Very Funny Elizabeth American Girl 2005
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This was not a "bad" book, but it certainly wasn't good either. The only part I really liked was the "Looking Back" section at the end of the book.
Reasons I didn't like it:
1. Elizabeth's personality was completely changed!
2. The "teasing" she and Felicity did was not kind. Even though it says they agreed to do "nothing unkind or mean-spirited" I would consider everything they did unkind.
3. The girls acted more modern than from the 1700s.
4. Miss Priscilla never called Annabelle by her re 1.5 stars
This was not a "bad" book, but it certainly wasn't good either. The only part I really liked was the "Looking Back" section at the end of the book.
Reasons I didn't like it:
1. Elizabeth's personality was completely changed!
2. The "teasing" she and Felicity did was not kind. Even though it says they agreed to do "nothing unkind or mean-spirited" I would consider everything they did unkind.
3. The girls acted more modern than from the 1700s.
4. Miss Priscilla never called Annabelle by her real name which seems rather unlikely for someone bred as she was.
The entire book was just not something I enjoyed. I wouldn't recommend it. ...more
From the beginning of this book, there are glaring continuity issues, because E
This addition to the Felicity series, which came out after the movie, is over-the-top, farcical, and completely unrealistic. When it came out, my sister and I borrowed the book from some friends, and I was unimpressed and uneasy with it. Now that I have read it again, I see how valid that was. I had very good taste! But then again, this book is so monumentally bad that I'm not sure I get any credit for my discernment.From the beginning of this book, there are glaring continuity issues, because Elizabeth has a different hair color, a wildly different personality, and a different friendship dynamic with Felicity than in any of the other books. The hair color issue is explained easily enough, since the movie actress for Elizabeth had blond hair, but the rest of the differences are mystifying. Valerie Tripp, the original series author, engaged in random and inexplicable character assassination in this book, turning Elizabeth into an immature, impulsive, and mean-spirited prankster who behaves in ways that no Colonial child could ever imagine getting away with.
Elizabeth also has a completely different friendship dynamic with Felicity than she did in the other books. Previously, Elizabeth was the reserved, level-headed counterpart to Felicity's feisty nature, but in this book, to borrow a phrase from a friend, "they egg each other on to dastardly deeds against humanity." These girls suddenly become pranksters devoted to making Elizabeth's older sister's life miserable, and even though they claim that they have agreed to never do anything truly hurtful to Annabelle, their behavior is excessive and wrong.
Also, for whatever reason, Elizabeth and Felicity have developed a random code where they will hit their feet together under tables to communicate what they are current thinking about regarding Annabelle. This is RIDICULOUS, and it gets even worse. In one scene, when Elizabeth goes to visit Felicity and share some news, the scene ends with them tapping their feet together under the table, and I was jarred and surprised, because I hadn't realized that they had sat down together. I went back to the beginning of the scene and read it again to find what I had missed, but it never even said that they had sat down at a table, and I was right to imagine them standing during this conversation! Also, why tap your feet together if you're in private, and not trying to communicate without Annabelle noticing? The writing is so lazy and terrible that I don't even know what to say about it.
This book is designed to teach about Colonial courtship dynamics, and it does that tolerably well, but the only real value of the book comes from the "peek into the past" section, not the farcical story of a suitor and his sister coming from England to pursue Annabelle's hand in marriage. Elizabeth's behavior during this process is embarrassing to twenty-first century eyes, and it is unimaginable that she would have behaved this way as a well-bred Colonial child from a high-class family. Similarly, it is unimaginable that the suitor's sister would behave in the way that she did.
I cringed and suffered through these scenes, and couldn't even begin to imagine why a successful, talented author like Valerie Tripp would write something this clunky, unrealistic, and farcical. The only way to deal with this book is to pretend that it's someone's horrible fan fiction, or that the author is lampooning history through a ridiculous comedy. It is impossible to believe that any of these characters are real people who take themselves seriously. Also, the book concludes absurdly. (view spoiler)[Annabelle and her suitor call off their engagement, and everything returns to the status quo. Nothing changes; no one experiences character growth. Felicity and Elizabeth decide that there is nothing wrong with going back to where they were at the beginning, and they devise a new plan for tormenting Annabelle. That's it. That's the end of the book. (hide spoiler)]
The multi-page historical section in the back is well-written and highly educational, and I appreciate the photo and artwork reproductions, primary source quotations, and explanations of courtship and marriage dynamics from this era. One interesting thing that I learned was that pressures to marry did not only exist for women at this time, but that unmarried men were also considered unsuccessful and lazy, and were rarely elected to public office. Also, in the Colony of Maryland, bachelors were required to pay higher taxes. That's interesting, and the fact that even I learned something from this historical note shows that it's very substantial, not just comparing basic cultural details to the present. This is the one good thing about the book.
Last year, I got a used copy of this book very cheaply when a friend's parents were downsizing, because even though I remembered not liking it, I wanted to complete my set and was curious to read it again. It's fun to have a copy that belonged to my friend, and I'll keep this around to have a complete set and to have access to this out-of-print book, but it is genuinely so much more terrible than I had remembered. It was worth reading again for the entertainment value of hating it, and the historical section is great, but I would never encourage someone to read this unless they're either committed to reading all of the American Girl books or want to pretend that this is a comedy skit making fun of the Felicity series.
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Where to start with this mess?
First, just as a flag, there's a scene where a new character chides Elizabeth and Annabelle for their healthy appetites, saying that fine ladies in England are dainty eaters. Priscilla is an absolute, unredeemed gorgon, but STILL - no other character disagrees with her - you have to make the leap from "Priscilla is awful" to "anything Priscilla says is garbage" all on your own. Valerie, you are writ
Fair warning: I only just read this as an adult. No nostalgia bonus.Where to start with this mess?
First, just as a flag, there's a scene where a new character chides Elizabeth and Annabelle for their healthy appetites, saying that fine ladies in England are dainty eaters. Priscilla is an absolute, unredeemed gorgon, but STILL - no other character disagrees with her - you have to make the leap from "Priscilla is awful" to "anything Priscilla says is garbage" all on your own. Valerie, you are writing for children, kindly do not encourage disordered eating.
Since we've introduced Priscilla, let's talk about one dimensional characters in Felicity and Elizabeth's world. In the original Felicity books, Annabelle is a very consistently drawn caricature who never gets the chance to breathe and be a real person. Here she breaks out of that for all of one scene. I would have hoped that Elizabeth might show us a more fully realized picture of her sister than this tiny flicker of sisterly support, but apparently it's too much fun to write Annabelle Bananabelle.
But if Annabelle is bad, Priscilla is Annabelle turned up to eleven. Through the Felicity books, Annabelle occasionally gets reminded by adults to be civil to the younger girls, but no adult here seems to bat an eye at Priscilla's awfulness. Are the Cole parents so cowed by an English title they never correct her about Annabelle's name? This all plays at the level of a farce, which is not usually the mode American Girl operates in.
Then there are all the tricks Elizabeth and Felicity play. The narrative wants you to feel okay about them because Annabelle - and later Priscilla - are so awful, but the whole thing makes me super uncomfortable. The girls justify it to themselves by insisting that they're trying to shake Annabelle out of being such a snob - and the narrative goes along with this rationale - but I can't imagine a person for whom that would actually work as presented. Plus, we're told that the girls have agreed on limits - nothing harmful or mean-spirited - but I'm not convinced that the tricks we see follow those rules. This feels a lot less ha-ha funny and a lot closer to bullying than this book is ready to grapple with.
Not funny, Elizabeth. Not funny at all.
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ETA 2021: On a second read, my thoughts remain much the same. The narration seemed to take a weirdly modern view of Annabelle's impending marriage, and the reset button is far too eas
One of the least successful American Girl books to me. Felicity and Elizabeth's tricks are far more cruel than funny. And although I liked that this book chose to focus on marriage (not exactly common in this line), I thought the status quo restoring ending was unrealistic. The Looking Back section was good, though.ETA 2021: On a second read, my thoughts remain much the same. The narration seemed to take a weirdly modern view of Annabelle's impending marriage, and the reset button is far too easy.
