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Post by anzuhana on Apr 23, 2010 16:20:10 GMT -5
I found it strange that those that played sports and those that were cheerleaders were so popular that even the teachers gave them a free ride. I could understand it with the students but not the teachers. I could sorta see teachers giving those that played sports a free pass in college but I can't see it in middle school. Still, I liked the bonding between Stacey and Jessi. I like how Jessi helped Stacey with her routine.
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Post by candykane on Sept 7, 2010 10:11:54 GMT -5
I recently reread this one and still don't care for it much. Like others I felt like this particular "cool crowd" just appeared out of nowhere for the sake of this plot. When I was young, I always thought that girls like Stacey and Claudia WERE the cool kids at SMS, so I didn't like it as much when it seemed like Stacey wasn't very popular after all. In this book she talks about all these guys who never noticed her before and girls she'd never talked to, and it just seemed...not right to me. I guess there were different levels of "cool" at SMS, which also never made sense to me because it was supposed to be such a small school in a small town. Usually in a small school like that you get one "cool group" and that's it.
I did like seeing Jessi and Stacey spending time together and Jessi helping Stacey perfect a routine. It's always fun to see the sitters hang out with someone one-on-one that isn't their token BFF.
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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 Sept 7, 2010 13:04:01 GMT -5
^ it's probably kind of mean, but i love books where stacey is the uncool one. stacey was never a favorite, even when i was a kid. she always seemed snobby and superficial, so i loved seeing her on the other side of that. but i hated she started to think so highly of herself after a while.
one of the things i hate about stacey is how desperate she is. (i have posted this other places too, so i'm sorry if i repeat myself.) even though she didn't think she and rj were compatible, she went along with it because she liked being in the spotlight. and even though she didn't like rj that much, it wasn't really fair of her to start hitting on another guy while she was still on the date. it's like she was making sure a guy would call her the next day. later on, the cheerleaders were laughing at jessi because she was in sixth grade. even though jessi was going out of her way to help stacey, stacey didn't stick up for her! she just kept her mouth shut.
sigh. i'm not as bitter as i sound. really. but i think stacey really took a turn for the worse in this book. she started out so humble and sincere. in the truth about stacey, i loved reading about how important her friends were and how much she would do to protect the club. then when laine turns into a snob, stacey cuts ties with her because that isn't the kind of friend she wants. but it's okay for stacey to turn into a snob, right? i know stacey was a huge favorite and some of her fans probably loved that she made it into the popular circle, but i wonder how many fans were disappointed that she turned into such a jerk.
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Post by zoar3 on Jun 25, 2011 19:43:46 GMT -5
^I just forced myself to re-read this straight through. I am of lone (or few) company in liking the previous book of "Get Well Soon Mallory," but wow what a great read that was in comparison! This from the beginning, made me feel uncomfortable. Stacey in this book actually had the negative, melancholy vibes of Mary Anne in later books, when Dawn leaves for good. Does that make any sense, I hope?
I wonder two things: If Stacey did not "have Robert," (her words), would she have changed her tune about becoming a cheerleader when given the second chance. Based on the rest of this book, I think she'd have jumped on it.
Second, I'm sorry if I now sound bitter, if Stacey had initially made the squad, don't you ladies think the BSC and her BSC friendships would have quickly taken second fiddle? One reason I'm not a "Stacey fan" is because it often seems like she choses her friends based on popularity or her need to "shine." As someone else said upthread, Stacey was first to jump on Laine for changing but also first to (way back when) go along with the same Laine despite realizing Laine wasn't always a nice person to those "outside L's group." As soon as Stacey became one of those people, all of sudden, Laine was the one who turned nasty and completely changed.
I know this is a long reply. On a "humorous?" note, Stacey tells us that Mal and Jessi can't baby-sit at night because they have weeknight curfews. Does that mean she and the older girls, suddenly don't? I do remember one book I recently read where Stacey baby-sat until 11pm.
Second, Maureen was described as happily waving when RJ took Stacey out. Really?! Apparently she (M) had no problem allowing her daughter go off with a strange man (Robert's dad) to the concert in Stamford, either. Sometimes, those Stoneybrook "parents" need the BSC! (For themselves)
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Post by sparklymouse on Jun 25, 2011 20:23:08 GMT -5
Second, I'm sorry if I now sound bitter, if Stacey had initially made the squad, don't you ladies think the BSC and her BSC friendships would have quickly taken second fiddle? A reason I'm not a "Stacey fan" is because it often seems like she chooses her friends based on popularity or her need to "shine." In a word, yes. One of the many reasons I don't like Stacey is because I think she was always looking for an upgrade of her current situations.
