Old School Ties
26 journalers for this copy...
I really, really liked this book! I read it in one day. I was really drawn in by the character of Tracey, and sympathised with her while at the same time seeing what she didn't. This book would be ideal for a book club discussion.
Tracey feels her life is in a rut - at school she was the most popular girl, but since leaving school it seems to have all disappeared. So when she is offered the chance to arrange a school reunion for a tv programme she jumps at the chance. But not all her schoolmates remember the past the same way she does.
Now it's heading off to fulfil its original purpose.
Thanks loopy!
:-)
As loopy1 says, the book follows Tracey after she is offered the chance to star in a televised school reunion. She thought she was the most popular girl in the class, but it soon becomes clear that not all of her classmates felt the same. Now that Tracey is married with two children, all she wants is to recapture her youth from 17 years previously.
The book cleverly examines the theme of bullying, both from the point of view of the bully and of the bullied. It is sad that Tracey doesn't really seem to realise that she is a bully, nor the effect she has on those around her. Throughout this book, though, I was cheering Tracey on and willing her to see what she was doing.
This is a great book - one which I heartily recommend. I'll be sending this off on an international BookRay very soon.
Thanks loopy1
:-)
I think the author sums it up when one of her characters says "The minute we walked through those (school) gates for the last time, you lost your crown, and while the rest of us got on with our lives, you were stuck here.." Fortunately by the end of the book Tracey was able to see her 'true' self and I would love to see her back in a sequel. The characters are believable and there
is both humour and pathos The book left me wanting to know more about several of the characters. I suppose that says it all then - surely the best compliment you can give an author is that she left you wanting more.
Released 19 yrs ago (10/17/2004 UTC) at
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
Sent to Mytilusgirl
* Flora-Post – Glasgow, UK
* Laura0141 – Glasgow, UK
* Robbiesmum – Lancashire, UK
* Molyneux – Oxfordshire, UK
* Kleptokitty – Farnborough, UK
* Chelseagirl – Farnborough, UK
* Weebly – Northamptonshire, UK
* MoJeDenUK – Melton Mowbray, UK
* WistfulDragon – London, UK
* Torialouise – York, UK
* KathyS – Huntingdon, UK
* MyopicMeringue – Surrey, UK
* Perfect-Circle – Newcastle, UK
* Intrycksflikka – Turku, Finland
* Margih – Tampere, Finland
* CandyDarling – Helsinki, Finland
* Brujula – Belfort, France
* Nikel27 – Hessen, Germany
* Juvi – Dresden, Germany
* Katayoun – Tehran, Iran
* Sally906 – Darwin, Australia
* your-book-fairy – New York City, NY, USA
* Rrrcaron – Lancaster, NH, USA
* Ellymae58 – San Diego, CA, USA
* Sharalsbooks – Mesa, AZ, USA
* Labmomnm – Albuquerque, NM, USA
Please journal on receipt, PM the next in line for their address, and try to read and pass on within a month.
I hope you all enjoy it.
:-)
Cheers GlasgowGal!
I loved the gradual change in Tracey’s character, something I thought was deftly done. I think it would have been too simple (and unbelievable?) if she had had a sudden revelation.
All in all, an enjoyable, if not gripping, well-written book.
Old School Ties will be off, back up to Glasgow and Flora-Post, tomorrow.
Thank you GlasgowGal!
I plan to hand this over to Laura141 at the next bookcrossing meetup on Tuesday.
All the same, it's a light, entertaining read.
Will PM Robbiesmum for address.
Now off to Kleptokitty in Farnborough - in a couple of days when I get to a post office.
I know there's folk keen to read this prior to the Unconvention, so I'm going to bump it up the pile & start it this evening.
Tracey comes to all sorts of realisations towards the end of the story, but seems to remain oblivious to the hurt she's caused in her school days. I'd also have liked to know how Suzanne coped in the aftermath of the reunion. I thought this left the ending a little lacking, which is a shame as it was otherwise an enjoyable read.
As many have said, Tracey is a fairly unpleasant character, at least at first, but I really warmed to her over the course of the novel. Kate Harrison has been really clever in the way she develops Tracey's character, by dropping subtle little hints about her upbringing; although I'd certainly never condone bullying, and Tracey's behaviour at school was often despicable, it seems fairly obvious to me that she was very insecure and lacked love, attention and affection at home, and that she responded by becoming the person she was at school in a bid to feel popular and respected, even if that respect was won through fear.
The relationship between all the old school kids was well handled and I liked the fact that despite all the differences and tensions between them, there was still quite a strong bond. It does seem that people we know whilst at high school - the period of your life when you probably change the most and develop as yourself - are the ones that you feel closest to in years to come.
This was an enjoyable read, with lots that I felt I could identify with (I was never one of the "in" crowd at school, I was one of the swatty geeky kids who made up the "out" crowd, but luckily was never bullied). It's also an impressive first novel by Katie Harrison, and I look forward to reading more of her work in the future! Thanks for letting me read it!
I'll post this off to weebly in the week.
It was a good story - the main character not very likeable - but ok and I ended up feeling very sorry for her and the helplessness she felt about her life and family. I would personally love to go to a school reunion - but with it being a girls school some of the drama here would not happen! Also I was bullied a little - but managed to get something done about it so it wasn't a big part of my school life as I had very good friends.
Thanks for sharing - I will post it on ASAP.
Thankfully, I was never bullied at school and am not aware of anybody being subjected to it either but maybe bullying wasn't so rife back in the 50s and 60s? It probably went on, but I was completely oblivious to it if it did! My school year did have a reunion about 20 years ago but I didn't go. I didn't like school, only had one really good friend there anyway and couldn't see that there would be anything to rekindle!
