A Rebel at the Chalet School by Elinor M. Brent-Dyer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book explains everything. It took a long time for me to find a copy of it, and when I finally did get a copy, it explained everything. Want to find out what happened to X ? Want to find out the reason why X held a massive grudge against X (for what felt like FOREVER)? Want to find out why X jumped on X at the X? (That last sentence sounds particularly euphemistic!).
It’s all here.
Rebel is a curious, dark book full of some quite intense moments involving the girls behaviour towards a particular member of staff. Brent-Dyer was at the height of her power at this point and delivers a swift, pacy book (which, as it was originally published as part of The Chalet School and the Lintons, may not be entirely her doing but I digress).
At its heart, Rebel is a book about power and control. Girls struggling against each other, girls fighting against staff, and the ramifications of that struggle. For a relatively small book, it deals with some massive themes quite unconsciously and then, because it’s a Chalet School book, ends on a note of special bonkersness.
As ever, massively recommended.
Daisy May Johnson 