Recs Post: Chalet School
I've had this recs post ready on my LJ since early April. Thought it might be worth actually posting at last! And, wait, don't run away... this post includes scenic vids of Austria; also Doctor Who and Jeeves & Wooster crossovers and an excellent & totally strings-free historical fic set in Nazi Germany.
General
Firstly, the main port of call for any Chaletians on LJ is freudesheim. It's not very active in terms of posts, but it has a sizeable and responsive membership and includes links, fic, icons and other things. There's also a forum: The CBB. [And I waited so long to post this, happily the fic archive, The Sally Denny Library has gone live again.]
Elinor M. Brent-Dyer's Chalet School books are a UK series of girls' school stories (1925-1970). Initially the books were set in a very specific location in the Austrian Tirol, which is quite a big part of the appeal. I found some YouTube vids of Achensee and Pertisau (the probable rl names for the Tiernsee and Briesau) to show why - and they might be useful when writing fic:
Relevant Vids
(Joey in later books, talks of the Tiernsee as the bluest thing in existence, and you can see why from this seconds long vid of Achensee).
The next two are general vids of the area, with music, so makes for easier watching:
(Obviously no road like this would have been around in the 20s and 30s!)
There are also a series of vids obviously filmed by Chalet School fans (starting with this here highlighting some of the sites identified by Helen McClelland, including the Alpenhof, possibly the model for the original main Chalet itself. Actually, I found it quite disturbing how familiar these seemed, thanks to the books!)
*
There are a few recurring names, but that's inevitable in such a small 'fandom', so bear with me (and most of these have written other fics not recced here, so there's more to find). Very few things are truly spoilerish, but I shall try to warn where appropriate. Because I know it's an unfamiliar fandom for most of my flist (or a long-forgotten childhood memory!), I'll start with the crossovers & I will point out any very accessible fics (indicated by ♦.) (There is one in particular on this list that is simply an excellent WWII fic.)
Fic - Crossovers
Doctor Who
♦ Sarah Jane of the Chalet School by paranoidangel42
(PG, 26,065 words). AU crossover, set in 1930s. Sarah Jane Smith, Harry Sullivan, Madge Russell, Grizel Cochrane, Juliet Carrick, Joey Bettany, Jem Russell, Jack Maynard, Robin Humphries.
In 1930s Austria, Sarah comes back to the Chalet School to teach, while Dr Harry Sullivan joins the staff at the San. (Sarah/Harry). Perfectly accessible as a DW AU.
♦ Companions at the Chalet School by hhertzof
(All ages / PG, 36,184 words). Post-Prefects. Ace, Sarah Jane Smith, Barbara Wright, Jo Grant, Tenth Doctor, Seventh Doctor, Jack Harkness, Joey Maynard, Hilda Annersley, Althea Glenyon, Sam Davies, Val Pertwee, Kathie Ferrars, Robina McQueen, Jack Lambert.
The Chalet School has three new pupils. Sarah Jane is ambivalent; Ace has been coerced by the Doctor, and Jo is just thrilled to be at boarding school at last. Meanwhile, Barbara Wright joins the school as a mistress. Mysterious weather and strange doings make this a term to remember. Excellent, and accessible for Who-fans, but also lovingly ticks off every single CS cliche along the way. (There is also a ficlet sequel of sorts: A Letter to Joey.)
another time (around the wheel) by thankyouturtle
(PG, 14,343). DW crossover, but the Doctor's appearance is limited. (However, the alternative CS timeline in this is very AU, perhaps it's better to know nothing about CS?) Simone Lecoutier, Margot Maynard, Len Maynard, Grizel Cochrane, Deira O'Hagan, Beth Chester, Joey Maynard, Con Maynard, Eleventh Doctor. (Even though she's not actually in it, it also centres heavily on Mademoiselle and her role in the series.)
A flash of light, and four Chalet girls find themselves lost in time. With a little help from the Doctor, they might just find their way back home - but it will be a long and lonely road... In which there is much timey-wimeyness.
