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The Chalet School #18
Gay Lambert at the Chalet School
Gay Lambert is an impetuous, warm-hearted senior at the Chalet School who quickly takes sad shy Jacynth Hardy under her wing. But the summer term proves to be a difficult one for Gay and her friends when a dreadful accident causes a new headmistress to be appointed.
Authoritarian Miss Bubb has very different views on how a school should be run and soon there is wide discontent. When Gay takes matters into her own hands, it's clear something must be done...
Authoritarian Miss Bubb has very different views on how a school should be run and soon there is wide discontent. When Gay takes matters into her own hands, it's clear something must be done...
176 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1944
About the author
Elinor M. Brent-Dyer
173 books113 followersElinor M. Brent-Dyer was born as Gladys Eleanor May Dyer on 6th April 1894, in South Shields in the industrial northeast of England, and grew up in a terraced house which had no garden or inside toilet. She was the only daughter of Eleanor Watson Rutherford and Charles Morris Brent Dyer. Her father, who had been married before, left home when she was three years old. In 1912, her brother Henzell died at age 17 of cerebro-spinal fever. After her father died, her mother remarried in 1913.
Elinor was educated at a small local private school in South Shields and returned there to teach when she was eighteen after spending two years at the City of Leeds Training College. Her teaching career spanned 36 years, during which she taught in a wide variety of state and private schools in the northeast, in Middlesex, Bedfordshire, Hampshire, and finally in Hereford.
In the early 1920s she adopted the name Elinor Mary Brent-Dyer. A holiday she spent in the Austrian Tyrol at Pertisau-am-Achensee gave her the inspiration for the first location in the Chalet School series. However, her first book, 'Gerry Goes to School', was published in 1922 and was written for the child actress Hazel Bainbridge. Her first 'Chalet' story, 'The School at the Chalet', was originally published in 1925.
In 1930, the same year that 'Jean of Storms' was serialised, she converted to Roman Catholicism.
In 1933 the Brent-Dyer household (she lived with her mother and stepfather until her mother's death in 1957) moved to Hereford. She travelled daily to Peterchurch as a governess.
When her stepfather died she started her own school in Hereford, The Margaret Roper School. It was non-denominational but with a strong religious tradition. Many Chalet School customs were followed, the girls even wore a similar uniform made in the Chalet School's colours of brown and flame. Elinor was rather untidy, erratic and flamboyant and not really suited to being a headmistress. After her school closed in 1948 she devoted most of her time to writing.
Elinor's mother died in 1957 and in 1964 she moved to Redhill, where she lived in a joint establishment with fellow school story author Phyllis Matthewman and her husband, until her death on 20th September 1969.
During her lifetime Elinor M. Brent-Dyer published 101 books but she is remembered mainly for her Chalet School series. The series numbers 58 books and is the longest-surviving series of girls' school-stories ever known, having been continuously in print for more than 70 years. One hundred thousand paperback copies are still being sold each year.
Among her published books are other school stories; family, historical, adventure and animal stories; a cookery book, and four educational geography-readers. She also wrote plays and numerous unpublished poems and was a keen musician.
In 1994, the year of the centenary of her Elinor Brent-Dyer's birth, Friends of the Chalet School put up plaques in Pertisau, South Shields and Hereford, and a headstone was erected on her grave in Redstone Cemetery, since there was not one previously. They also put flowers on her grave on the anniversaries of her birth and death and on other special occasions.
Elinor was educated at a small local private school in South Shields and returned there to teach when she was eighteen after spending two years at the City of Leeds Training College. Her teaching career spanned 36 years, during which she taught in a wide variety of state and private schools in the northeast, in Middlesex, Bedfordshire, Hampshire, and finally in Hereford.
In the early 1920s she adopted the name Elinor Mary Brent-Dyer. A holiday she spent in the Austrian Tyrol at Pertisau-am-Achensee gave her the inspiration for the first location in the Chalet School series. However, her first book, 'Gerry Goes to School', was published in 1922 and was written for the child actress Hazel Bainbridge. Her first 'Chalet' story, 'The School at the Chalet', was originally published in 1925.
In 1930, the same year that 'Jean of Storms' was serialised, she converted to Roman Catholicism.
In 1933 the Brent-Dyer household (she lived with her mother and stepfather until her mother's death in 1957) moved to Hereford. She travelled daily to Peterchurch as a governess.
When her stepfather died she started her own school in Hereford, The Margaret Roper School. It was non-denominational but with a strong religious tradition. Many Chalet School customs were followed, the girls even wore a similar uniform made in the Chalet School's colours of brown and flame. Elinor was rather untidy, erratic and flamboyant and not really suited to being a headmistress. After her school closed in 1948 she devoted most of her time to writing.
Elinor's mother died in 1957 and in 1964 she moved to Redhill, where she lived in a joint establishment with fellow school story author Phyllis Matthewman and her husband, until her death on 20th September 1969.
During her lifetime Elinor M. Brent-Dyer published 101 books but she is remembered mainly for her Chalet School series. The series numbers 58 books and is the longest-surviving series of girls' school-stories ever known, having been continuously in print for more than 70 years. One hundred thousand paperback copies are still being sold each year.
Among her published books are other school stories; family, historical, adventure and animal stories; a cookery book, and four educational geography-readers. She also wrote plays and numerous unpublished poems and was a keen musician.
In 1994, the year of the centenary of her Elinor Brent-Dyer's birth, Friends of the Chalet School put up plaques in Pertisau, South Shields and Hereford, and a headstone was erected on her grave in Redstone Cemetery, since there was not one previously. They also put flowers on her grave on the anniversaries of her birth and death and on other special occasions.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
June 17, 2015
Often, books that take your fancy as a child remain favourites well into adulthood - even when read with a far more cynical pair of grown-up eyes. That's why Gay From China At The Chalet School comes as such a pleasant surprise. It's one of the few earlier Chalet School books I didn't read as a child, mainly because it was so rare as a paperback (much less a hardback). So it emphatically doesn't enjoy that 'childhood favourite' rose-glow of nostalgia. And yet, it's one of the strongest entries in the series at this point.
Gay, by the way, is not strictly speaking from China, though much of her family lives there. She's a warm-hearted schoolgirl, impetuous and generous, who meets the shy, diligent Jacynth Hardy on a train. Immediately, Gay takes Jacynth under her wing, just as the School experiences a pretty big shake-up of its own: four of its most senior mistresses, including headmistress Hilda Annersley and senior mistress Nell Wilson, get into a horrific accident. While they recover - Miss Annersley having been injured considerably more gravely than her companions - Miss Bubb, a retired schoolteacher with ambitions and ideas that don't gel with the Chalet School ethos, is hired as temporary headmistress.
That makes for a combustible mix of character and incident - very much Elinor M. Brent-Dyer's forte. Indeed, she once again creates a pair of really interesting, realistic schoolgirls in Gay and Jacynth. The former is thoughtless and privileged, but loving and helpful. The latter, already considered and considerate, smart and steady, is forced to confront the realities of life in a way that's sensitively and heartbreakingly well-handled.
Beyond that, Brent-Dyer also cooks up three interesting elder ladies. Jacynth's long-suffering invalid of an auntie is a minor presence with a major effect - she pens a letter that's, without spoiling its contents, one of the most emotionally affecting bits of the entire series. Miss Bubb, of course, is a ruthless, wrong-headed harridan, but one whose selfish ideas and bitter ambitions are unsettlingly true to life. Her bust-up with Gay is pretty spectacular, on both sides, and one that sparks off yet another (mis)adventure for the School. Finally, there's Grandma, the larger-than-life character Gay and Jacynth first meet on the train to school, who winds up playing quite a charming role in proceedings.
Added to that is Brent-Dyer's still formidable grasp of the main characters in the series. She has to jump through quite a few hoops to ensure that poor Madge Russell can't just become headmistress again for the term, but along the way finds a few life lessons to impart to Madge's conceited eldest daughter Sybil. (Poor Sybil!) Joey Maynard remains the heart of the series, providing Jacynth with solid comfort even as she begs the still convalescing Miss Wilson to return to the School post-haste to head off Miss Bubb. One of the elements of this series I enjoy so much, especially when reading it as an adult, is the focus Brent-Dyer gives to her adult characters: they're not merely talking heads popping up every now and then to dole out punishments. In this regard, she colours in a few layers of complexity to Miss Wilson, already one of the strongest and best-characterised teachers in the series.
My main quibble with Gay From China is its title. It seems rather a misnomer, since the book is at least as much about Jacynth as it is about Gay. Indeed, the more affecting storyline - packed with genuine change and real character development - belongs to Jacynth. On occasion, then, the book does seesaw awkwardly between its two major characters. It's a minor quibble though, because the friendship that the two girls share is very well-drawn indeed.
For the most part, my favourite books in the longrunning Chalet School series remain the ones I read and re-read frequently as a child. It's a real joy, then, to come to a book many years later and find so much in it to love and appreciate.
Gay, by the way, is not strictly speaking from China, though much of her family lives there. She's a warm-hearted schoolgirl, impetuous and generous, who meets the shy, diligent Jacynth Hardy on a train. Immediately, Gay takes Jacynth under her wing, just as the School experiences a pretty big shake-up of its own: four of its most senior mistresses, including headmistress Hilda Annersley and senior mistress Nell Wilson, get into a horrific accident. While they recover - Miss Annersley having been injured considerably more gravely than her companions - Miss Bubb, a retired schoolteacher with ambitions and ideas that don't gel with the Chalet School ethos, is hired as temporary headmistress.
That makes for a combustible mix of character and incident - very much Elinor M. Brent-Dyer's forte. Indeed, she once again creates a pair of really interesting, realistic schoolgirls in Gay and Jacynth. The former is thoughtless and privileged, but loving and helpful. The latter, already considered and considerate, smart and steady, is forced to confront the realities of life in a way that's sensitively and heartbreakingly well-handled.
