cnj
Sitting For The Papadakis's
Posts: 1,708
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Post by cnj on Jun 29, 2021 11:59:37 GMT -5
I love the books, especially the later ones where all the BSC gals go to NYC.
I can totally see them in making regular trips to NYC every few weekends or holidays during their high school years.
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Post by hurricanebill on Jul 1, 2021 4:38:45 GMT -5
I love the books, especially the later ones where all the BSC gals go to NYC. I can totally see them in making regular trips to NYC every few weekends or holidays during their high school years. I would love to read about their adventures in New York as high schoolers. New York is such a great place. I don’t have much time to read so I’m only up to the part where Stacey and Claudia go to the mall to spy on Robert. A water fountain with pink water is mentioned. Those were the days where malls were awesome (like on Stranger Things). Washington Mall would possibly be a “dead mall” these days. There’s some cool videos on YouTube of dead malls and abandoned malls as it leaves a bit to the imagination. I’m addicted to those abandoned places videos. I’m really appreciating this book a lot for the descriptions and summer time nostalgia.
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cnj
Sitting For The Papadakis's
Posts: 1,708
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Post by cnj on Jul 2, 2021 9:03:14 GMT -5
I love the books, especially the later ones where all the BSC gals go to NYC. I can totally see them in making regular trips to NYC every few weekends or holidays during their high school years. I would love to read about their adventures in New York as high schoolers. New York is such a great place. I don't have much time to read so I'm only up to the part where Stacey and Claudia go to the mall to spy on Robert. A water fountain with pink water is mentioned. Those were the days where malls were awesome - like on Stranger Things. Washington Mall would possibly be a "dead mall" these days. There's some cool videos on YouTube of dead malls and abandoned malls as it leaves a bit to the imagination. I'm addicted to those abandoned places videos. I'm really appreciating this book a lot for the descriptions and summer time nostalgia. Me too...I want to add more in my fanfics on their high school New York City trips. I have one story where they're in eleventh grade in the year 1999-2000 and they're in NYC for the New Year's holiday and from an office window, they watch the ball drop. I think Washington Mall would be sort of akin to a huge mall I know of that's very much alive, Tysons Mall in McLean, Virginia. Have you ever been to Northern Virginia or Prince Georges County, Maryland? I have friends and family who live in the Washington, DC metropolitan area that I visit every so often. The DC metro area is almost as huge and as busy as NYC. One lives in a DC suburb and Greenbelt and I've stayed at her house, which is just down the street from a very lively mall, Beltway Plaza. We've also gone to a very alive Prince Georges Mall, which is not large, but has all sorts of wonderful stores and shops. I have a friend and a sister and two nieces who live in Arlington, Virginia. Sometimes we trek to Tysons Mall when I visit them and that mall is huge and is in two parts. I imagine Washington Mall being akin to a mix of Beltway Plaza and Tysons Mall. I suspect that since the BSC graduated from high school and embarked onto their adult lives, Stoneybrook has now grown into a very large town by now. I think Washington Mall would be two adjacent parts with several fountains with multicolored water. And probably Stoneybrook now has several malls and town centers by now.
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livvy
Sitter-In-Training
Posts: 394
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Post by livvy on Jun 25, 2022 15:05:23 GMT -5
Stacy was an idiot in this one.
She stalks Robert, thinking he was going out with some high school girl (what fifteen year old girl would date a thirteen year old???) then she developed a crush on Ethan then is in denial over it despite talking about him all the time and forgetting about poor Robert.
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livvy
Sitter-In-Training
Posts: 394
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Post by livvy on Jun 25, 2022 15:07:03 GMT -5
sigh! literature fans and their gay theories. No dude is safe. No dig intended @ u Lila! Nope which I why I hate fan fiction where they make sensitive guys like Byron gay. And Kristy into a lesbian because she's a tomboy. Stereotype much fan fic writers?
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Post by oldmeanie on Apr 24, 2023 19:11:48 GMT -5
This is a pretty good late series book. I would've been much madder at Robert. At this point, I think there were signs they needed to break it off, and I couldn't really blame Robert for wanting to do so (I blame him for lying and cheating, absolutely, I just don't blame him for wanting to leave Stacey). This passage from chapter 1 sort of rubs me the wrong way:
"You see, lately Robert has been spending less and less time with his old crowd and I want it to stay that way. Those kids have caused me so much grief, you wouldn’t believe it."
Eh... knowing the background behind this, I get it; I guess I'm just not a fan of Stacey somewhat choosing his friends (choosing isn't the right word, I just can't think of how to word it). This is why I kind of don't blame Robert, even though he's never been a favorite of mine (he never seemed to have much of a character besides basketball and loving to eat, anyway). He is 100% in the wrong for being dishonest with her, though. He should have broken up with her before seeing Andi (also, I'm confused, because I thought Stacey was still friendly with Andi. Oh well). He probably planned on doing it after her New York trip, which I can see. But apparently he wasn't great at sneaking around with Andi, since everybody in Stoneybrook seemed to notice lol. I guess my point here is that Stacey and Robert just aren't good for each other.
I skim the chapter 2s to see if anything stands out. Something does in this one, but not in a good way:
"Another difference. Claudia is gorgeous, Janine isn’t... Janine, on the other hand, is very plain and couldn’t care less about her looks. Claudia once gave her a makeover, though, and it’s helped some." Wooooooow. This is honestly pretty harsh. I have to say that from illustrations, I think Janine is pretty too. This passage is pretty mean, honestly... before, it was just Janine's clothes that were plain.
The trip in New York was cool, and I do like the Walkers. I like Stacey's description of how Mrs. Walker is melodramatic and of the art in their apartment. Ethan is all right and I think he's more interesting than Robert. I don't understand why a 15 year old would want to see a 13 year old, especially if she lives out of town.
Something surprising in this book: I actually liked Ed. What. He seemed to be a pretty supportive, normal dad, and very understanding. Maybe Samantha is good for him idk.
The subplot... oof. I liked the setup and how Abby was challenging Kristy (and making fun of her Looks. Kristy seriously needs to cut Jessi some slack and no, I will never shut up about this lol). But after that, I couldn't really enjoy it tbh. Not only is it yet another festival, but this is the first time in this re read that I didn't like Abby much (just for the one chapter where they were making signs or something). I would've been livid if she bought supplies beyond the budget, then asked everyone to pitch in. That kind of thing should be discussed beforehand. It was odd, because Abby seemed so relaxed in the meeting, but she became really bossy once the actual festival planning began. Weird. I would've much preferred if Abby had a more lax leadership style and seen that played out instead of wasting money.
I don't love how it was written to prove Kristy right. Kristy annoys me, especially lately, and I do hate how rigid she is about lateness and others' commitments (I was very annoyed that she blew up at Stacey for going to New York for a week for a sitting job. It's summer, it's a week, and there were still 7 members to cover jobs. Chill out Kristy). I think she's good at organizing, though. I did feel for Abby when everyone was saying, "Kristy would do it this way, Kristy would do it that way." Yeah, that's annoying, and I can see why Abby didn't want to take this advice. I wouldn't either. I guess in the end it did work out, though.
I like this one... I guess I give it a 7. Sort of liking forward to the next one, sort of not.
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oldhickory
Sitting For The Arnolds
Heather Loves Boys and Gym
Posts: 3,257
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Post by oldhickory on Apr 25, 2023 10:16:58 GMT -5
That Janine passage is so mean and anti-feminist. Was the BSC unusually picky about women's appearances or is this just how people talked in the 90s? Janine isn't sloppy or unclean (she dresses pretty conservatively so you can't even make an argument about effort) and you know they look alike. If anything, Janine eats healthier food and teases her hair less.
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Post by oldmeanie on Apr 25, 2023 12:08:24 GMT -5
I know! It really is mean. Honestly, it comes out of nowhere. I've seen comments about her clothes before (the BSC can be very judgmental about fashion, even within the club), but never her actual looks. Re reading the series, there are occasionally some problematic passages (like I think Ellen, the overweight girl in Winter Vacation), but I haven't noticed many aside from fashion, particularly judging Kristy for her lack of fashion sense (that's one way I sympathize with her, as I went through the same thing growing up).
If this series was written today, I know this wouldn't have been in the book. Noticing some dated things in the BSC.
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