♦ Jeeves at the Chalet School by Kate
(All ages, 17,504 words). Crossover with PG Wodehouse's Jeeves & Wooster series. Joey Bettany, Jack Maynard, Grizel Cochrane, Bertie Wooster, Jeeves, Madge Bettany, Robin Humphries et al.
Bertie tries to escape his aunts by staying with a friend in the Tirolean Alps. This works as a nice bit of Wodehouse-homage without any knowledge of the Chalet School and its characters. In fact, given the way that Bertie inevitably sees them, it might even be viewed as a little cruel to them. What is particularly priceless for the reader who knows both is how in character Joey remains. (And Bertie is absolutely right to fear she may be an admirer of Napoleon...)
♦ The Wardrobe by thankyouturtle
(All ages, 1435 words.) AU crossover with Narnia. Joey Maynard, Robin Humphries, Peter, Susan, Edmund & Lucy Pevensie.
The Pevensies are evacuated to Armishire. It's cleverly done and works surprisingly well. Another one that is very accessible to anyone who knows The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, even if not CS.
The Chalet School and Fazia by Sangerin
(All ages, 1695 words). Crossover with Lorna Hill's Sadler's Wells series: Jo Maynard, Jack Maynard, Len, Con & Margot Maynard, Jo Scott, Rosamund Lilley, Elisaveta Helston, Fazia Gionetti, Karl von Ruyter.
"I beg you, Joey: take your triplets and some of their chums up to Kandersteg while Fazia is there." Elisaveta asks Joey to take some of the girls to visit a lonely young princess.
Fic - General
Austrian Era:
The Start of a Beautiful Friendship by athersgeo
(All ages, 1419 words). Hilda Annersley, Nell Wilson.
The beginning of an enduring partnership... A quiet (much-needed) missing scene in which two of the series' most important characters meet for the first time.
♦ To Leave A Trail by pim2005
(Teen, 10,083 words). WWII. Thekla von Stift.
"Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go" ~ TS Eliot. As the author notes: you don't need to know anything about CS to read this - it follows a minor character in Nazi Germany during the war and is excellent - I recommend it to anyone who likes well-written historical fic, because that's just what this is. (In the CS, the character in question is a Prussian who is never heard of again after the war - this story explains what happened to her.)
Armishire/Wales:
A Different Christmas by thankyouturtle
(All ages, 462 words.) Grizel Cochrane, Deira O'Hagan.
Just a snapshot of Grizel in New Zealand, post Carola Storms...
A Reunion by chaletian
(All ages, 868 words.) Betty Wynne-Davies, Elizabeth Arnett.
More laughter ensued, and before either knew quite what they were doing, they were having tea in Harrods and reminiscing quite thoroughly, the silence of the last seven years forgotten. Betty and Elizabeth meet again, years after the events of Highland Twins.
Swiss Era:
A Special Present by euphrosyna
(All ages, 758 words). Charles Maynard, Stephen Maynard, Joey Maynard.
Joey gets a special moment with her boys rather than her girls, for once. Short and sweet.
Per Ardua Ad Astra by Temaris
(PG (for angst), 2394 words). Ruey Richardson, Prf. George Richardson.
A collection of letters and recordings relating to the effects of Professor George T.A.B. Richardson. Ruey and her rocket-scientist father.
Post-series:
Fast and Loose by thankyouturtle
(All ages, 999 words). Spoilers for Prefects. Len Maynard, Joey Maynard.
Len is breaking off her engagement, and she knows exactly how her mother is going to react.
Conversation over Coffee by thankyouturtle
(All ages, 2087 words. Spoilers for Prefects). Len, Con and Margot Maynard.
As Con and Len reach the end of their university careers, Margot meets them for one last gossip. Pretty much what it says on the in. The triplets, post-canon.
We Three Kings by thankyouturtle
(All ages/PG, 6349 words). Joan Baker, Ruey Richardson (& others). Some years post-canon.