Beyond that, Brent-Dyer also cooks up three interesting elder ladies. Jacynth's long-suffering invalid of an auntie is a minor presence with a major effect - she pens a letter that's, without spoiling its contents, one of the most emotionally affecting bits of the entire series. Miss Bubb, of course, is a ruthless, wrong-headed harridan, but one whose selfish ideas and bitter ambitions are unsettlingly true to life. Her bust-up with Gay is pretty spectacular, on both sides, and one that sparks off yet another (mis)adventure for the School. Finally, there's Grandma, the larger-than-life character Gay and Jacynth first meet on the train to school, who winds up playing quite a charming role in proceedings.
Added to that is Brent-Dyer's still formidable grasp of the main characters in the series. She has to jump through quite a few hoops to ensure that poor Madge Russell can't just become headmistress again for the term, but along the way finds a few life lessons to impart to Madge's conceited eldest daughter Sybil. (Poor Sybil!) Joey Maynard remains the heart of the series, providing Jacynth with solid comfort even as she begs the still convalescing Miss Wilson to return to the School post-haste to head off Miss Bubb. One of the elements of this series I enjoy so much, especially when reading it as an adult, is the focus Brent-Dyer gives to her adult characters: they're not merely talking heads popping up every now and then to dole out punishments. In this regard, she colours in a few layers of complexity to Miss Wilson, already one of the strongest and best-characterised teachers in the series.
My main quibble with Gay From China is its title. It seems rather a misnomer, since the book is at least as much about Jacynth as it is about Gay. Indeed, the more affecting storyline - packed with genuine change and real character development - belongs to Jacynth. On occasion, then, the book does seesaw awkwardly between its two major characters. It's a minor quibble though, because the friendship that the two girls share is very well-drawn indeed.
For the most part, my favourite books in the longrunning Chalet School series remain the ones I read and re-read frequently as a child. It's a real joy, then, to come to a book many years later and find so much in it to love and appreciate.
August 25, 2015
This was probably the first CSB I read for the first time as an adult - I almost certainly had to scrape together the cash to buy it, being a student at the time but oh, the joy - all those years of automatically checking the Chalet School section on entering a bookshop finally producing a result.
And what a result! This is EBD at her best, and when she is at her best, she is a delight to read. Her characters jump off the page and into your heart, her plot races along, and she can create atmosphere with just a couple of details.
So this is probably the one to read, if you are only ever going to read one Chalet School book. Like Jacynth, you will quickly find yourself immersed in the Chalet School world, surrounded by a confusing array of characters (and backstory) you are apparently already supposed to be familiar with. In this respect this is a typical CSB.
Where it is less typical is in its plot. There are two plots going on here and, unusually, EBD manages them both excellently. She also chucks in some of her best walk-on characters, a midnight escapade, and a bit of an epidemic.
It's proper CS stuff, and for long-time fans it comes at a point where Joey is not yet hugely irritating, Madge is not entirely off-stage, the triplets are too little to be a nuisance, and Mary-Lou has not even been thought of. So the regular cast is at its strongest, too. The term covered by this book also, quite possibly, holds the record as the most-referenced term in later books (all very intriguing to those of us only in possession of Armada paperbacks, who had to wait until 1989 to read it). And it sets up the later arrangement where Miss Annersley and Miss Wilson are 'joint' heads. So it's definitely one not to miss for committed CSB readers.
Plot 1 is new girl Jacynth. She's a fits-right-in new girl - she's hardworking, and backward about coming forward, and quickly makes friends with a couple of previously minor characters. There's a hint of musical genius there but EBD doesn't overplay this. Jacynth's story is really about what's going on at home and all I'm going to say is, have a box of tissues handy when you get to chapter 17. I'm welling up now just thinking about it. When EBD gets it right, she really gets it right.
Plot 2 is new headmistress Miss Bubb. She doesn't fit in at all - she's certainly keen on hard work, but she's not at all shy of making her presence felt, and makes friends with absolutely nobody. There are those who might think the Chalet School is somewhat overdue for a more rigorous academic regime (and this is several years before they start taking entire weeks off-timetable to prepare for the Sale), but the Chalet School has its own way of doing things and doesn't take kindly to the attitude of its interim headmistress. For longstanding readers, it's a fascinating situation which helps crystallize what makes the Chalet School what it is - as my sister once told me, sometimes we need to try to do things differently, to remind ourselves why we always do them the way we do.
But what about the Gay from China of the title? I hear you cry. It's a good question. Gay is where these two plots intersect, which I think is what merits the book being named after her. She's also one of EBD's brightest characters and there's every indication EBD had already worked out the plot of the adventure story she intended Gay to star in. But Gay's China Adventure is sadly one of EBD's lost works, so all we have is what is hinted at in this book.
(Although - it's enough to make a start. Come on, you fill-in authors! I'm running out of EBDs to review now ...)
And what a result! This is EBD at her best, and when she is at her best, she is a delight to read. Her characters jump off the page and into your heart, her plot races along, and she can create atmosphere with just a couple of details.