Posted off to Torialouise on 19th April as WistfulDragon has already read it now.
I like the idea of a story based around a school reunion -i haven't been to one yet - would be interesting to see how the people i don't keep in touch with are getting on.
On to KathyS now
Thanks for sharing Loopy1 - and see you in a couple of weeks at the Unconvention :o)
I chose to organise my school reunion (via Friends Reunited) to celebrate us all turning 40. About 70 ex-pupils and one teacher turned up on the night and a fantastic time was had by all. But we too had our share of arguments and drunken behaviour. Luckily our year bully decided not to come at the last minute but there was some problem between ex-partners not wanting to be in the same room as each other. So it's interesting to see that this fictional reunion was just as exciting and traumatic. I just couldn't believe how little people had changed in the 24 years since we'd all seen each other. There was no one-up-man-ship or comparing status just a happy bunch of people mostly glad to be in each other's company again. So next time you get the chance to go to your school reunion, give it a go. I promise you, it'll be worth it :o)
I thought the book was well written and I wondered if there was an autobiographical element to it. I liked how Tracey finally got to grow up and face the truth of her life and was interested to see how all the characters were someway affected by Tracey's schoolyard behaviour. I would definitely recommend the book and will happily read further Kate Harrison novels in the future.
Released 18 yrs ago (6/21/2005 UTC) at -- Controlled Release in -- Controlled Release, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
On it's way to MyopicMeringue for her to read before the Unconvention. I hope it arrives in time :o)
I'm not sure if there was anyone like Tracey at my school - she doesn't seem to me to be a typical bully or ring-leader. I always assume bullies to be miserable people who are bullied themselves and are taking out their anger on others, so it's interesting to consider that a bully could be a popular happy person who isn't aware of the effects of her actions on others. I found myself wondering why she'd been so popular, as she seemed rather dull - but I suppose it is possible for people to lose their spark and drive over the years. I thought the character of Boris was a lot more interesting and overshadowed Tracey - and was also a lot more likeable.
It was great to meet Kate Harrison at the Unconvention, and to chat to her about her book. She said that lots of people don't like the character of Tracey, and prefer Boris. And she said that she didn't identify with the character of Tracey herself, because she was more of a swot at school. It's fun to meet an author of a book that you're reading and ask all kinds of questions about it! And she's a really nice person - she answered all my questions and signed this copy of the book.
I will now contact Perfect-Circle for her address and send her this book. If I'd been organised I'd have given it to her at the Unconvention, but I got confused and thought loopy1 was the next on the list and tried to give it to her - and then got all confused when she told me she'd already read it!
Off to Intrycksflikka in the next couple of days.
Released 18 yrs ago (9/17/2005 UTC) at Postal Release in Postal release, By Mail/Post/Courier -- Controlled Releases
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
posted to Intrycksflikka
Enjoyed the book. It wasn't one of my most favourite books, but it was absolutly funny AND thoughtful. Even if it was kind of a puffy chick lit type, it was in some ways deep.
This book handled not only Tracey´s life as a bored housewife who misses the teen years when she "ruled the world".. And she really wants to bring back the good years by organizing a school reunion. She doesn´t realise that she was one kind of a bully at school and strongly affected to some of her schoolmates lifes. But she´s gonna find out that she really had played too much with some others´ feelings during her school years..
Thanks for sharing this book and I´m truly sorry I´ve kept it as long as I did. I´ll give the book tonight to Myntti who´ll take it to Helsinki where the next reader lives. Enjoy, CandyDarling :)
The only reunion I've been to so far, was my elementary school reunion. It was held when we were 24 years old, 12 years after we left the 6th grade. I think there were about 25 people present (it was small school), and we had an amazing time. (There we no spouses present, only us who went to that school.) We had a pretty good class spirit back then, but it was even better now. We had old music that brought back memories, and everyone regressed mentally back to being 12-year-olds. We started doing things we did in 6th grade, for example dancing to slow songs. I asked a guy to dance with me, whom I had a crush on back then. He even kissed me when I left. ;) Some people stayed and partied all night.
Anyway, thank you for including me on this ray! I'll keep an eye out for Kate Harrison in the future. I'm mailing the book tomorrow to Brujula in France.
Thank you for sending it.
A school reunion will settle even many scores, and will help Tracey make peace with the past, but also with her present.
An enjoyable read.
Thank you for this ring!
I'll send it to nikel27 as soon as I have the adress...
By the way, this book has travelled a lot, and some of the pages are getting loose...
update:
Great read, thanks for sharing with me.
Released 17 yrs ago (7/3/2006 UTC) at Post Office in Book Ring, Ginsheim -- Controlled Releases
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
EnJoy reading this book as a I did
Katayoun asks to be skipped, so I mailed it to Sally906. More soon.
No response from your-book-fairy so PMd the next person on the list - Rrrcaron
Mailing to the US surface mail 15/01/07
Released 17 yrs ago (1/14/2007 UTC) at post office to a fellow bookcrosser in to a fellow bookcrosser, By Mail/Post/Courier -- Controlled Releases
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
Mailed off to Rrrcaron - surface mail
Ruth
Ruth
Ruth
Released 17 yrs ago (2/8/2007 UTC) at Bookring 2 in bookring, Bookring -- Controlled Releases
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
Mailing book to labmomnm. Happy Reading!
22 February '07 - I sort of liked this, but sort of didn't. As most everyone has already said, the main character was annoying at first, but I did feel sorry for her as we found out what her "mates" from school thought.
I've taped up some loose pages; my bookbinding skills are sadly lacking, as any later readers will see!
13 March '07 - mailed to sweetpea0678, who had this book on her wishlist.
11 June '07 - Just a note to update; I've PM'd sweetpea0678 to see if this was received - no response. Sigh.