Reading: Nancy at St Bride's

[white_hart]

I think that Nancy at St Bride's was the only one of Dorita Fairlie Bruce's novels I encountered as a child. It stuck in my memory because it didn't follow the standard school-story pattern of the problem new girl becoming a reformed character and a proper, upstanding member of the school by the end of the book, and I was pleased to find a copy in a second-hand bookshop in Cromer last summer. I picked it out of the pile by the side of my bed this weekend because I was feeling grotty and full of cold and an undemanding school story seemed like just the thing.

Although Nancy at St Bride's is ostensibly the story of Nancy Caird's first term at school on an island in the Firth of Clyde and the troubles her determination to have fun lead her and her form-mates into, I now realise that it's as much or more the story of the effect Nancy's arrival has on the friendship between prefects Chris Maclean and Sybil Grierson. Like so many school stories, it's really very strong on character and relationships, forgiving of human weaknesses and quite clear on what constitutes good leadership; more than most, it's also concerned with how tough being a leader can be sometimes. The characters were interesting and likeable and having spent a holiday in a flat overlooking the Firth of Clyde a couple of years ago I found it very easy to picture the setting. I'd like to read more of Bruce's books, if I can find them.

Comments

[green_knight]

Following the vague feeling of 'this rings a vague bell but I definitely haven't read them' I googled and struck gold: Apparently Phillip Larkin wrote fanfic for this series

They don't sound like my cup of tea, but I am now even more curious to read the original.

[white_hart]

Goodness, that sounds...interesting!

[slemslempike]

I thought that they were just generic smut about school stories, rather than relating to St Brides in particular (the name being common enough). I actually have the Larkin book on my to read shelves and have done for at least a decade - I keep not doing so because I think I'll find them rather tiresome. Anyone who finds Nancy Breary "plodding and unfunny" is unlikely to make an improvement.

[white_hart]

I find I have a massive Do Not Want about the idea of a cishet man writing smutty fanfic of school stories (generic or specific) in a way that I wouldn't if it was a woman. It just feels very appropriative.

[el_staplador]

I think for me it would depend on the cishet man, but the idea of Larkin doing it is definitely giving me the cold grues. I will not be seeking out that one.

[white_hart]

The review green_knight linked to definitely gave me the cold grues.