Ruey returns to the Chalet School to teach - but she herself has some learning to do. A thoughtful, in-keeping fic which gives Joan proper chance for redemption, and Ruey to ask herself some questions.
A Far Green Country by chaletian
(PG for character death, 1145 words) Joey Bettany
Five ways Joey didn't die, and one way she did. What it says. I don't normally go for death-fic much, but I rather like this. Obviously, five are AU.
Fic - AU/Crack etc.
Liberation by chaletian
(PG, 1910 words). Joey Maynard, Jack Maynard, Len Maynard, Con Maynard, Rosalie Dene, Hilda Annersley, Elisaveta Helston.
Jo Maynard doesn't really want to spend her life rallying around the prefects, and Len's not that keen on marrying Reg. Neither does Rosalie Dene particularly yearn to be wed to the school. Then something changes, and everyone's free to do what they want. The Chalet School characters find themselves suddenly and unexpectedly free from their usual limitations...
There's also a follow-up here in which the Triplets celebrate their freedom (the joy is in how in-character they all still are, despite the meta-crack:
Triptych (Len, Con, Margot, Felicity, Steve; mentions of Con/Roger.)
A Truth Universally Acknowledged Part 1 and Part 2 by bluebellbicycle
(All ages, 12,000 words). A Post-Prefects story in which Pride and Prejudice is rewritten as a Chalet School story. The result is highly entertaining. Con Maynard, Joey Maynard, Grizel Sheppard, Jack Maynard, Len Maynard, Felicity Maynard, Charles Maynard, Philippa Maynard, Cecil Maynard, Geoff Maynard, Stephen Maynard, Reg Entwistle, the Richardsons, plus, 'Dr Darcy' and 'Dr Bingley' and co.
And one for luck:
I'm not sure which category I should have put this in (crack, AU, Crossover, Specific character), so i'll just say that this drabble is probably my fave CS fic for the moment (but sadly it will probably only work if you know the books):
Mary-Lou... Vampire Slayer? by chaletian
(All ages, Drabble)
Mary-Lou would make an excellent Slayer.
General
Firstly, the main port of call for any Chaletians on LJ is freudesheim. It's not very active in terms of posts, but it has a sizeable and responsive membership and includes links, fic, icons and other things. There's also a forum: The CBB. [And I waited so long to post this, happily the fic archive, The Sally Denny Library has gone live again.]
Elinor M. Brent-Dyer's Chalet School books are a UK series of girls' school stories (1925-1970). Initially the books were set in a very specific location in the Austrian Tirol, which is quite a big part of the appeal. I found some YouTube vids of Achensee and Pertisau (the probable rl names for the Tiernsee and Briesau) to show why - and they might be useful when writing fic:
Relevant Vids
Click to view(Joey in later books, talks of the Tiernsee as the bluest thing in existence, and you can see why from this seconds long vid of Achensee).
The next two are general vids of the area, with music, so makes for easier watching:
(Obviously no road like this would have been around in the 20s and 30s!)
There are also a series of vids obviously filmed by Chalet School fans (starting with this here highlighting some of the sites identified by Helen McClelland, including the Alpenhof, possibly the model for the original main Chalet itself. Actually, I found it quite disturbing how familiar these seemed, thanks to the books!)
*
There are a few recurring names, but that's inevitable in such a small 'fandom', so bear with me (and most of these have written other fics not recced here, so there's more to find). Very few things are truly spoilerish, but I shall try to warn where appropriate. Because I know it's an unfamiliar fandom for most of my flist (or a long-forgotten childhood memory!), I'll start with the crossovers & I will point out any very accessible fics (indicated by ♦.) (There is one in particular on this list that is simply an excellent WWII fic.)
Fic - Crossovers
Doctor Who
♦ Sarah Jane of the Chalet School by paranoidangel42
(PG, 26,065 words). AU crossover, set in 1930s. Sarah Jane Smith, Harry Sullivan, Madge Russell, Grizel Cochrane, Juliet Carrick, Joey Bettany, Jem Russell, Jack Maynard, Robin Humphries.
