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A Fortunate Term
'A Fortunate Term' by Angela Brazil follows the journey of Mavis and Merle as they navigate the challenges of a new school environment at The Moorings.
Despite facing difficulties with a resentful classmate, Opal, the girls learn valuable lessons about friendship, fairness, and resilience. Through unexpected twists and encounters with pixies in the woods, their bond strengthens, leading to personal growth and unity within the community.
The book culminates in resolutions for the Talland family and promises of new beginnings and adventures for Mavis, Merle and family.
Despite facing difficulties with a resentful classmate, Opal, the girls learn valuable lessons about friendship, fairness, and resilience. Through unexpected twists and encounters with pixies in the woods, their bond strengthens, leading to personal growth and unity within the community.
The book culminates in resolutions for the Talland family and promises of new beginnings and adventures for Mavis, Merle and family.
287 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1921
About the author
Angela Brazil
123 books35 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Born in Preston, Lancashire in 1868, Angela Brazil (pronounced "brazzle") was the youngest child of cotton mill manager Clarence Brazil, and his wife, Angelica McKinnel. She was educated at the Turrets - a small private school in Wallasey - and then, when the Brazils were living in Manchester, at the preparatory department of the Manchester High School, and (as a boarder) at Ellerslie, an exclusive girls’ school near Victoria Park. She subsequently attended Heatherley's Art School, in London, with her sister Amy, and sketching remained a life-long interest.
With the death of Clarence Brazil in 1899, the family left the North-West of England for Llanbedr, Wales, where they took up residence in their former summer house. It is believed that, at some point during this period (1899-1911), Brazil worked as a governess, although she does not mention it in her autobiography, My Own Schooldays (1925). In 1911, she moved to Coventry, where she kept house for her doctor brother, living in that city until her death, in 1947.
Brazil's first children's novel, A Terrible Tomboy, was published in 1904, and is believed to have been autobiographical, featuring the adventures of a young Angela (Peggy), and her friend Leila Langdale (Lilian). It was only with the 1907 publication of her second novel, The Fortunes of Philippa, that she turned to the genre in which she would become so influential: the Girls' School Story.
Brazil is often described by readers as "the first author of modern girls' school stories," and her publisher Blackie once claimed, in a bit of promotional hyperbole, that she had originated the genre! While not actually true - the genre predates her by some time, and other authors of modern girls school stories, such as May Baldwin, were publishing before she was - Brazil was certainly immensely influential, in the genre's move away from a didactic, moralistic model, towards one aimed more at entertainment. Her books are told from the perspective of her girl characters themselves, and were immensely popular with young readers, both in her own lifetime, and afterward. All told, she published close to sixty children's novels, most of them girls' school stories.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Born in Preston, Lancashire in 1868, Angela Brazil (pronounced "brazzle") was the youngest child of cotton mill manager Clarence Brazil, and his wife, Angelica McKinnel. She was educated at the Turrets - a small private school in Wallasey - and then, when the Brazils were living in Manchester, at the preparatory department of the Manchester High School, and (as a boarder) at Ellerslie, an exclusive girls’ school near Victoria Park. She subsequently attended Heatherley's Art School, in London, with her sister Amy, and sketching remained a life-long interest.
With the death of Clarence Brazil in 1899, the family left the North-West of England for Llanbedr, Wales, where they took up residence in their former summer house. It is believed that, at some point during this period (1899-1911), Brazil worked as a governess, although she does not mention it in her autobiography, My Own Schooldays (1925). In 1911, she moved to Coventry, where she kept house for her doctor brother, living in that city until her death, in 1947.
Brazil's first children's novel, A Terrible Tomboy, was published in 1904, and is believed to have been autobiographical, featuring the adventures of a young Angela (Peggy), and her friend Leila Langdale (Lilian). It was only with the 1907 publication of her second novel, The Fortunes of Philippa, that she turned to the genre in which she would become so influential: the Girls' School Story.
Brazil is often described by readers as "the first author of modern girls' school stories," and her publisher Blackie once claimed, in a bit of promotional hyperbole, that she had originated the genre! While not actually true - the genre predates her by some time, and other authors of modern girls school stories, such as May Baldwin, were publishing before she was - Brazil was certainly immensely influential, in the genre's move away from a didactic, moralistic model, towards one aimed more at entertainment. Her books are told from the perspective of her girl characters themselves, and were immensely popular with young readers, both in her own lifetime, and afterward. All told, she published close to sixty children's novels, most of them girls' school stories.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 14, 2019
A classic period piece in every way. Simply topping.
Virtue rewarded, vice punished, that horrid Opal girl put in her place (she simply has no sense of honour!) and the wonderful and manly Bevis miraculously given his just reward.
Virtue rewarded, vice punished, that horrid Opal girl put in her place (she simply has no sense of honour!) and the wonderful and manly Bevis miraculously given his just reward.
December 9, 2012
I loved reading about Mavis and Merle, as well as Bevis' final happy ending. I guessed early on the plot twist, but it was still fun to read it through to the end. I loved the whole opal plot lines too, and the eventual outcome there. I still have some more of Angela Brazil's books to read, so I'll bet I'll enjoy those too!
January 16, 2015
Enjoyable story about two English schoolgirls. I had previously read the sequel, so had some idea of what was going to happen. And for some reason, the American edition of the sequel changed the girls' names from Mavis and Merle to Mary and Marjorie!
July 26, 2016
Jolly good fun.