So this is probably the one to read, if you are only ever going to read one Chalet School book. Like Jacynth, you will quickly find yourself immersed in the Chalet School world, surrounded by a confusing array of characters (and backstory) you are apparently already supposed to be familiar with. In this respect this is a typical CSB.
Where it is less typical is in its plot. There are two plots going on here and, unusually, EBD manages them both excellently. She also chucks in some of her best walk-on characters, a midnight escapade, and a bit of an epidemic.
It's proper CS stuff, and for long-time fans it comes at a point where Joey is not yet hugely irritating, Madge is not entirely off-stage, the triplets are too little to be a nuisance, and Mary-Lou has not even been thought of. So the regular cast is at its strongest, too. The term covered by this book also, quite possibly, holds the record as the most-referenced term in later books (all very intriguing to those of us only in possession of Armada paperbacks, who had to wait until 1989 to read it). And it sets up the later arrangement where Miss Annersley and Miss Wilson are 'joint' heads. So it's definitely one not to miss for committed CSB readers.
Plot 1 is new girl Jacynth. She's a fits-right-in new girl - she's hardworking, and backward about coming forward, and quickly makes friends with a couple of previously minor characters. There's a hint of musical genius there but EBD doesn't overplay this. Jacynth's story is really about what's going on at home and all I'm going to say is, have a box of tissues handy when you get to chapter 17. I'm welling up now just thinking about it. When EBD gets it right, she really gets it right.
Plot 2 is new headmistress Miss Bubb. She doesn't fit in at all - she's certainly keen on hard work, but she's not at all shy of making her presence felt, and makes friends with absolutely nobody. There are those who might think the Chalet School is somewhat overdue for a more rigorous academic regime (and this is several years before they start taking entire weeks off-timetable to prepare for the Sale), but the Chalet School has its own way of doing things and doesn't take kindly to the attitude of its interim headmistress. For longstanding readers, it's a fascinating situation which helps crystallize what makes the Chalet School what it is - as my sister once told me, sometimes we need to try to do things differently, to remind ourselves why we always do them the way we do.
But what about the Gay from China of the title? I hear you cry. It's a good question. Gay is where these two plots intersect, which I think is what merits the book being named after her. She's also one of EBD's brightest characters and there's every indication EBD had already worked out the plot of the adventure story she intended Gay to star in. But Gay's China Adventure is sadly one of EBD's lost works, so all we have is what is hinted at in this book.
(Although - it's enough to make a start. Come on, you fill-in authors! I'm running out of EBDs to review now ...)
October 14, 2012
It's interesting to compare and contrast parts of this book with the much later A Genius at the Chalet School. Both books feature a genius, or highly talented individual, and yet both books treat their characters distinctly differently. It's as if, at points, they're written by different authors. I discuss the representation of genius in the Chalet School here and can never quite get over the short shrift given to Jacynth in her (not even titular) book.
Jacynth, poor sad, sweet, Jacynth Hardy is sent to the Chalet School following a lifetime of financial saving from her Aunt. They aim for Jacynth to win the Therese Lapattre scholarship and thus secure her education financially.
On the train to school Jacynth meets and is instantly befriended by impetuous Gay Lambert. Gay's a vivacious character, full of act-now-think-later, and helps to bring Jacynth through her first term. And it's a heck of a first term to contend with. There's been a serious accident and several members of the senior staff - including Miss Annersley - have been injured. That means that for this term the school needs a new head - and it turns out to be the soon legendary Miss Bubb.
Originally published in 1944, and coming off the heights of Exile, Goes to It, and Highland Twins, this was originally titled Gay From China at the Chalet School. When it came to the Armada reprints it got both renamed and given a particularly horrid [slang!] front cover.
Seeing both Jacynth and Miss Bubb adopt to their new environments sees Brent-Dyer at her best and worst. Brent-Dyer handled high drama superbly at this point and the two 'big' moments for both characters are amazingly handled. It's brilliant, and, without divulging spoilers, there's a point in this book that makes me crumble every time I read it.
So what's the bad things? Miss Bubb is resolutely unsympathetic and very hard to even vaguely warm too. Though that's partially her role, it makes for a hard, defensive experience for the reader. As mentioned at the start of this review, Jacynth has a particularly hard row to hoe. There's something distinctly apposite about the treatment of her ability in comparison to that of say Margia and Nina. As I write this, I'm starting to wonder if that difference could be drawn to something to do with the relative social class of each girl, and of the time period of each book's publication but that's a discussion for another time.
Jacynth, poor sad, sweet, Jacynth Hardy is sent to the Chalet School following a lifetime of financial saving from her Aunt. They aim for Jacynth to win the Therese Lapattre scholarship and thus secure her education financially.
On the train to school Jacynth meets and is instantly befriended by impetuous Gay Lambert. Gay's a vivacious character, full of act-now-think-later, and helps to bring Jacynth through her first term. And it's a heck of a first term to contend with. There's been a serious accident and several members of the senior staff - including Miss Annersley - have been injured. That means that for this term the school needs a new head - and it turns out to be the soon legendary Miss Bubb.
