# 131 The Fire at Mary Anne's House

[aln1982]

Anyone read this book? I'm considering getting it but want to know if it's worth it. Is it depressing since it's the last in the series? Can you tell it's the last? What is it about (other than that MA's house burns down as I inferred that from the title)? Is there a lot of stuff in it about the club ending or anything like that? Trying to decide if it will make me too sad to read (I like to read the BSC to improve my bad moods) and if it's worth getting. Thanks.

[lilafowler]

I don't have this one, but the club doesn't disband until the last FF book, Graduation Day.

[starrynight]

I liked this one...it definitely has a different feel to it than most of the books in the series, probably because it was so serious. I wouldn't call it depressing. It's worth reading!

[liss31d]

It is pretty depressing. But what I kept thinking was can't the writers give Mary Anne a break? So many tough things happen to her throughout the series; I mean her Mum died when she was a baby, her Dad was pretty strict, he later remarried (Sharon) and she acquired a new step family and had to move out of the home she was raised in, her step sister/best friend (Dawn) left the country to be with her other family, she has boyfriend trouble in general, her friend at school (Amelia) was killed in a road accident, and now to end the regular series, a fire burns down her house and she loses all her possessions. It's no wonder Mary Anne went to see a therapist at some point in the series. I don't blame her!

[aln1982]

Thanks for the responses. I might have to get it just because it sounds interesting but I don't know if I can handle something as devestating as reading about losing all possessions (this is one of my worst fears anyway) after what happened to our family last night. (I'm going to post that story in the off topic section...)It might be worth reading at some point, though, so I might get it.

[greer]

I kind of dislike this book just for the fact that now when I read the book, whenever they're at the farmhouse i think about how it burns down. And that's just depressing.

[aln1982]

Did this book really depress or disturb anyone else? Maybe it is because one of my worst fears is losing my house to a fire. I will have to reread it to see if I have the same opinion the second time (if I can stand to - it really freaked me out but I didn't like it. I didn't even care for the subplot. It just seemed so final.

[wanderingfrog]

The part where Richard says that he should have kept his files at the office where they'd be safe and the firefighter says that a fire can strike anywhere kind of freaks me out. My house has never burnt down, thank goodness, but my father is also a lawyer, and his office did burn down.

[aln1982]

Wanderingfrog, that is really strange about your dad's office and this book. Hope he was able to save his files!
I just remembered reading in Dawn's Book Portrait Collection about her fear of fires. There were a few chapters on it, if I remember right. Is this mentioned in The Fire at MA's House? It would be a good show of consistency (something the BSC books are not always known for

[Deleted]

I remember reading this book and it freaked me out. I live where fires are common, and it's one of my worst fears to lose my possessions. I made my dad check our electricity and gas out so his house wouldn't burn down, and I made my mom do the same.

[Karen Brewer]

I just read this one. It's pretty depressing. It was nice of the Thomas/Brewer clan to let them stay with them awhile though.

[aln1982]

^ Agree about the Thomas/Brewers. I liked that part too. I've only been able to make myself read this one once because it freaked me out and depressed me so much but maybe I will try it again (once I get my courage up). It just has such a "final" feeling to it, even just the stuff about no more BSC - that's also why I don't want to read the FF series.

[magentanation]

This book depressed me to no end, which is why I very seldom re-read it. I always want to cry when Mary Anne remembers all the stuff she had from her mom that she lost in the fire.

[aln1982]

^ I had forgotten about her stuff from her mom. That's even more awful. Maybe I won't reread.... ;D
Glad to know I'm not the only one who is depressed by this book.

[msstock87]

This book also depressed me. Having a fire and losing all my possessions is one of my biggest fears. This book also depressed me because it was the last one in the series.