In 1930s Austria, Sarah comes back to the Chalet School to teach, while Dr Harry Sullivan joins the staff at the San. (Sarah/Harry). Perfectly accessible as a DW AU.
♦ Companions at the Chalet School by hhertzof
(All ages / PG, 36,184 words). Post-Prefects. Ace, Sarah Jane Smith, Barbara Wright, Jo Grant, Tenth Doctor, Seventh Doctor, Jack Harkness, Joey Maynard, Hilda Annersley, Althea Glenyon, Sam Davies, Val Pertwee, Kathie Ferrars, Robina McQueen, Jack Lambert.
The Chalet School has three new pupils. Sarah Jane is ambivalent; Ace has been coerced by the Doctor, and Jo is just thrilled to be at boarding school at last. Meanwhile, Barbara Wright joins the school as a mistress. Mysterious weather and strange doings make this a term to remember. Excellent, and accessible for Who-fans, but also lovingly ticks off every single CS cliche along the way. (There is also a ficlet sequel of sorts: A Letter to Joey.)
another time (around the wheel) by thankyouturtle
(PG, 14,343). DW crossover, but the Doctor's appearance is limited. (However, the alternative CS timeline in this is very AU, perhaps it's better to know nothing about CS?) Simone Lecoutier, Margot Maynard, Len Maynard, Grizel Cochrane, Deira O'Hagan, Beth Chester, Joey Maynard, Con Maynard, Eleventh Doctor. (Even though she's not actually in it, it also centres heavily on Mademoiselle and her role in the series.)
A flash of light, and four Chalet girls find themselves lost in time. With a little help from the Doctor, they might just find their way back home - but it will be a long and lonely road... In which there is much timey-wimeyness.
♦ Jeeves at the Chalet School by Kate
(All ages, 17,504 words). Crossover with PG Wodehouse's Jeeves & Wooster series. Joey Bettany, Jack Maynard, Grizel Cochrane, Bertie Wooster, Jeeves, Madge Bettany, Robin Humphries et al.
Bertie tries to escape his aunts by staying with a friend in the Tirolean Alps. This works as a nice bit of Wodehouse-homage without any knowledge of the Chalet School and its characters. In fact, given the way that Bertie inevitably sees them, it might even be viewed as a little cruel to them. What is particularly priceless for the reader who knows both is how in character Joey remains. (And Bertie is absolutely right to fear she may be an admirer of Napoleon...)
♦ The Wardrobe by thankyouturtle
(All ages, 1435 words.) AU crossover with Narnia. Joey Maynard, Robin Humphries, Peter, Susan, Edmund & Lucy Pevensie.
The Pevensies are evacuated to Armishire. It's cleverly done and works surprisingly well. Another one that is very accessible to anyone who knows The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, even if not CS.
The Chalet School and Fazia by Sangerin
(All ages, 1695 words). Crossover with Lorna Hill's Sadler's Wells series: Jo Maynard, Jack Maynard, Len, Con & Margot Maynard, Jo Scott, Rosamund Lilley, Elisaveta Helston, Fazia Gionetti, Karl von Ruyter.
"I beg you, Joey: take your triplets and some of their chums up to Kandersteg while Fazia is there." Elisaveta asks Joey to take some of the girls to visit a lonely young princess.
Fic - General
Austrian Era:
The Start of a Beautiful Friendship by athersgeo
(All ages, 1419 words). Hilda Annersley, Nell Wilson.
The beginning of an enduring partnership... A quiet (much-needed) missing scene in which two of the series' most important characters meet for the first time.
♦ To Leave A Trail by pim2005
(Teen, 10,083 words). WWII. Thekla von Stift.
"Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go" ~ TS Eliot. As the author notes: you don't need to know anything about CS to read this - it follows a minor character in Nazi Germany during the war and is excellent - I recommend it to anyone who likes well-written historical fic, because that's just what this is. (In the CS, the character in question is a Prussian who is never heard of again after the war - this story explains what happened to her.)
Armishire/Wales:
A Different Christmas by thankyouturtle
(All ages, 462 words.) Grizel Cochrane, Deira O'Hagan.
Just a snapshot of Grizel in New Zealand, post Carola Storms...
A Reunion by chaletian
(All ages, 868 words.) Betty Wynne-Davies, Elizabeth Arnett.
More laughter ensued, and before either knew quite what they were doing, they were having tea in Harrods and reminiscing quite thoroughly, the silence of the last seven years forgotten. Betty and Elizabeth meet again, years after the events of Highland Twins.
Swiss Era:
A Special Present by euphrosyna
(All ages, 758 words). Charles Maynard, Stephen Maynard, Joey Maynard.
Joey gets a special moment with her boys rather than her girls, for once. Short and sweet.
Per Ardua Ad Astra by Temaris
(PG (for angst), 2394 words). Ruey Richardson, Prf. George Richardson.
A collection of letters and recordings relating to the effects of Professor George T.A.B. Richardson. Ruey and her rocket-scientist father.
Post-series:
Fast and Loose by thankyouturtle
(All ages, 999 words). Spoilers for Prefects. Len Maynard, Joey Maynard.
Len is breaking off her engagement, and she knows exactly how her mother is going to react.
Conversation over Coffee by thankyouturtle
(All ages, 2087 words. Spoilers for Prefects). Len, Con and Margot Maynard.
As Con and Len reach the end of their university careers, Margot meets them for one last gossip. Pretty much what it says on the in. The triplets, post-canon.
We Three Kings by thankyouturtle
(All ages/PG, 6349 words). Joan Baker, Ruey Richardson (& others). Some years post-canon.
Ruey returns to the Chalet School to teach - but she herself has some learning to do. A thoughtful, in-keeping fic which gives Joan proper chance for redemption, and Ruey to ask herself some questions.
A Far Green Country by chaletian
(PG for character death, 1145 words) Joey Bettany
Five ways Joey didn't die, and one way she did. What it says. I don't normally go for death-fic much, but I rather like this. Obviously, five are AU.
Fic - AU/Crack etc.
Liberation by chaletian
(PG, 1910 words). Joey Maynard, Jack Maynard, Len Maynard, Con Maynard, Rosalie Dene, Hilda Annersley, Elisaveta Helston.
Jo Maynard doesn't really want to spend her life rallying around the prefects, and Len's not that keen on marrying Reg. Neither does Rosalie Dene particularly yearn to be wed to the school. Then something changes, and everyone's free to do what they want. The Chalet School characters find themselves suddenly and unexpectedly free from their usual limitations...
There's also a follow-up here in which the Triplets celebrate their freedom (the joy is in how in-character they all still are, despite the meta-crack:
Triptych (Len, Con, Margot, Felicity, Steve; mentions of Con/Roger.)
A Truth Universally Acknowledged Part 1 and Part 2 by bluebellbicycle
(All ages, 12,000 words). A Post-Prefects story in which Pride and Prejudice is rewritten as a Chalet School story. The result is highly entertaining. Con Maynard, Joey Maynard, Grizel Sheppard, Jack Maynard, Len Maynard, Felicity Maynard, Charles Maynard, Philippa Maynard, Cecil Maynard, Geoff Maynard, Stephen Maynard, Reg Entwistle, the Richardsons, plus, 'Dr Darcy' and 'Dr Bingley' and co.
And one for luck:
I'm not sure which category I should have put this in (crack, AU, Crossover, Specific character), so i'll just say that this drabble is probably my fave CS fic for the moment (but sadly it will probably only work if you know the books):
Mary-Lou... Vampire Slayer? by chaletian
(All ages, Drabble)
Mary-Lou would make an excellent Slayer.