Originally published in 1944, and coming off the heights of Exile, Goes to It, and Highland Twins, this was originally titled Gay From China at the Chalet School. When it came to the Armada reprints it got both renamed and given a particularly horrid [slang!] front cover.
Seeing both Jacynth and Miss Bubb adopt to their new environments sees Brent-Dyer at her best and worst. Brent-Dyer handled high drama superbly at this point and the two 'big' moments for both characters are amazingly handled. It's brilliant, and, without divulging spoilers, there's a point in this book that makes me crumble every time I read it.
So what's the bad things? Miss Bubb is resolutely unsympathetic and very hard to even vaguely warm too. Though that's partially her role, it makes for a hard, defensive experience for the reader. As mentioned at the start of this review, Jacynth has a particularly hard row to hoe. There's something distinctly apposite about the treatment of her ability in comparison to that of say Margia and Nina. As I write this, I'm starting to wonder if that difference could be drawn to something to do with the relative social class of each girl, and of the time period of each book's publication but that's a discussion for another time.
March 27, 2008
Jacynth is the new pupil for this term, and she meets Gay Lambert on the train to school. They arrive to discover things have changed - due to an accident, several mistresses (including headmistress Annersley) are in hospital, and there is a replacement headmistress, Miss Bubb.
Naturally, Miss Bubb does not understand the Chalet School ways (giving the girls freedom in their spare time, encouraging lots of games and outdoor activities), and goes around imposing her will on everyone and making enemies all over the place. Madame's daughter Josette has been badly scalded (by her other 10 year old daughter Sybil, who is blamed and punished for the accident, although she was the one left alone by her parents with a younger child in a kitchen with a kettle of boiling water - that really annoyed me), so Madame is taking care of her and then ill from the stress of it all and cannot take Miss Bubb in hand.
Miss Bubb eventually leaves, of course, and I think this is actually handled very well - Madame and Miss Bubb agree that her methods don't suit the School, and that Miss Bubb cannot understand the School's philosophies. I much preferred it to the usual disgust shown to those who in any way disagree with the School.
Jacynth and Gay have become excellent friends through the book, and Gay is teaching Jacynth to play cello. I rather liked their friendship - it was sweet, and it was nice to have some more fully developed new characters, rather than the usual "comes to school, hates it, reforms" storylines.
Naturally, Miss Bubb does not understand the Chalet School ways (giving the girls freedom in their spare time, encouraging lots of games and outdoor activities), and goes around imposing her will on everyone and making enemies all over the place. Madame's daughter Josette has been badly scalded (by her other 10 year old daughter Sybil, who is blamed and punished for the accident, although she was the one left alone by her parents with a younger child in a kitchen with a kettle of boiling water - that really annoyed me), so Madame is taking care of her and then ill from the stress of it all and cannot take Miss Bubb in hand.
Miss Bubb eventually leaves, of course, and I think this is actually handled very well - Madame and Miss Bubb agree that her methods don't suit the School, and that Miss Bubb cannot understand the School's philosophies. I much preferred it to the usual disgust shown to those who in any way disagree with the School.
Jacynth and Gay have become excellent friends through the book, and Gay is teaching Jacynth to play cello. I rather liked their friendship - it was sweet, and it was nice to have some more fully developed new characters, rather than the usual "comes to school, hates it, reforms" storylines.
May 7, 2016
Read the unabridged Chambers hardback edition, "Gay from China at the Chalet School".
"Gay", short for Gabrielle, is definitely one of the better books in the Chalet School series. There's little of the casual prejudice of the time that can often be found in the others, despite a large part of the story being given over to wealthy young Gay Lambert's friendship with an orphaned and very much poorer Jacynth Hardy.
(Those who have read further in this series may recognise the two names amalgamated in another character a generation younger, and this book partially explains how that will come to happen--no, I'm not spoiling you!)
The only thing about this book that made me shake my head was Elinor Brent-Dyer's usual habit of writing the speech of people with noticeable accents almost phonetically - and any Chalet reader will be familiar with that, so I won't elaborate.
I am not a person easily moved to tears, so when I tell you that most of the last two chapters of this book made me cry, I hope you'll understand. It is a very emotive instalment in the series, easily evoking fear, worry, amusement, anger, tears and smiles, and though it is as dated in its way as the rest of the series, still I think it's one of the very few that fully deserves my five-star rating.
1st GR read Nov 2012, 2nd May 2016 (Chambers hardback edition).
"Gay", short for Gabrielle, is definitely one of the better books in the Chalet School series. There's little of the casual prejudice of the time that can often be found in the others, despite a large part of the story being given over to wealthy young Gay Lambert's friendship with an orphaned and very much poorer Jacynth Hardy.
(Those who have read further in this series may recognise the two names amalgamated in another character a generation younger, and this book partially explains how that will come to happen--no, I'm not spoiling you!)
