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Chalet School - Complete
A Refuge for the Chalet School
The girls and staff of the Chalet School are seeking a refuge from the growing threat of Nazism. Austria has become part of Germany and the Chalet School has had to leave the country—some members more precipitately than others. Luckily there are people in Guernsey who are waiting to welcome them as they arrive on the island. They make friends, a long-awaited wedding is celebrated and Joey and Jack set up their first house together. There is birth, and death, parting and reunion and though the school itself is in abeyance its spirit lives on. As war clouds gather everyone hopes that the Chalet School can once more open its doors to pupils and work and serve in an uncertain world.
A Refuge for the Chalet School is set during the ‘missing’ chapters of The Chalet School in Exile
A Refuge for the Chalet School is set during the ‘missing’ chapters of The Chalet School in Exile
302 pages, Paperback
Published November 29, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
December 15, 2019
The time period around Exile is probable one o the most interesting of the entire series, so I really looked forward to reading this fill in.
This is a fantastic book, really in keeping with the rest of the series and a really enjoyable read.
I loved finding out more about Joey and Jacks marriage and early married days. It also gave a realistic view of the human consequences that the escape in Exile had on those affected.
I highly recommend reading this book if you enjoy the Chalet School series.
This is a fantastic book, really in keeping with the rest of the series and a really enjoyable read.
I loved finding out more about Joey and Jacks marriage and early married days. It also gave a realistic view of the human consequences that the escape in Exile had on those affected.
I highly recommend reading this book if you enjoy the Chalet School series.
October 2, 2020
I was really excited by the prospect of a fill-in to accompany one of my favourite Chalet School books of all time - The Chalet School In Exile. There's a lot missing even within this classic book (which includes a time jump) that an fill-in author can colour in.
Amy Fletcher's book is meticulously researched and studiously written to avoid contradicting Elinor M. Brent-Dyer's canon (which is a feat in and of itself since Brent-Dyer merrily contradicted herself all the time).
Fletcher captures some really lovely moments in her book. The appearance of Anna, who becomes Joey's indispensable housekeeper for the rest of the series, is quite touching and charming - a Christmas miracle that feels true to the spirit of this series.
It's quite nice, too, to get to see Joey quite literally set up house with Jack Maynard. It's a shame that Brent-Dyer never showed us the first few months of their marriage after their heart-stopping escape from Austria. Fletcher captures some lovely moments between them, with Jo, in particular, asserting herself characteristically well when she agrees to send him off to war.
The trouble is the book doesn't feel as coherent as it should. It's not just that it's episodic, which Brent-Dyer's books mostly were. The writing can be choppy even from sentence to sentence within a paragraph - Fletcher dropping in various thoughts that aren't really connected but just needing to get them said somehow, somewhere. (Also, everything is 'sombre' or 'sombrely said' - which is very... sombre.) It makes for awkward reading, and constantly reminds me that this is not a book written by Brent-Dyer.
(I mean, obviously it's not, but the point of a fill-in book is that it should trick me enough so that I'm not so distracted while reading!)
2.5 stars
Amy Fletcher's book is meticulously researched and studiously written to avoid contradicting Elinor M. Brent-Dyer's canon (which is a feat in and of itself since Brent-Dyer merrily contradicted herself all the time).
Fletcher captures some really lovely moments in her book. The appearance of Anna, who becomes Joey's indispensable housekeeper for the rest of the series, is quite touching and charming - a Christmas miracle that feels true to the spirit of this series.
It's quite nice, too, to get to see Joey quite literally set up house with Jack Maynard. It's a shame that Brent-Dyer never showed us the first few months of their marriage after their heart-stopping escape from Austria. Fletcher captures some lovely moments between them, with Jo, in particular, asserting herself characteristically well when she agrees to send him off to war.
The trouble is the book doesn't feel as coherent as it should. It's not just that it's episodic, which Brent-Dyer's books mostly were. The writing can be choppy even from sentence to sentence within a paragraph - Fletcher dropping in various thoughts that aren't really connected but just needing to get them said somehow, somewhere. (Also, everything is 'sombre' or 'sombrely said' - which is very... sombre.) It makes for awkward reading, and constantly reminds me that this is not a book written by Brent-Dyer.
