Anne sisäoppilaitoksessa

Drina #3

by Jean Estoril, Ritva Toivola (translator)

Kun Annen isovanhemmat matkustavat vuodeksi Australiaan, hän on ensin kauhuissaan Dominickin sisäoppilaitokseen muuttamisesta. Anne alkaa kuitenkin vähitellen nauttia olostaan ja saada ystäviä.

Genres: Childrens, Fiction, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Contemporary, Boarding School, School Stories

207 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1959

About the author

A pseudonym of Mabel Esther Allan.

Reviews

[Eve Lumerto · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my favourite ballet series and this is possibly my favourite one of the books. (Couldn't have anything to do with the fact that Hogwards made half of my generation want to go to a boarding school? Maybe. But childhood feels are big feels.) I probably read these (sadly, not all of them had a Finnish translation) more than ten times during elementary school (Yes, I was a hopeless bunhead) and wrote a dozen novel beginnings that heavily ripped it off. (Interesting, that none of them involved an orphan with a mysterious heritage... since I probably ripped off both this and Harry Potter on a regular basis.)

Okay, this isn't looking like a review at all. I can't review something like this objectively.

I get why some people don't like it that Drina kind of magically always gets her way and has a pretty uncanny luck sometimes... okay, often. But personally I don't really care. I don't think the point of this book/series is to be realistic. It's to be inspiring. Plus, it's a kids' book. Young dancers don't want to read about a main character who fails and struggles too much. When they have just started dancing, and it's still all rainbows and roses, they want to read about a character who is an obvious talent, doesn't take too long to realize their dreams, has a hopeful amount of luck during the hardships and carries that aura that they really are going to be the 0,000000000000001% exception who's going to make it big.

If it was a YA book, then the character could be someone a bit more down to earth, but I think it's a good thing that kids' books have characters that make us dream big, rather than really relate to.

[LOL_BOOKS]

DID MEMERS EVER READ THOSE BOOKS ABOUT THE BALLET DANCER NAMED DRINA? I REMEMBER READING ONE AS A KID WHICH I LIKED BUT NEVER REALIZING IT WAS LIKE THE THIRD BOOK IN A SERIES UNTIL MUCH LATER. I'VE ALWAYS WONDERED IF I SHOULD READ THE REST.

SHE WENT TO BALLET BOARDING SCHOOL TOO.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR COMFORT BOOKS?

IL THOSE BOOKS SO MUCH, MEMER. SO MUCH. I AM COMPLETELY SHAMELESS ABOUT MY LOVE FOR THEM.

[Kate H · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had not read the Drina books since I was a child and I recently re-read them all. I read the first 5 as a child and then as a teen I hunted down the final 6 once I realized they existed. I am happy to say that for the most part they hold up to the test of time. They are very much in the style of British school stories but I quite like those. I think the whole series is definitely worth the effort it takes to hunt them down.

[Sanalith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Out of the five books of the series I read while growing up, this was always my least favorite. I felt like the first half really dragged, and now that I'm older I can understand why. Drina is sent to a boarding school, as her grandparents need to spend time in Australia for health reasons, and she is absolutely miserable. She feels horrid despite the fact that the school is directly connected to the ballet academy she's currently attending, and despite the fact that she clearly wants her grandfather to be well again. I can completely understand the horror of being in a new place with no friends or family, but Drina really seemed most unhappy simply because she was in the deep country and away from the hustle and bustle of London and her direct connection with the ballet company. Considering how literally obsessed she is with dancing, and how she's repeatedly thought and said she'd die if she couldn't dance, one would think she'd be happy enough just to still be in training!

The second half is much better, after she finds her way back to her normal self, and the entire book is worth it just for the chapter where she sees a movie of her mother dancing. I think it's one of the most moving scenes in the entire series. But overall I do think it's one of the weaker books, and I'm happy to move on to the next one.

[Yavanna]

Ich hatte als Kind auch eine Ballettphase, wenn auch nur über Bücher ;) die Cindy-Bücher fand ich damals alle super und hab mir eines nach dem anderen von der Omi schenken lassen oder selbst vom Taschengeld gekauft. Ich fand auch alle Cover so toll, ich hab die immer bewundert.
(wobei ich sagen muss, dieses hier im roten Kleid fand ich immer sehr seltsam, wie sie da dransteht. Mein Lieblingscover ist das von "Cindy im Internat", der dritte Teil.

Gerade habe ich gesehen, dass sie im Englischen "Drina" heisst ... wer kommt bitteschön auf die Idee, jemand von Drina nach Cindy zu übersetzen für den deutschen Buchmarkt? Wieso nicht gleich Steffi oder Lisa? ^^

[Tiffany · Rating 3 out of 5]

For me, it wasn't as good as the first two in the series, but it was still an enjoyable read.

Also known as Drina Dances in Exile ... I like "In Exile" better than "Alone," since she felt like she was exiled when she was sent to a dance boarding school out in the country, away from the city life of London (but didn't so much seem like she was alone), and they refer to her being "in exile" at least 15 times in the book.

[Colette Denali · Rating 3 out of 5]

Drina's grandparents move to Australia for a year, so Drina has to attend a residential ballet school in the countryside. She has a hard time adjusting to life away from the city, but makes new friends.

I really enjoyed this book, probably because I love stories about residential schools. I do like that Drina has to work hard in her ballet classes and is not the best, or among the best, of students in her class.

[Yavanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ich hatte als Kind auch eine Ballettphase, wenn auch nur über Bücher ;) die Cindy-Bücher fand ich damals alle super und hab mir eines nach dem anderen von der Omi schenken lassen oder selbst vom Taschengeld gekauft. Ich fand auch alle Cover so toll, ich hab die immer bewundert.

Gerade habe ich gesehen, dass sie im Englischen "Drina" heisst ... wer kommt bitteschön auf die Idee, jemand von Drina nach Cindy zu übersetzen für den deutschen Buchmarkt? Wieso nicht gleich Steffi oder Lisa? ^^

[Carolynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Drina's grandparents (who recently moved to London just so Drina can pursue ballet lessons from a topnotch school, the Dominick) move to Australia for a year, Drina attends the residential branch of Dominick, Chalk Green. Another entry in the delightful series by the estimable Mable Esther Allan, under the pseudonym of Jean Estoril.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

As I previously mentioned, some of the alternate titles are a bit strange: I think "Drina Dances Alone" and "Drina Dances in Exile" have two totally different meanings.

This cover was my favorite of the entire series, although the edition I had is not shown here...

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

Favourite! I loved all the Drina series, and have always been fond of boarding school stories - so combining the two is just perfect. :D

[Sunne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved this series when I was younger, and when I had the chance to get some of these books through bookcrossing, I couldn't resist.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this series in JR High and simply LOVED them! I need to track these down.....

[Rhona Connor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book in the series. Drina goes to Chalk Farm while her grandparents are away and fights within herself as she feels she is in exile. By that away fro. London and the heart of the ballet school, she'll miss seeing the Company after rehearsals and just generally being free to do what she wishes in her free time. However she does eventually settle in. A good book for those children who are a confident reader or a good book for parents to read to children. Age 8 to 9 plus.

[Jane Irish Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Drina is surprised and shocked when told her grandparents will be going to Australia for her grandfather's health, and while they are gone she must go the the Dominick's boarding school in the country. Once there she is at first desperately unhappy, which is reflected in both her dancing and her schoolwork. But then things turn around . . .

[Rachel Abercrombie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eye operation comfort reread #3

[Felicity · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the third book, Drina leaves London to live at the Dominick Residential school near Saunderton which is in the Chilterns. Drina feels she is in exile and struggles to dance well and make friends.

I enjoyed reading about the beautiful countryside which is not far from where I have been brought up and I felt for Drina as her grandmother sprung the move on her and I suppose the countryside is difficult to adjust to if you have been used to London.

Again, Drina develops and realises that there is more to life than just dancing and she adjusts to her surroundings much better after a conversation with Marianne Volonaise.

Another good instalment in the series.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

see review of book #1

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first half isn't that good, but the second half is all the better. 3,5 Stars.