-Anne Carey. Pauline's attempts at play-writing are EBD clearly parodying some of the then-popular works of dramatic fiction, having borrowed heavily from the Bard and others. EBD's parallels of this with events in the story are perhaps rather heavy-handed (were five proposals in one book really necessary?) but they do their job of moving the story along.
Elinor's age at time of publication: 30
Title(s): The Maids of La Rochelle
Links to other works in the same year:
N/A
Links to other works in general:
The three key characters will reappear both later in the La Rochelle series but also will people the CS series from the war years onwards.
Mentions of Elsie J Oxenham's work gets an early beginning
Country dancing appears in this book for the first time and will appear at the Chalet School, Janeways, etc.
Janie's illness has parallels with Joey's, particularly in the bedside scenes although they are not as strongly written (and nobody sings her back from the brink)
There are echoes of Elizabeth's success in her writing career with Jo Bettany and hers (Jo Returns to the CS)
The retelling of local legends also plays a strong role in the CS series
Elizabeth has a "mermaid's pride of hair" just like Frieda Mensch
A major fire bringing matters to a head is echoed in New House Mistress
Peter de Garis' fate in some ways reflects that of Alured Saxon (Heather Leaves School), in that both die trying to save the lives of others
Pauline's feelings about her step-brother and Elizabeth are very similar to Clem Barras' ideas about her godfather, Clement Young, and Miss Linton (Three Go)
General Thoughts:
The key themes and events of this book revolve around legends concerning witchcraft are addressed most strongly in this book (although there are hints of them in others - EBD clearly finds the supernatural intriguing!). By setting a story in the foreign-but-still-English atmosphere of Guernsey, EBD is able to begin introducing foreign characters and ideas in a way that will clearly influence her later work. The three Temples are interesting characters, but it is Pauline Ozanne who is clearly the standout, having echoes of some of EBD's later 'Miss Prims' such as Verity-Anne Carey. Pauline's attempts at play-writing are EBD clearly parodying some of the then-popular works of dramatic fiction, having borrowed heavily from the Bard and others. EBD's parallels of this with events in the story are perhaps rather heavy-handed (were five proposals in one book really necessary?) but they do their job of moving the story along.