The only thing about this book that made me shake my head was Elinor Brent-Dyer's usual habit of writing the speech of people with noticeable accents almost phonetically - and any Chalet reader will be familiar with that, so I won't elaborate.
I am not a person easily moved to tears, so when I tell you that most of the last two chapters of this book made me cry, I hope you'll understand. It is a very emotive instalment in the series, easily evoking fear, worry, amusement, anger, tears and smiles, and though it is as dated in its way as the rest of the series, still I think it's one of the very few that fully deserves my five-star rating.
1st GR read Nov 2012, 2nd May 2016 (Chambers hardback edition).
November 30, 2009
Jacynth Hardy needs to attend boarding school while her guardian, her "Auntie," undergoes some very serious surgery. Auntie has scrimped for years in order to afford four years of school for Jacynth, and together they hope Jacynth will qualify for a university scholarship. Of course they choose the Chalet School, during WWII not in a Tirolean chalet but a home in Wales. Boarding a train on her way to the school, Jacynth meets outgoing Gay Lambert, and they quickly become friends. The course of the year does not run smoothly, however, because of the interference of the officious Miss Bubb, who is hired as a substitute headmistress while the beloved Miss Annersley recovers from a serious injury. To me, the most interesting of the Chalet School books always feature a student or staff person who does not fit in to the comforting, encouraging atmosphere of the school, as in _Eustacia Goes to the Chalet School_, _Theodora and the Chalet School_, and this one. Of course Eustacia and Theodora eventually do learn the school ways, and then they become Stacy and Teddy, and fit in nicely. But the inflexible Miss Bubb never does adapt, and manages to cause numerous upheavals during her tenure as headmistress. Well worth reading for lovers of the Chalet School stories.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 3, 2025
So, so much better in the original hardback edition! This is probably my favourite of the wartime Chalet School books, and introduces some fantastic characters: Gay herself, Jacynth Hardy, Grandma and, of course, the villainous Miss Bubb, who I actually feel quite sorry for on re-reading. Her motives aren't all bad, and she does at least soften slightly during her last conversation with Madge. The hardback edition (Gay from China at the Chalet School) includes some lovely little details that were removed from the paperback (including a description of what actually happened to Josette and why Sybil was in so much trouble over it) and it adds so much to the flavour of the book. Be warned: this book contains one of the few genuinely tear-jerking scenes of the series, and it's even sadder in its unabridged format. I accidentally read it in a packed train carriage and then wished I hadn't!
Updated in 2025: 10 years on I accidentally read it in public again, and cried again. I wasn’t even subtle.
Updated in 2025: 10 years on I accidentally read it in public again, and cried again. I wasn’t even subtle.
June 20, 2022
A new girl called Jacynth befriends Gay Lambert, partly through their shared love of music.
Meanwhile the Chalet School has a huge problem and has to employ temporary staff, including the appalling Miss Bubb who doesn't understand the Chalet School ethos. And to add to everything, Madge's young daughter has a horrible accident.
Set in the war years, this book is very moving in places, with lots of interesting subplots. It's certainly no run-of-the-mill as some of the later Chalet School books tend to be. Definitely recommended if you like this genre, particularly the full text editions (hardback or GGBP).
Longer review here: https://suesbookreviews.blogspot.com/...
Meanwhile the Chalet School has a huge problem and has to employ temporary staff, including the appalling Miss Bubb who doesn't understand the Chalet School ethos. And to add to everything, Madge's young daughter has a horrible accident.
Set in the war years, this book is very moving in places, with lots of interesting subplots. It's certainly no run-of-the-mill as some of the later Chalet School books tend to be. Definitely recommended if you like this genre, particularly the full text editions (hardback or GGBP).
Longer review here: https://suesbookreviews.blogspot.com/...
October 2, 2016
A quintessential Chalet School book. I don't know how it is I haven't read this one before, but it is another strong entry in the wartime series, and one which provides another interesting glimpse behind the scenes. A cast of thousands, but deftly handled and on a par with the early Tyrol entries in the series, I think.
Poor Jacyinth. EBD writes heart-wrenchingly of both grief and its cousin loneliness - Bill nearly brought me to tears, as well - and there's no escaping the finely tuned catharsis at multiple points throughout the book.
Poor Jacyinth. EBD writes heart-wrenchingly of both grief and its cousin loneliness - Bill nearly brought me to tears, as well - and there's no escaping the finely tuned catharsis at multiple points throughout the book.
February 22, 2010
Jacynth Hardy is sent to the Chalet School by her auntie, and her aim is to win one of the scholarships. She meets Gay on the way to school, and they soon become fast friends.
Miss Annersley and a few others were involved in a car accident just before term began, and Miss Bubb has been hired as temporary head. She creates havoc in the school, changing many things, and the term is topped off by Gay running away from school to get back to her family.
Miss Annersley and a few others were involved in a car accident just before term began, and Miss Bubb has been hired as temporary head. She creates havoc in the school, changing many things, and the term is topped off by Gay running away from school to get back to her family.
