Friends' Forever Special - Everything Changes

[macca]

Just finished this one, it wasn't as bad as I'd been expecting. A few points from the book (sure I'll have more later)

1. Having actual photographs of girls on the front cover was just... strange. Not the BSC I grew up with. As a matter of fact, while these characters had the same names and general characteristics of the original BSC, this - and all future FF books - are really just their own series. It's not really the BSC at all. Once you look at these books as a completely seperate entity, they're not quite so bad.

2. The BSC traditional building block logo should've been featured somewhere on the cover IMO.

3. Mary Anne's missing tooth on the cover irritates me. Okay, I know it's realistic for a 13 yr old girl, but it's the first thing I notice when I look at the book.

4. Who the F decided it was a good idea to actually use Claudia's spelling and grammar for her chapters? Very annoying to read.

5. Likewise, Kristy's abbreviated "journal entry" chapters. Can't they just write the books properly?

6. Mr McGill wanted Samantha to move in - without getting married first! Wow. That's something new for the BSC. Also, Mr McGill has some strange parenting ideals. Ethan was too old and a bad influence on Stacey until he supported the idea of Ed and Samantha's cohabitation?

7. Not much babysitting! More focus on the lives of the girls themselves. A nice change.

[Amalia]

I agree. I didn't like Kristy's abbreviated journal entry. And, to me, she was a b*tch to Abby. It was sweet how the kids got them to make up (is that how it happened?).

[fluffy]

I briefly flipped through this in a bookshop a few years ago. IMO, the journal/letter format was one of the biggest faults of the books. (I was afraid for a bit that the entire series would be written the same way!) Especially Kristy's awful 'abbreviated' English. Were Mary Anne's chapters in her handwriting? Just imagine reading those huge, loopy letters for pages.

If the BSC took place today, Claudia would so be one of those chatspeak-fond kids on the internet. 'hI jEnIn hU R u?!11!1 lOlZ.'

[macca]

IMO, the journal/letter format was one of the biggest faults of the books. (I was afraid for a bit that the entire series would be written the same way!)

Actually, I'm surprised they didn't write the chapters in the girls' handwriting, like the California Diaries books. At least Jessi wasn't really a part of things anymore! Ugh, her writing was painful to read.

Were Mary Anne's chapters in her handwriting? Just imagine reading those huge, loopy letters for pages.

Yet another headache... the BSC used to compliment MA on her handwriting - and perhaps that traditional script is considered attractive, but I found Stacey's or Dawns much easier on the eyes (without the hearts, thanks Stace).

[supernatural babe]

Actually, Claudia's spelling mistakes had much improved or was more realistic in this book.

Mary-Anne- I hated her in this book! She really doesn't deserve Logan. The way she treated him was a disgrace.

[greer]

^I was totally in Mary Anne's corner on the Logan issue in these books. They dated waaay too long for thirteen year olds, anyway. I thoguht it was a little weird.

[macca]

^ yeah, actually for once I didn't mind Mary Anne. It was very obvious she was completely over Logan. I mean, they'd been dating since 1987 or something! ;D

[lisa]

That's nearly 20 years now

[jen]

I hated all the handwriting that was in this! Wait, I think I'm getting mixed up with Graduation Day. One of them, or both of them, have an insane amount of handwriting. It drove me nuts.

This was the one where Claudia goes to that island and eats lobster every day, right? I liked reading about the lobster

[macca]

I hated all the handwriting that was in this! Wait, I think I'm getting mixed up with Graduation Day. One of them, or both of them, have an insane amount of handwriting. It drove me nuts.

It definitely wasn't this one. There was no handwriting in it at all. I don't have Graduation Day

[jen]

Oh, right. It's Graduation Day then where you have pages and pages of handwriting (everyone's! Including Jessi's and Claudia's. Ugh).

[lovelylemontree]

5. Likewise, Kristy's abbreviated "journal entry" chapters. Can't they just write the books properly?

That's really all I remember about this book. Is it really so difficult to write out "Abby" instead of calling her "A."?

6. Mr McGill wanted Samantha to move in - without getting married first! Wow. That's something new for the BSC.

:::blinks::: What? I obviously was not paying attention at all. I don't remember anything about that.

Also, Mr McGill has some strange parenting ideals. Ethan was too old and a bad influence on Stacey until he supported the idea of Ed and Samantha's cohabitation?

That's because Mr. McGill's a total jackass.

[secondhandshoes]

I really liked the no babysitting chapters aspect in Friends Forever, but I agree that the FF series just wasn't the same as the BSC. While the problems became more realistic to 13 year old girls, it just seemed like a completely different series!

[starrynight]

I just read "Mary Anne's Revenge," and I have to agree with you; they ARE more realistically 13, but they aren't the same characters we grew up with.

[Amalia]

^ I agree. To me, the original series just seemed like a cartoon in comparison. But I liked it better.