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Post by anzuhana on Jun 25, 2011 20:38:07 GMT -5
I'd like to find out the book in which Stacy baby-sat until 11 pm. I think what Stacey meant by week night curfews is that the older girls are allowed to baby-sit at times when Mallory and Jessi aren't.
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Post by zoar3 on Jun 25, 2011 21:14:54 GMT -5
^I re-read the very beginning and I think so, too, Sparklymouse. I think initially when she joined the BSC, she really did appreciate having friends who were "friends." As Oldhickory said, I, too, loved how she said she would do anything for the Club. At that time, she meant it. As the series progressed the BSC perhaps became "stale" and well you know what happened next.
Anzuhana, sorry I didn't make note of that. I'm almost positive it was somewhere close to this book. I spent a few minutes looking and can't find it. I also "think" the job was in Kristy's neighborhood but I could be making that part up. Nodding, I figured that was what Stacey meant, the wording just suggested otherwise.
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Post by greer on Jun 26, 2011 3:52:33 GMT -5
For middle school, though, that's realistic. And I think after the whole "mini wine bottles in flop socks" incident, she learned ER lesson that the most popular people don't make the best friends.
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Post by wiggir13 on Jul 3, 2011 11:34:28 GMT -5
I reread this one and reread the thread and I think maybe some people are being too hard on Stacey. (yes she is on of my favorites so take that for what it's worth) I remember being that age and not really knowing who I was and who I wanted to be. I made some very bad mistakes at the costs of friendships in just trying to find out who I really was. I do think that is what Stacey does too. It is hard to be in HS and middle school and just trying to fit in etc. I think that has become a lot more clear in our society with bullying and shows like 16 and pregnant.
Now that I am older, I cringe at choices I made and things I did, but how could I have known at that time, I was so unsure of myself. It is interesting now though to read these as an adult and realize just how lost you can be as a teenager when I thought I knew everything!
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Post by zoar3 on Jul 3, 2011 12:19:14 GMT -5
It was just my JHS experience to be cast aside by some former "friends, one in particular" so their "popularity" wouldn't "suffer." I think that's why the whole "chosing" friends (in a not very nice way) relates to me and I think that's exactly what most all the BSC characters did at one time or another. It seems like they (which is realistic, not saying it's not, just in their case because supposedly of how close they were, it read as really rude), couldn't fathom juggling more than one type of friend. (BSC, school, etc).
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Post by wiggir13 on Jul 3, 2011 12:53:45 GMT -5
It was hard to do that in real life too. It's not only me, but the people I was friends with didn't seem to keen on the other friends I was making and vice versa. I think the BSC did this as well b/c they never would take well to strangers so in a way the person never really had a choice either. If Stacey had made cheerleading, the BSC would have hated it and outcast her and then its the same as the cheerleaders teasing her for being in the BSC. I guess no one can get along!
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Post by zoar3 on Jul 3, 2011 16:15:44 GMT -5
^The one thing that struck me that today's discussion is reminding me of is on Page 75. "Ask Jessi to help you," Claudia suggested. "She'd be a great choreographer." ^I wasn't sure how to seperate the direct quote from the text; did my best. Anyway, when I last read the above it sounded like the BSC members had told Stacey that they "were too cool" for cheerleading. Thus making the judgement call not only on themselves but on her (and the "group). The BSC never did that, though. They (BSC) were just surprised by S's sudden interest (as was I) in cheerleading. IDK, I still think it seems like Stacey was wading her way through chosing her next group.
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Post by wiggir13 on Jul 3, 2011 17:34:34 GMT -5
I can see that, but I do think that if she was to make cheerleading, I can see them making her feel bad and pushing her and being jealous but maybe they wouldn't.
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Post by zoar3 on Jul 3, 2011 18:11:59 GMT -5
^Oh, I agree. The BSC probably would have staged a semi Ashley Wyeth type revolt against Stacey. I just think (in this case) Stacey was doing the same thing. I do like things about Stacey, Wiggirl, not meaning to harp on her! I think as others (and yourself) have already said aside from the intensity on cheerleading, this book did an accurate job of portraying kids in middle school in terms of finding friends.
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supprazz
Sitting For The Newtons
Posts: 2,106
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Post by supprazz on Jul 3, 2011 18:20:48 GMT -5
A little off topic, but who else enjoyed the sub plot with Tiffany? And the ghost writer not realizing that according to Kristy & the Snobs, she baby sat too. The hobbies and activities she was trying like art and photography seemed fun, but I thought finding an interest in gardening and flowers was really nice, and I enjoyed reading about that later on in Shannon's Story
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