December 22, 2014
Review of the 1955 unabridged version:
This is a brilliant chalet book. Loved to hate Miss Bubb so much. I haven't read about anyone so hateful in fiction since Dolores Umbridge! However the book has many sad overtones, with the stories of new girl Jacynth and the return of Tirol mistress, Miss Durrant.
This is a brilliant chalet book. Loved to hate Miss Bubb so much. I haven't read about anyone so hateful in fiction since Dolores Umbridge! However the book has many sad overtones, with the stories of new girl Jacynth and the return of Tirol mistress, Miss Durrant.
January 16, 2008
Evil temporary headmistress: not my favourite genre. And I don't really see eye to eye with Brent-Dyer re what is or isn't a genius, and how to care for one. But still, it's a Chalet School book. If you like them, you'll like it. Just maybe not *best*.
March 3, 2015
Hilarious read, and great character Miss Bubb. I think it would've been fun if they'd kept her a bit longer. Loved the new shop owner Mrs learoyd too. Feel sad for anyone who goes to the school with an ailing relative though. They always die! Perhaps that says more about medicine at that time...
May 20, 2009
Loved Gay and Jacynth. And ooh, hated the dreadful Miss Bubb! She made for good reading of course, but thank god she didn't get to stick around too long!
November 5, 2023
Have read this book more times than I can count! Still cry over a certain scene....won't say what because of spoilers!! Good book.
October 10, 2025
Disappointing. This is Brent-Dyer at her superficial, sentimental worst. Don't expect to hear anything about what Gay's life was really like when she supposedly lived in China on a tea plantation did the Brits have those in China, or did the authoress extrapolate from India?because there's nothing at all about that. Just a few passing references to adventures that are told in one or two sentences. Of course there can't be, since the authoress knew nothing at all about China, and it shows. Another girl supposedly tells Jacynth all about a spine chilling wartime encounter with spies, but again it's third hand and glossed over.
What we get in detail is tragedy: Brent Dyer starts out with a dreadful road accident that puts three or is it four of the teachers in hospital for long periods of time. Remember, these are the days when a cold or flu kept a kid in bed for a month, though at the end of the book one of the San doctors says that sort of treatment is old hat. And Brent Dyer loves to have one of the Chalet girls in a coma for days or weeks at a time. One of Madame's children is badly burned with boiling water, and the sister who caused the accident nearly has a nervous breakdown because her father the doctor "hates the sight of her". More than one adult off page is at death's door...German measles invades the school and the village and yet the doctor who goes every day and deals with the sick students goes right back home "to spend three hours with the family". I guess even the toddlers are immune because they live with a doctor. I was slightly horrified at said doctor treating rubella as "no big deal" but of course in those days they didn't know what we know now.
To top it off, the deputy head teacher is not working out...but nothing stops a detailed description of the end of year concert. There's a lot of sentimentalising over Jacynth, who is almost MC instead of Gay. How many boarding schools really did take care of students for the rest of their lives?
One thing I noticed was how this British version of the Swiss Chalet School is basically a carbon copy: there's another San "just over the mountains" for the girls to raise funds for and Madame apparently adopts yet another student. After starting the Swiss Chalet School on a shoestring precisely because she had no money, she must have done very well indeed.
What we get in detail is tragedy: Brent Dyer starts out with a dreadful road accident that puts three or is it four of the teachers in hospital for long periods of time. Remember, these are the days when a cold or flu kept a kid in bed for a month, though at the end of the book one of the San doctors says that sort of treatment is old hat. And Brent Dyer loves to have one of the Chalet girls in a coma for days or weeks at a time. One of Madame's children is badly burned with boiling water, and the sister who caused the accident nearly has a nervous breakdown because her father the doctor "hates the sight of her". More than one adult off page is at death's door...German measles invades the school and the village and yet the doctor who goes every day and deals with the sick students goes right back home "to spend three hours with the family". I guess even the toddlers are immune because they live with a doctor. I was slightly horrified at said doctor treating rubella as "no big deal" but of course in those days they didn't know what we know now.
To top it off, the deputy head teacher is not working out...but nothing stops a detailed description of the end of year concert. There's a lot of sentimentalising over Jacynth, who is almost MC instead of Gay. How many boarding schools really did take care of students for the rest of their lives?
One thing I noticed was how this British version of the Swiss Chalet School is basically a carbon copy: there's another San "just over the mountains" for the girls to raise funds for and Madame apparently adopts yet another student. After starting the Swiss Chalet School on a shoestring precisely because she had no money, she must have done very well indeed.
