celaeno
Sitting For The Papadakis's
I have to share a room with Vanessa
Posts: 1,514
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Post by celaeno on Jun 24, 2010 21:06:30 GMT -5
The build-up in this book is pretty ridiculous. The plot of the book is "Will Stacey pick New York or Connecticut???" Well, here's a few hints: the back of the book shows she's back as Treasurer in the BSC. The title of the book is Welcome Back, Stacey! The cover shows her happily reuniting with the BSC. And the freaking tagline is "She's home for good!" Really, how do you think it's going to end???
Claudia's outfit on the cover matches the description in the book! I love when they do that.
I liked how Stacey acted in the book, and I like that she had a distinct voice, at least early in the series. I liked how she reacted angrily and told her parents she hated them, and then gave them the silent treatment for quite awhile, instead of acting like a rational mini-adult who doesn't speak rashly.
I also liked that they ended with Stacey still feeling torn. I was expecting the book to wrap up really cleanly, with Stacey being all "Now I've realized, Stoneybrook IS my true home!". I liked that it showed she couldn't really feel complete in either NYC or Stoneybrook, and that NYC was still her real home.
I loved the scene with Mallory at the end, in her sequined sweatshirt and pink leggings, as she complains how much it sucks to be her, and the older members roll their eyes at the immature 11-year-old.
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oldhickory
Sitting For The Arnolds
Heather Loves Boys and Gym
Posts: 3,251
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Post by oldhickory on Jun 24, 2010 21:42:56 GMT -5
^ that's something that bugged me in the books. all the suspense about whether stacey moves back, or if jessi gets the part.. it seems so unnecessary sometimes. i mean, i appreciate that the writer (was it AMM on this one?) takes us through the whole process -- finding out about the divorce, denial, anger, deciding what to do, etc. but somehow it feels like those chapters were wasted since we know exactly what is going to happen in the end.
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Post by sparklymouse on Jun 28, 2010 17:20:16 GMT -5
Does anyone think Maureen was being manipulative by moving back to Stoneybrook? She must have been pretty confident that Stacey would pick her if she did, and moving away from Stacey's dad guaranteed she would get Stacey for 95% of the time. If she had stayed in NYC she would have been forced with a 50-50 split.
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starrynight
Sitting For The Kuhns
The Royal Diner of Pizza Express
Posts: 4,004
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Post by starrynight on Jun 28, 2010 17:59:56 GMT -5
I never really saw it that way. I think Maureen just liked Stoneybrook better, and living somewhere that she'd been happy before was probably what she needed after dealing with an unhappy marriage and divorce.
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celaeno
Sitting For The Papadakis's
I have to share a room with Vanessa
Posts: 1,514
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Post by celaeno on Jun 28, 2010 19:21:04 GMT -5
I wondered if Maureen picked Stoneybrook in order to lure Stacey. It would have been funny if Maureen had bought a house in Stoneybrook, certain that Stacey would choose to live with her, and then Stacey had chosen to live in NY with her dad. Maureen would have been like "Crap, now I'm stuck living by myself in the boondocks!"
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oldhickory
Sitting For The Arnolds
Heather Loves Boys and Gym
Posts: 3,251
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Post by oldhickory on Jun 28, 2010 23:10:27 GMT -5
^ maureen always seemed pretty reluctant to buy that house unless she knew stacey was coming. in fact, i believe she even told the realtor to start showing that house again, until stacey told her she made a decision. so i doubt maureen would have jumped to buy any house until she knew for sure with stacey.
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Post by zoar3 on Jul 3, 2010 21:40:14 GMT -5
^She did. Maureen told M(rs.)? Keller to re-list the house, inidcating at that time she could not commit. Less than 15 minutes later, post Stacey's Stoneybrook vs. NY list, did She call back and take the house.
I never gave thought to Sharon or Maureen's house choices. Maybe Sharon liked the ancient farmhouse that probably was not too safe overall, because she was scatter-brained? I mean she didn't completely take into consideration long term issues such as the barn. Maureen's choice, it did sound like the house she chose might have been due to budget and availability. Of course, no BSC Member or Charge could live in an apartment! I would have liked to have seen Dee/Maureen interaction and Mal/ Stacey hanging out more. On different note, think any of the triplets had a "crush" on Stacey?
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Post by sugarandspicexx on Jul 22, 2010 3:29:55 GMT -5
It kind of surprised me Stacey was so oblivious to the extent of her parents problems, she knew they were fighting A LOT.. Yet not once did she consider maybe they'd split? And then is in so much shock when they do? Maybe she was just heavily in denial?
On the other hand, I also didn't think the described problems were grounds for divorce, unless those other "personal" things held a lot more weight than money / work issues.
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oldhickory
Sitting For The Arnolds
Heather Loves Boys and Gym
Posts: 3,251
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Post by oldhickory on Jul 22, 2010 16:01:03 GMT -5
i always assumed that being unable to have children caused them a lot of stress. maybe they both blamed the other. or maybe once they knew they couldn't add to their family, settling for what they had just seemed incomplete.
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starrynight
Sitting For The Kuhns
The Royal Diner of Pizza Express
Posts: 4,004
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Post by starrynight on Jul 24, 2010 12:11:27 GMT -5
^ I never really thought the whole no kids thing contributed to their problems....it was hardly ever brought up.
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Post by zoar3 on Jul 24, 2010 16:59:10 GMT -5
^I never did either. I have wondered though if they had been trying for a second child for a number of years and when Stacey was 11, it all came to a final head--they were told Maureen getting pregnant would not be possible. Otherwise, it seemed, imo, a little "late(r)? to be aiming for a sibling for Stacey. Perhaps they could have also adopted.
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Post by sparklymouse on Mar 28, 2011 17:22:46 GMT -5
The quote is brought over from the negative BSC thread. 3. The divorce in general. I wish Ed had not changed and they had remained a family of 3. I'm glad they split up because the divorce brought on a great character transformation for Maureen. I think she shaped up to be one of the best parents and it was a natural, gradual change. Ed was Ed. I don't he was much different before, during, or after the divorce.
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Post by zoar3 on Mar 28, 2011 21:28:02 GMT -5
^I liked how Maureen eventually "shaped up," too. I still think very early Ed was much different than the cariacture he became.
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Post by greer on Mar 29, 2011 6:35:20 GMT -5
The quote is brought over from the negative BSC thread. I'm glad they split up because the divorce brought on a great character transformation for Maureen. I think she shaped up to be one of the best parents and it was a natural, gradual change. Ed was Ed. I don't he was much different before, during, or after the divorce. I really like Maureen post-divorce too, and feel like it's one of the parent/child relationships that we really get a good look at. Stacey and Maureen seem really close and to share a special bond, moreso than any other sitter and parent. I think Dawn and Sharon also had a similar relationship in the beginning, but then it was lost to Dawn moving back and forth and Sharon getting remarried. Maureen seemed to really revel in the idea of having a second shot at an independent life, and I liked that.
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Post by zoar3 on Mar 29, 2011 16:28:42 GMT -5
Good point, Greer.
It would have been interesting if Sharon had been better developed outside of her extreme scatterbrained personality. I say that because her relationship with both Jeff and Dawn might have continued (going strongish) instead of vanishing.
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