(I mean, obviously it's not, but the point of a fill-in book is that it should trick me enough so that I'm not so distracted while reading!)
2.5 stars
February 6, 2024
A review to follow
December 28, 2020
Fleeing their beloved Austria after the Anschluss, Jo and Madge find a refuge in Guernsey. Excitements and incidents are never far away when Jo is around, but after all the strains of their encounters with the Nazis, Guernsey offers the Bettany sisters some much-needed peace - and some new beginnings.
Amy Fletcher really captures Elinor M. Brent-Dyer’s style in this book - there isn’t a sentence which jars. I completely believed in her characterisations as well, with Jo very much as we see her in New Chalet School and Exile, a young woman with self-assurance, soft-hearted and excitable but also gentle and thoughtful when she needs to be. Madge meanwhile is a born organiser who is determined to re-open her school when a lesser woman would have decided enough is enough.
This book gets off to a strong start in true EBD style, with the arrival of the Russell family and assorted hangers-on seen through the eyes of Jacqueline Le Pelley - destined eventually to become a real Chalet School girl. All the challenges of the scattered arrivals and reunions of the dispersed clan from Austria are very well handled, and we’re told very believably how while Jo had to make a hasty escape, Madge managed to pack up and bring large amounts of stuff safely away. Jo’s wedding is also one of the successes of the book.
After that, however, the episodic structure, without any unifying thread, flags a little. The characters seem almost to be filling their time before the war and the re-opening of the school will give them some purpose again. Here the extremely rigid focus on what Jo and to a lesser extent Madge are doing seems to me to come at the expense of insight into character. Though I love that Fletcher gives us a Jo who, by and large, turns out to be a competent housekeeper rather than a dreamy idiot, I could have done with a bit less detail about her furniture arrangements and a bit more of a window into other characters’ thoughts. Grizel Cochrane is constantly mentioned but we never once see inside her head - how does she take having to watch Jo enjoy relative prosperity and a happy marriage while she is off in a cottage with Rosalie Dene? A real trick is missed when we meet the Lucy/Chester/Ozanne families from the La Rochelle books but aren’t given the missing link between Janie Steps In and Exile of Anne Chester reconnecting with Beth and deciding to send her to the Chalet School. EBD tells us that in Guernsey Robin transitioned from still-frail child into a normal healthy teenage schoolgirl, but we don’t see that here. We are given something of how Jo’s relationship with Daisy evolves so that Daisy ends up living with her, not Madge, though it’s not spelled out. And best of all we are shown quite plausibly how Anna, who did not have a particularly strong connection to Jo in Tyrol, ends up being the linchpin of Jo’s household.
In all, a pleasant and enjoyable read, but one which could have been a much stronger book with a couple of different choices.
Amy Fletcher really captures Elinor M. Brent-Dyer’s style in this book - there isn’t a sentence which jars. I completely believed in her characterisations as well, with Jo very much as we see her in New Chalet School and Exile, a young woman with self-assurance, soft-hearted and excitable but also gentle and thoughtful when she needs to be. Madge meanwhile is a born organiser who is determined to re-open her school when a lesser woman would have decided enough is enough.
This book gets off to a strong start in true EBD style, with the arrival of the Russell family and assorted hangers-on seen through the eyes of Jacqueline Le Pelley - destined eventually to become a real Chalet School girl. All the challenges of the scattered arrivals and reunions of the dispersed clan from Austria are very well handled, and we’re told very believably how while Jo had to make a hasty escape, Madge managed to pack up and bring large amounts of stuff safely away. Jo’s wedding is also one of the successes of the book.
