Ingred Saxon and her family struggle with their reduced circumstances in this girls' school story from Angela Brazil, published in 1920 and set in the direct aftermath of World War I. Although far more fortunate than most - Mr. Saxon and his two eldest sons, Athelstane and Egbert, return unscathed from the fighting - the family must confront (relative) financial hardship, as the income from their investments decreases, and Mr. Saxon, a trained architect, struggles to find his feet again in his profession. Forced to rent out Rotherwood, their family home, and to live in a small bungalow on the wolds outside Grovebury, the Saxons each have their cross to bear. Eldest son Athelstane must make do with a provincial medical degree, rather than the more prestigious London degree he had hoped for, while eldest daughter Quenrede (Queenie for short) must do without the elegant "coming out" she had envisioned. Ingred herself, who is the focus of the story, finds that she must become a boarder at the "hostel" - a sort of cross between a dormitory and boarding house - in order to continue to attend Grovebury College, the girls' school where she had long been a pupil. Keenly sensitive to slights both real and imagined, her distress at the change in her family's circumstances is compounded by the appearance on the scene of new girl Bess Haselford, whose family has rented Rotherwood, and who seemed to offer - through her musical talent and general popularity - a rival to Ingred.

The author of close to sixty children's novels, Angela Brazil is a figure closely associated with the girls' school-story - although she was neither the founder of the genre, nor its first modern practitioner (an honor that should probably go to May Baldwin), as has sometimes been falsely claimed, she was immensely influential in the development of the genre in the 20th century - so I was very pleased when A Popular Schoolgirl was chosen as our October book-club selection over at A Thrilling Term at Goodreads: The Girls School-Story Group. This was my first Brazil, and pretty much what I was expecting, in terms of its upbeat nationalism - lots of "doing the Empire proud" moments here - temporary financial setbacks (apparently a Brazil trademark), and themes of girlhood friendship. It felt a little heavy-handed to me at times - the Saxon family's names, in particular, seemed a less-than-subtle homage to a certain kind of "Anglo-Saxon" ideal - and I didn't find myself as involved with the characters as I'd hoped to be. It's very much a surface read, with little emotional power to it. I came away, moreover, more firmly convinced than ever that Brazil prospered when May Baldwin was forgotten, precisely because Brazil was the more bombastically nationalistic, while Baldwin was more internationally cosmopolitan (see my review of Baldwin's A Popular Girl for more on this idea), and that this was what British readers wanted, as the 20th century progressed. I'll have to see whether additional forays into the work of these two authors confirm that feeling.

Leaving aside critical issues such as these, I found A Popular Schoolgirl a fairly engaging book, one that school-story readers will enjoy. It didn't inspire a great desire in me to read more Brazil - although I undoubtedly will - but it passed the time pleasantly enough. ( )

An absolutely five-star romp if ever there was one! I must have paused at least a dozen times during this book to proclaim, "favourite!"The story follows Ingred during one year in her life at school. It is set immediately after the First World War, and the family are expecting to move back into their large house, which was taken over by the Red Cross during the war. However, finances are such that they can't do this and must move into a much smaller place. Ingred must now become a boarder at her school - staying in what is called the "hostel". Only three others from her form board, the rest are daygirls. And of course there is one new girl, Bess, with whom Ingred is friendly until she finds out that Bess is living in her old home! At which point she turns positively chilly.Lots of unintentional slash and wonderful language that gives a 21st century reader far different ideas. ;) Lovely, of course. Especially the revelation that Bess has been gazing at a sketch of Ingred still on the attic wall all those months! Bless.Most of the action is around Ingred and at the school, but her brothers and sister also get a few small storylines AND have the most incredible names. The sister is Quenrede (Queenie, luckily) and the boys are Egbert, Athelstane, and Hereward. I kid you not. The first time I read 'Hereward' I didn't realise it was a name! I thought it was one of those words that are not used as much these days, like 'hitherto' and 'whenceforth'. Love it.I must leave with this most fantastic line, from the leaflet that the schoolgirls write about their 'Rainbow League' (a society for girls who wish to help with the reconstruction after the war, NOT a 1920s gay-straight alliance): "Woman's greatest and strongest weapons are love and sweetness." This book is so awesome, I enjoyed reading it so much. Angela Brazil rocks my socks. Capital stuff!! (Also, she totally had one girl lamenting that someone should invent a typewriter that alerts you to mistakes and corrects your spelling... such a shame she never lived to witness auto-correct!) ( )

An absolutely five-star romp if ever there was one! I must have paused at least a dozen times during this book to proclaim, "favourite!"The story follows Ingred during one year in her life at school. It is set immediately after the First World War, and the family are expecting to move back into their large house, which was taken over by the Red Cross during the war. However, finances are such that they can't do this and must move into a much smaller place. Ingred must now become a boarder at her school - staying in what is called the "hostel". Only three others from her form board, the rest are daygirls. And of course there is one new girl, Bess, with whom Ingred is friendly until she finds out that Bess is living in her old home! At which point she turns positively chilly.Lots of unintentional slash and wonderful language that gives a 21st century reader far different ideas. ;) Lovely, of course. Especially the revelation that Bess has been gazing at a sketch of Ingred still on the attic wall all those months! Bless.Most of the action is around Ingred and at the school, but her brothers and sister also get a few small storylines AND have the most incredible names. The sister is Quenrede (Queenie, luckily) and the boys are Egbert, Athelstane, and Hereward. I kid you not. The first time I read 'Hereward' I didn't realise it was a name! I thought it was one of those words that are not used as much these days, like 'hitherto' and 'whenceforth'. Love it.I must leave with this most fantastic line, from the leaflet that the schoolgirls write about their 'Rainbow League' (a society for girls who wish to help with the reconstruction after the war, NOT a 1920s gay-straight alliance): "Woman's greatest and strongest weapons are love and sweetness." This book is so awesome, I enjoyed reading it so much. Angela Brazil rocks my socks. Capital stuff!! (Also, she totally had one girl lamenting that someone should invent a typewriter that alerts you to mistakes and corrects your spelling... such a shame she never lived to witness auto-correct!) ( )

Although the school scenes are fairly typical of Angela Brazil's works, in the home and family scenes this story strongly reminded me of Louisa May Alcott's Little Women. The mother is strong and loving, holding her family together as they are forced to leave their grand home for a suburban bungalow after WWI. Ingred and her friends suffer rivalries and jealousy, and enjoy pranks and games, while also engaging in small projects to help with the post-war recovery. Ingred's parents, brothers and sisters must also adjust to their new lower social status and make sacrifices to their aims and ambitions. In general, the characters are realistic and less over-the-top than those in Brazil's better-known Madcap of the School or A Fourth Form Friendship. There are some lovely descriptions of the changing seasons, and a satisfying, if too tidy, ending. ( )