May 30, 2026
Mavis and Merle Ramsay are the two principal protagonists in this fun-filled story of small school life in Devon in the early part of the 2oth-century. The difference between this and other Angela Brazil school stories is that most of the others concentrate on boarders at the various schools while in this one the girls are day students and live at home. So while it is still a school story, there is much more activity outside school and therefore scope for more wide-reaching action, even while the petty jealousies and squabbles still exist within the classroom.
The climate of the northern industrial town of Whinburn, where Mavis and Merle lived with their Parents, Dr and Mrs Ramsay, was causing the girls, particularly Mavis, occasional health problems so the doctor, whose wife hailed from Devon, decided that it would do them good to spend some time with an uncle and aunt, Dr and Mrs Tremayne, in the more idyllic setting of Durracombe in Devon. It was hoped that the milder winter weather and plenty of fresh air would be beneficial to Mavis' bronchial condition.
It was arranged for them to have at least one term off from their school and arrangements were made for them to attend The Moorings, a very small private school run by Miss Mary Pollard and her sister Fanny; it was well-known in the district as 'a dear little school'.
The transition to The Moorings was not traumatic and the sisters looked forward to their new setting but, of course, there were some problems in that the established pupils were, as perhaps only was to be expected, were the favourites. But Mavis and Merle tried their best to adapt and while it worked with the majority of the pupils, there were some who resented the intrusion by the new girls.
The plus side for Mavis and Merle was that they could go home after classes finished and spend quality time with Uncle David and Auntie Nellie and they particularly got on with the doctor and when they met a local boy named Bevis, who was something of an enigma in the district, life became even more enjoyable. And in due course it became a habit for them to travel with the doctor on Saturdays to visit his patients in the outlying districts, which gave them chance to explore the local countryside and get up to one or two japes.
Back at The Moorings, Mavis, the more delicate and thoughtful of the pair, and Merle, the more lively and impulsive character, gradually meet their new challenges, adapt to new friends, face potential rivalries, and there are quite a few with one student, Opal Earnshaw, proving particularly difficult.
Luckily it all eventually worked out and discussing it as the first term came to a close, Merle exclaimed, joyfully, 'I'm looking forward to the next term'. while Mavis added, 'And yet I loved the last one. I feel nothing will ever quite come up to my first peep at Devonshire, and those Saturdays at Chagmouth. It was like seeing a new world. It's been a first impression, a fresh experience, a gorgeous spring, and idyllic few months - what else can I call it?' And Merle finished the conversation with, 'Call it a fortunate term.' And so it was, delightfully recorded by Angela Brazil!
The climate of the northern industrial town of Whinburn, where Mavis and Merle lived with their Parents, Dr and Mrs Ramsay, was causing the girls, particularly Mavis, occasional health problems so the doctor, whose wife hailed from Devon, decided that it would do them good to spend some time with an uncle and aunt, Dr and Mrs Tremayne, in the more idyllic setting of Durracombe in Devon. It was hoped that the milder winter weather and plenty of fresh air would be beneficial to Mavis' bronchial condition.
It was arranged for them to have at least one term off from their school and arrangements were made for them to attend The Moorings, a very small private school run by Miss Mary Pollard and her sister Fanny; it was well-known in the district as 'a dear little school'.
The transition to The Moorings was not traumatic and the sisters looked forward to their new setting but, of course, there were some problems in that the established pupils were, as perhaps only was to be expected, were the favourites. But Mavis and Merle tried their best to adapt and while it worked with the majority of the pupils, there were some who resented the intrusion by the new girls.
The plus side for Mavis and Merle was that they could go home after classes finished and spend quality time with Uncle David and Auntie Nellie and they particularly got on with the doctor and when they met a local boy named Bevis, who was something of an enigma in the district, life became even more enjoyable. And in due course it became a habit for them to travel with the doctor on Saturdays to visit his patients in the outlying districts, which gave them chance to explore the local countryside and get up to one or two japes.
Back at The Moorings, Mavis, the more delicate and thoughtful of the pair, and Merle, the more lively and impulsive character, gradually meet their new challenges, adapt to new friends, face potential rivalries, and there are quite a few with one student, Opal Earnshaw, proving particularly difficult.
Luckily it all eventually worked out and discussing it as the first term came to a close, Merle exclaimed, joyfully, 'I'm looking forward to the next term'. while Mavis added, 'And yet I loved the last one. I feel nothing will ever quite come up to my first peep at Devonshire, and those Saturdays at Chagmouth. It was like seeing a new world. It's been a first impression, a fresh experience, a gorgeous spring, and idyllic few months - what else can I call it?' And Merle finished the conversation with, 'Call it a fortunate term.' And so it was, delightfully recorded by Angela Brazil!
September 6, 2022
Short summary because I don’t feel like typing!😂
Great book!
Didn’t like the bit of evolution in one chapter.
Also had some ghost stories that were not my favorite. (I typically don’t like ghost stories. I find them weird and pointless)
It was fun to read an old British book! I loved seeing the differences in American vs British slang!😂
Will read more by this author! I loved the characters!
Predictable, but I didn’t mind!
Great book!
Didn’t like the bit of evolution in one chapter.
Also had some ghost stories that were not my favorite. (I typically don’t like ghost stories. I find them weird and pointless)
It was fun to read an old British book! I loved seeing the differences in American vs British slang!😂
Will read more by this author! I loved the characters!
Predictable, but I didn’t mind!
March 1, 2021
Angela Brazil (pronounced Brazzle), according to Wikipedia was one of the first authors to write books for school girls from their point of view. I have found that besides Victorian novels, I also enjoy British novels written in the first half of the twentieth century as well.
July 9, 2023
Predictable but fun.
November 13, 2015
A cute, enjoyable, if not predictable book. A good read between my more...challenging reads.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews