by: Carolyn Keene
rating: loved
If you want to join in a Nancy Drew Book-club, I run the #NancyDrewBookCrew over on my Instagram where we are reading all the books in order. You can come participate in the discussion there!
We are discussing the 1967 revised version. The discussion questions I wrote for this book and my answers to them:
How did you feel about the book overall? This ranks in my top 5 so far of the 27 we have read. It was more original and had less superfluous side plots.
Do you enjoy when Nancy travels outside of River Heights? I love when Nancy travels because it lends itself to more original and interesting plots.
Did you find any piece where the characters weren't acting like themselves? How did you feel about that if you did? YES. Ned made a comment about the girls only being good to cook aboard the clipper, and Burt majorly mansplained sailing which George clapped back at him for. Both were just unnecessary additions and could have been handled in ways that respected all involved much better.
Nostalgic romance, lost love, and side character love stories are such big themes in these book. Why do you think Nancy's own romance with Ned is downplayed? I think because these books are written for children, they don't want Nancy tied up in a super serious romance, and want to give girls more to aspire for than to just want to be with a man.
Were you able to wrap your mind around the intricacies of the clipper? What did you think of the mystery in this one? I was constantly confused at all the compartments and hideaways and secret doors. It was very hard for me to imagine the clipper and all that it had on board. That muddied the water of the mystery a bit for me. But otherwise this mystery made more sense than others and concluded in a more logical manner.
How many eyerolls would you give this book? 1 big one for the misogyny of Ned and the boys and some of their comments.
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