August 13, 2023
The oddest title in the Chalet School series as Gay Lambert isn’t really from China and the book is as much about her friend Jacythn
Interesting variation from the schoolgirl with ‘ wrong ideas’ who has to learn Chalet School attitude is a new but temporary Headmistress
EBD’s attempt to show how not to manage schoolgirls
The Chalet series was always more interesting that most girl’s school stories because of the time EBD spent with the Staff members and chance to see the school from their point of view
There is also the War feel to the book with adults in Uniform and problems with rail travel and petrol rationing - even Madge has to cycle to the school
It all contributes to more interesting book than simply new girl trying to settle in to Chalet School and it’s ethos
Interesting variation from the schoolgirl with ‘ wrong ideas’ who has to learn Chalet School attitude is a new but temporary Headmistress
EBD’s attempt to show how not to manage schoolgirls
The Chalet series was always more interesting that most girl’s school stories because of the time EBD spent with the Staff members and chance to see the school from their point of view
There is also the War feel to the book with adults in Uniform and problems with rail travel and petrol rationing - even Madge has to cycle to the school
It all contributes to more interesting book than simply new girl trying to settle in to Chalet School and it’s ethos
December 26, 2023
Although Gay is a featured character, and has an adventure during this term, the book focusses mainly on new girl Jacynth, and the difficulties caused by an accident to four staff members (including the head) just before the beginning of term. Many old friends appear, some to help out in the crisis. But the Head pro tem presents a multitude of problems to staff and pupils combined, culminating in Gay's escapade. Well worth reading.
April 29, 2024
It was so good to read the unabridged version of this book.
Gay is a great character who can be very quick to make decisions and not really think of what the consequences maybe. I really liked that herself and Gillain took Jacynth under their wings and helped her settle into school life.
Grannie was a wonderful character that didn't mince her words.
Miss Bubb was horrible.
A great book as part of a great series.
Gay is a great character who can be very quick to make decisions and not really think of what the consequences maybe. I really liked that herself and Gillain took Jacynth under their wings and helped her settle into school life.
Grannie was a wonderful character that didn't mince her words.
Miss Bubb was horrible.
A great book as part of a great series.
April 20, 2020
I enjoyed this one. There was so much love and support in it, between the girls, the staff and from Jo as ever. And Miss Wilson sharing the discovery of the depth of her love for Miss Annersley was a great moment.
February 28, 2021
Love Chalet School books. Not many outings or adventures on this one but a new Head Mistress arrives, Gay Lambert runs away and there's a German Measles outbreak. I love books from the Plas Howell period!
May 23, 2020
This is one book that I always have a good cry over, there’s one very poignant sad chapter in this and I always end up with tissues in hand.
November 11, 2020
Up there with the best of the series
Read
June 23, 2022Auntie's letter getsme every time!
August 23, 2024
Nice to catch up with events referred to in later books in the lore of the school. Enjoyed as much as always.
May 8, 2024
This book had all the best bits of the chalet school series. The chalet school spirit, the girls learning from each other and Jo helping solve the ‘problem’.
Not 5 stars as it was set in the UK and didn’t have mention of the girls speaking different languages each day. But might be my favourite so far!!!
Not 5 stars as it was set in the UK and didn’t have mention of the girls speaking different languages each day. But might be my favourite so far!!!
January 22, 2025
Gay Lambert at The Chalet School at is book 20 of a reread (I started at Exile don’t @ at me, then went back to School at the Chalet and continued forward from there), and book 20 in the series. First reread of the Chalet School books since I went to Pertisau.
This book just became one of my favourite Chalet School books. Back when I was a girl this book was not to be found Armada first published it in 1989 and it was years after I started reading the Chalet School that I finally got a copy. So while I’ve read the likes of Exile and Jo and School dozens of times, this would be only the third or fourth time I’ve read Gay.
Gay is a brilliant character and Jacynth is also fabulous. I admit to completely forgetting about Miss Bubb so this was also a welcome reintroduction to her.
There’s so much to love in this book. It’s a fast paced interesting story that simply races along. So I think at this point I’m going to list my fave 10 as
the Chalet School in Exile
Exploits of the Chalet Girls
The Chalet School and Jo (my first Chalet book)
Gay Lambert at the Chalet School
The New House atThe Chalet School
New Mistress at the Chalet School
The Wrong Chalet School
The School at the Chalet
The Chalet School at Camp
Coming of Age of the Chalet School ❤️
This book just became one of my favourite Chalet School books. Back when I was a girl this book was not to be found Armada first published it in 1989 and it was years after I started reading the Chalet School that I finally got a copy. So while I’ve read the likes of Exile and Jo and School dozens of times, this would be only the third or fourth time I’ve read Gay.
Gay is a brilliant character and Jacynth is also fabulous. I admit to completely forgetting about Miss Bubb so this was also a welcome reintroduction to her.
There’s so much to love in this book. It’s a fast paced interesting story that simply races along. So I think at this point I’m going to list my fave 10 as
the Chalet School in Exile
Exploits of the Chalet Girls
The Chalet School and Jo (my first Chalet book)
Gay Lambert at the Chalet School
The New House atThe Chalet School
New Mistress at the Chalet School
The Wrong Chalet School
The School at the Chalet
The Chalet School at Camp
Coming of Age of the Chalet School ❤️
July 3, 2025
Typical Chalet book with all the usual elements!
February 4, 2015
This is one I'll have to re-read, because I don't remember the plot!
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