After that, however, the episodic structure, without any unifying thread, flags a little. The characters seem almost to be filling their time before the war and the re-opening of the school will give them some purpose again. Here the extremely rigid focus on what Jo and to a lesser extent Madge are doing seems to me to come at the expense of insight into character. Though I love that Fletcher gives us a Jo who, by and large, turns out to be a competent housekeeper rather than a dreamy idiot, I could have done with a bit less detail about her furniture arrangements and a bit more of a window into other characters’ thoughts. Grizel Cochrane is constantly mentioned but we never once see inside her head - how does she take having to watch Jo enjoy relative prosperity and a happy marriage while she is off in a cottage with Rosalie Dene? A real trick is missed when we meet the Lucy/Chester/Ozanne families from the La Rochelle books but aren’t given the missing link between Janie Steps In and Exile of Anne Chester reconnecting with Beth and deciding to send her to the Chalet School. EBD tells us that in Guernsey Robin transitioned from still-frail child into a normal healthy teenage schoolgirl, but we don’t see that here. We are given something of how Jo’s relationship with Daisy evolves so that Daisy ends up living with her, not Madge, though it’s not spelled out. And best of all we are shown quite plausibly how Anna, who did not have a particularly strong connection to Jo in Tyrol, ends up being the linchpin of Jo’s household.
In all, a pleasant and enjoyable read, but one which could have been a much stronger book with a couple of different choices.
December 28, 2019
This has to be my favorite of the Chalet School "fill-in" titles, as it answers the many questions of just what happened during the missing months in the middle of The Chalet School in Exile. There are many arrivals to the island of Guernsey, beginning with Margot Venables, her children, and the Russell and Bettany children. We experience their settling into a new hope against fears of what is happening on the continent — even while knowing that this refuge won't last. Joey's wedding provides a happy occasion; but even Jo agrees with Jack's decision to enlist as a doctor if war breaks out. I do feel that this book is really more for adults who read Exile as children, than for children. The only question I'm left with is how Joey recognized Janie Lucy in Exile if they haven't met before! Highly recommended, especially for Chalet School fans.
July 12, 2021
I loved this fill-in title. Felt very true to EBD and did a great job in giving an insight to the lost months. Always felt so cheated between the two halves of 'Exile' and now I feel the story has finally been told. Bravo Amy Fletcher
January 9, 2026
This is a wonderful “fill-in” story to Elinor Brent-Dyer’s Chalet School series. The action fills the time between Parts 1 and 2 of “The Chalet School in Exile”, arguably EBD’s greatest book. The story fills in the missing parts of Joey’s flight and arrival on the island of Guernsey. Many familiar names from the Chalet School make their way to the island. There are new babies and new friends to love, a sad loss, but also great joy with Joey and Jack’s wedding. Of course, there is the usual share of adventures with the girls. Amy Fletcher does a wonderful job providing plausible and meticulously researched plots and atmosphere which greatly adds to the Chalet School canon. The Afterword is particularly helpful.
Only nitpicking comment—the first half of the book in particular could have used some better editing, as it seems as if every other sentence ends in an unnecessary exclamation point. Fletcher overcomes this flaw somewhat in the second half of the book. While not diminishing the excellence of the story, it did become rather annoying. Otherwise, excellent story!
Only nitpicking comment—the first half of the book in particular could have used some better editing, as it seems as if every other sentence ends in an unnecessary exclamation point. Fletcher overcomes this flaw somewhat in the second half of the book. While not diminishing the excellence of the story, it did become rather annoying. Otherwise, excellent story!
January 31, 2020
This is one of the Chalet School fill in books, and the first I've actually read. Like many other readers, I loved The Chalet School in Exile and always wondered what happened in the missing time where the school families moved to Guernsey, before Exile jumps to the school starting up again.
Amy Fletcher has done an excellent job in giving us a vision of what might have been. She is very close to EBD's tone and voice - I only really noticed it wasn't perfect when I immediately got Exile off the shelf to compare the bits that overlapped. It's very close to the style of the original books and I enjoyed it very much.
Amy Fletcher has done an excellent job in giving us a vision of what might have been. She is very close to EBD's tone and voice - I only really noticed it wasn't perfect when I immediately got Exile off the shelf to compare the bits that overlapped. It's very close to the style of the original books and I enjoyed it very much.
