The Strange Message in the Parchment
1 journaler for this copy...
I got this in the post a week or so again from a friend down in Plymouth.
When I was a child I read a lot of Nancy Drew, although probably not that many given that I see there's about 170 of the books. I gave them all away in my late teens to clear out stuff, which I kind of regret now, and I was thrilled recently when a friend sent me this one for a trip down memory lane. Although I don't think I'd read this one before as it was completely new to me.
This is the thing about going back to stuff you thought was FABULOUS when you were a child, and you're now a cynical old adult. Sometimes you look at it and think, dear god, this is soooo corny. Nancy Drew is as corny as corn on the cob, the plot is intensely unbelievable and none of the adults behave like adults - so if you come at it as an adult, you will be horrified =) (I mean, a policeman writes a note and sends two teenage girls off to see a thief in prison; a teenage lad rings the bank asking for details of transactions on a local farmer's bank account - and the bank manager complies). However, this is aimed at little girls who don't understand how the real world works, and want a bit of quick escapism where good American girl -scout Nancy Drew shows people how to be good, solves the puzzle that none of the adults were able to figure out (doh!) and has a great time with her chums. How jolly! And it is a bit of nostalgia for the rest of us. I am really curious about the history of these books though. I love the front cover illustration on this book. The ones I had didn't match this series of illustrations at all. I had books from two versions, one a very early nineties stylised, with a white background and cut out figures in watercolour, and the other were very realistic illustrations of Nancy part way through some daring deed.
I'm reminiscing and not saying much about this book.
I think I'd need to read or re-read some more to completely be able to stand by this statement: but I don't think it's the best one out there. I also am not sure if this one will stand the test of time. It was written in the late 1970s. And it's set on a sheep farm. And they have a slaughter house, which the girls go in to watch the process. And there's a short piece of moralising on, well, you enjoy eating lampchops and wearing sheepskin, so you can't complain! I wouldn't recommend this one for anyone interested in animal rights and/or veganism. There is also a bit of the self righteous little miss - she points out to the thief in prison that he wouldn't like it if someone stole something from him, and instantaneously the man is converted from his terrible ways. (Eye roll). Thank goodness for Nancy Drew.
So yes, Nancy visits her chum on the sheep farm. The father bought a parchment painting from a neighbour and asks Nancy to figure out the message in the painting. The neighbour is a nasty, evil foreigner, so stereotypical he is one step off twirling his moustaches and cackling evily. There's a lot of energised running about, making massive assumptions that turn out to be right and all the bad dudes are apprehended at the end.
This is the thing about going back to stuff you thought was FABULOUS when you were a child, and you're now a cynical old adult. Sometimes you look at it and think, dear god, this is soooo corny. Nancy Drew is as corny as corn on the cob, the plot is intensely unbelievable and none of the adults behave like adults - so if you come at it as an adult, you will be horrified =) (I mean, a policeman writes a note and sends two teenage girls off to see a thief in prison; a teenage lad rings the bank asking for details of transactions on a local farmer's bank account - and the bank manager complies). However, this is aimed at little girls who don't understand how the real world works, and want a bit of quick escapism where good American girl -scout Nancy Drew shows people how to be good, solves the puzzle that none of the adults were able to figure out (doh!) and has a great time with her chums. How jolly! And it is a bit of nostalgia for the rest of us. I am really curious about the history of these books though. I love the front cover illustration on this book. The ones I had didn't match this series of illustrations at all. I had books from two versions, one a very early nineties stylised, with a white background and cut out figures in watercolour, and the other were very realistic illustrations of Nancy part way through some daring deed.
I'm reminiscing and not saying much about this book.
I think I'd need to read or re-read some more to completely be able to stand by this statement: but I don't think it's the best one out there. I also am not sure if this one will stand the test of time. It was written in the late 1970s. And it's set on a sheep farm. And they have a slaughter house, which the girls go in to watch the process. And there's a short piece of moralising on, well, you enjoy eating lampchops and wearing sheepskin, so you can't complain! I wouldn't recommend this one for anyone interested in animal rights and/or veganism. There is also a bit of the self righteous little miss - she points out to the thief in prison that he wouldn't like it if someone stole something from him, and instantaneously the man is converted from his terrible ways. (Eye roll). Thank goodness for Nancy Drew.
So yes, Nancy visits her chum on the sheep farm. The father bought a parchment painting from a neighbour and asks Nancy to figure out the message in the painting. The neighbour is a nasty, evil foreigner, so stereotypical he is one step off twirling his moustaches and cackling evily. There's a lot of energised running about, making massive assumptions that turn out to be right and all the bad dudes are apprehended at the end.