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Honestly, don't have too much to say about this book except that I did very much enjoy being in Elizabeth's perspective for once and seeing how different her life was compared to Felicity's (like she will curtsy after speaking with her parents!). Elizabeth has grown in her own curious way by speaking up for herself more (even though it might get her in trouble). I read a lot
I read this book for the podcast I'm currently listening to called "American Girls" by Allison Horrocks and Mary Mahoney.Honestly, don't have too much to say about this book except that I did very much enjoy being in Elizabeth's perspective for once and seeing how different her life was compared to Felicity's (like she will curtsy after speaking with her parents!). Elizabeth has grown in her own curious way by speaking up for herself more (even though it might get her in trouble). I read a lot of reviews of people saying that they felt Elizabeth completely changed in this book, but I personally disagree. The tricks Elizabeth and Felicity do in this book I felt like were similar to ones that I had seen before in the series. Although I do not approve of either's behavior (they claim in this book that the tricks are not mean - spirited, but I believe some involving Ben are and it is not either child's job to trick and be mean to Annabelle to teach her 'daily lessons'... Futhermore, this will not teach her anything, but just resent your actions!), it did feel on par to things they had done in other novels and who each girl was/is. I feel like through the course of the series, they've traded a lot in personally. Felicity had become more thoughtful and calm like Elizabeth and Elizabeth has chosen to stand up for herself and get more into trouble like Felicity. They schemed multiple times in the series, this honestly did not feel much different. What I also like the premise of the book (of Annabelle being engaged) even though marriage in 1774 makes me so sad and I ultimately would not be able to survive in it if I lived during that time. The fact that one's happiness "depends on marrying well" is a crazy concept to me and the way women are expected to me married off by sixteen is even more wild. Granted, in the Looking Back section, it does say some few woman lived like Miss Manderly (independent and unwed), but I imagine that was still very unlike from what the Looking Back section is even claiming. The fact that "once you are married, you are married forever" is also just a lot for me as well. Personally, for me, I am very glad that I did grow up in this time because I, like Felicity, am far too rebellious for these traditional standards. It also makes me sad that in 1774, if you were an unwed woman than you were automatically a "cranky, ill - natured, maggoty, peevish... good for nothing creatures" because I just find that so far from the truth. Just because I want to (and other women too) provide for myself and find happiness within that life/ourselves doesn't mean we are worth for nothing hags that want to be looked down upon in society. Men can better themselves and their lives, so women can too and they don't have to marry someone to do so if so that is what they choose.
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I'm baffled by the complete change in character Elizabeth has gone through, as if a dye job would change her entire personality as well. Once the reserved rule-follower, she has become more rambunctious and thoughtless than Felicity herself.
She even gaslights Felicity, telling her that the pranks she is pulling on Ann
This book is wildly out of pocket. It's as if Val Tripp was trying to create a Jane Austen novel for children, and decided the best way to do that was to make it incredibly campy.I'm baffled by the complete change in character Elizabeth has gone through, as if a dye job would change her entire personality as well. Once the reserved rule-follower, she has become more rambunctious and thoughtless than Felicity herself.
She even gaslights Felicity, telling her that the pranks she is pulling on Annabelle aren't harmful, but are instead meant to teach her a lesson. This couldn't be further from the truth. Also, the things she pulled while they had visitors should have wound up in some sort of punishment, but it seems as if there are no consequences for her actions.
Appallingly bad.
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I didn't really like this book, mainly because everyone in it was so unlikable. Annabelle is always unlikable, but Elizabeth and Felicity were almost as bad. Their teasing seemed relentless and just a tad too mean. Ignore Annabelle and move on, girls. Then, Miss Priscilla comes along and she's worse than everyone combined. The only one who isn't a little bit nasty is L
Whoops, I somehow missed "Very Funny, Elizabeth" when I was reading the Felicity books. So I am going a little out of order here.I didn't really like this book, mainly because everyone in it was so unlikable. Annabelle is always unlikable, but Elizabeth and Felicity were almost as bad. Their teasing seemed relentless and just a tad too mean. Ignore Annabelle and move on, girls. Then, Miss Priscilla comes along and she's worse than everyone combined. The only one who isn't a little bit nasty is Lord Harry and he comes off as a big rube. Annabelle is lucky things work out the way they did in the end. And why would Mr. and Mrs. Cole send their daughters off with someone so nasty? At the very least, I have to think they heard the woman calling Annabelle by an incorrect name every time she spoke to her.
To top it off, the artwork isn't the best. Felicity's face looks unsymmetrical on the cover. Weird because it's the same illustrator who's done excellent work on other American Girl books.
Just an overall unpleasant experience. (Normally) sweet Elizabeth deserved better.
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The ending saved it. I felt this book was kind of out of character for Elizabeth.
I have to say that it's in part because it wasn't what I expected. I had just skimmed through Felicity's original series,* so as to get the picture of what Elizabeth as a character was in there. And I found her interesting, complex. I like in that.
Then I went to this. And it's like somebody else's interpretation of her. Like it was written off of a memory of what the character was like the
Well, I don't hate it. And it's certainly not the worst thing I've read. But I didn't fancy it much, either.I have to say that it's in part because it wasn't what I expected. I had just skimmed through Felicity's original series,* so as to get the picture of what Elizabeth as a character was in there. And I found her interesting, complex. I like in that.
Then I went to this. And it's like somebody else's interpretation of her. Like it was written off of a memory of what the character was like the Felicity's series. I don't recall her being this mischievous, or messing with her sister so much and in such a way. The book does mention that it's due to Felicity's influence, and I can see it. And I imagine that this could be showing more of things that the original series, and in a different way. Still, I feel like I'm readying about a slight different character.
I also have trouble with some of how Felicity is portrayed. (view spoiler)[At one point, she is talking about Elizabeth running away, so as to avoid moving to England. (pg. 44 & 45) I know Felicity is a dreamer, but nothing in the original series makes her come of as the same character saying all this. (hide spoiler)]
Seriously. I feel like I am reading about the original characters. Just different versions that, as I said, were based of a vague memory. At times even Annabelle seems off.
I do like that it shows the relationship between Elizabeth and Annabelle. They are so often at each other's throats, but this shows how the sisters can have their moments of care for each other. I always like things like that.
I must also say, I can relate to Elizabeth with her feeling about Miss Priscilla. I'm tired of her from just reading about her. She's horrible. The author captured how miserable Priscilla very well. And the sad part is, I can see her as realistic character. I can see someone being like her in real life. Which, I don't know how to feel about...
(view spoiler)[And I love how it was Lord Harry that called off the engagement, and how he stood up to his sister. That needed to happen. (hide spoiler)]
I wish I could give this a 2.5. Two stars seems too low, but three seems too high. So I'll go with two, as it seems better suited for here.
*Reviews to come. Eventually. Maybe.
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I was interested to read this spin-off book from the Felicity series, but I was disappointed.
I was confused before I even read it because I see Felicity on the cover, but I don't see Elizabeth. And who's that blonde girl? Oh, that's supposed to be Elizabeth. They changed her hair color. Why? They didn't change her hair color for diversity's sake; there were already blonde dolls. It just pissed me off and set me against the book early on.
Then, while reading the book, I really felt like Elizab
1.5*I was interested to read this spin-off book from the Felicity series, but I was disappointed.
I was confused before I even read it because I see Felicity on the cover, but I don't see Elizabeth. And who's that blonde girl? Oh, that's supposed to be Elizabeth. They changed her hair color. Why? They didn't change her hair color for diversity's sake; there were already blonde dolls. It just pissed me off and set me against the book early on.
Then, while reading the book, I really felt like Elizabeth was a completely different character. She's so much more outspoken than in the Felicity books, where Felicity was the one encouraging Elizabeth to prank Annabelle. Here, Elizabeth is the instigator and her antics are often straight-up mean.
It could have been a good book covering the topic of marriage in Colonial Virginia, but it just annoyed me. I'll stick to the original series.
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This one is told through Elizabeth's point of view, and I loved learning more about her. It was a really cute story, and I enjoyed seeing Annabelle in a different light as well.
While reviewing the Felicity books on Goodreads recently, I discovered that there were these random stories that were published years later following the characters. So, naturally, I had to request them from the library.This one is told through Elizabeth's point of view, and I loved learning more about her. It was a really cute story, and I enjoyed seeing Annabelle in a different light as well.
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She grew up in Mount Kisco, New York with three sisters and one brother. A member of the first co-educated class at Yale University, Tripp also has a M.Ed. from Harvard. Since 1985 she has lived in Silver Spring, Maryland. Her husband teaches history at Montgomery College.
Right out of college, Tripp s
Valerie Tripp is a children's book author, best known for her work with the American Girl series.She grew up in Mount Kisco, New York with three sisters and one brother. A member of the first co-educated class at Yale University, Tripp also has a M.Ed. from Harvard. Since 1985 she has lived in Silver Spring, Maryland. Her husband teaches history at Montgomery College.
Right out of college, Tripp started writing songs, stories, and nonfiction for The Superkids Reading Program, working with Pleasant Rowland, the founder of American Girl. For that series, Tripp wrote all the books about Felicity, Josefina, Kit, Molly, and Maryellen and many of the books about Samantha. She also wrote the "Best Friends" character stories to date, plays, mysteries, and short stories about all her characters.. Film dramatizations of the lives of Samantha, Felicity, Molly, and Kit have been based on her stories. Currently, Tripp is writing a STEM series for National Geographic and adapting Greek Myths for Starry Forest Publishing. A frequent speaker at schools and libraries, Tripp has also spoken at the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian, The New York Historical Society, and Williamsburg.
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