July 24, 2020
A thoroughly enjoyable fill-in for the Chalet School series, covering the missing months in The Chalet School in Exile,including Joey's wedding, the death of Margot Venables, and the finding and fitting out of various houses and the school itself. The style was very well matched to EBD's own (including the of-it's-time coyness about pregnancy, which made me smile), and as well as the events we knew about, there were some suitably CS adventures, like being cut off by the tide and Joey (literally) painting herself into a corner. At times, I did feel there was almost too much going on for one book. (Maybe that's why EBD left it out of Exile!) I especially enjoyed the inclusion of Gisela and Gottfried (favourites of mine) and the idea of the little school at Bonne Maison before the School proper was restarted.
October 11, 2021
An excellent fill-in to the lengthy Chalet School series, covering the 'missing' year in the middle of the book 'Chalet School in Exile'.
Amy Fletcher's volume describes the run-up to Jo and Jack's wedding, the gradual decline in health of Margot Venables, the birth of Josette Russell, and the search for suitable premises for a Guernsey-based Chalet School. It answers some questions about how various folk escaped from Austria in ways that feel authentic, and in places is quite moving.
Definitely recommended if you're a fan of the series and don't mind non-canonical books to fill in some of the gaps. But it wouldn't work as a stand-alone as the number of characters would be overwhelming to anyone unfamiliar with them already.
Longer review here: https://suesbookreviews.blogspot.com/...
Amy Fletcher's volume describes the run-up to Jo and Jack's wedding, the gradual decline in health of Margot Venables, the birth of Josette Russell, and the search for suitable premises for a Guernsey-based Chalet School. It answers some questions about how various folk escaped from Austria in ways that feel authentic, and in places is quite moving.
Definitely recommended if you're a fan of the series and don't mind non-canonical books to fill in some of the gaps. But it wouldn't work as a stand-alone as the number of characters would be overwhelming to anyone unfamiliar with them already.
Longer review here: https://suesbookreviews.blogspot.com/...
January 23, 2020
This is a good addition to the Chalet School fill in selection. It provides an insight into the missing time in the middle of Exile, where Jo and Jack are married, we lose Mrs. Venables and the school restarts. Guernsey shines in the background as a homely, welcoming place that allows our heroes to recover from the flight from Austria.
I gave 4 stars because the pacing is somewhat uneven. In some parts, it seems rushed, in others it drags. Otherwise, a good read for fans of the series. Not recommended for newcomers.
I gave 4 stars because the pacing is somewhat uneven. In some parts, it seems rushed, in others it drags. Otherwise, a good read for fans of the series. Not recommended for newcomers.
September 17, 2022
Absolutely loved this fill in and completely forgot it was written by EBD as I read it - filling in the back story of so many events - the escape, the wedding, deaths. It was a lovely book and I eagerly await more from this author.
January 26, 2020
Very good
February 4, 2020
A bit slow at first and no real plot
More interesting towards end with build up to war
More interesting towards end with build up to war
May 8, 2020
Loved seeing what happened in the "missing months", and exploring Guernsey!
October 24, 2020
I would say for Chalet School fans only. Not the place to start. Quite sad. You can see why EBD didn’t write a book covering this period.
November 11, 2020
I was impressed by this book. Covers a number of topics all fans are interested in, the details of getting started in Guernsey, Joey's marriage and more.
The writing does not flow 100 percent
The writing does not flow 100 percent
January 18, 2021
Easily the best fill in I've read. Will have to read it again to digest what happens to the girls and mistresses. Really enjoyed reading this.
March 20, 2025
Good idea to fill in the missing 10 months after Exile but written in a superficial, clunky way.
September 28, 2023
Chalet School series has been my favourite for years, these new written versions by other writers are wonderful. This one covers a large gap that occurred from the time the school and many main characters had to flee or leave Austria and the beginning of WWII and the reopening of the School on Guernsey. I thoroughly enjoyed this and am really impressed with all the research that was done by Amy to ensure consistency with Elinor’s writing.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews