SVH #33 - Starting Over
Sweet Valley High #33 - Starting Over, or, The One With The Jealous Siblings.
Unfortunately I've been completely unable to find the cover online, but it shows Dana giving a much better-looking Sally a makeover. Found one - although bad quality, but it'll have to do.
The A Plot: Dana (of The Droid fame) is excited and embarrassed at the same time. Her cousin Sally is coming to live with them, but while it'll be great to have a new sister, the reason why she's coming to live with them is that Sally's parents have abandoned her. Her father just walked out on them, and when her mother remarried, she gave Sally up to a foster home. Dana knows it's not Sally's fault, but she still thinks it's embarrassing. Especially since Sally has been moving around so much that she's had to stay back a year in school. Snobbish much?
Dana's brother, Jeremy, isn't much better. He's pissed at Sally already before she arrives, for no apparent reason.
Of course, with this welcoming committee, it's no surprise that Sally is somewhat nervous when arriving to the Larson residence. She quickly discovers that Dana only likes her when she can control her - looks, friends, hobbies and everything - and that Jeremy simply doesn't like her at all! Instead of saying "Screw them" she figures, that the only way she'll be allowed to stay in Sweet Valley (which - in her own words - is the most beautiful town she's ever lived in) is to make them happy, no matter what. "No parent would sacrifice their children's happiness for a stranger." But Sally, you're not a stranger, you're their family! They're not going to kick you out, just because their kids are morons.
Unfortunately, she doesn't listen to me, but does everything in her power to become invisible and only do what Dana and Jeremy wants her to do - she doesn't go see a movie with Mark Riley because Jeremy doesn't want her 'stealing' his friends, she doesn't work for the Oracle because Dana wants her to be the Droids' manager, she doesn't accept a shopping invitation from Liz, because Dana apparently doesn't want her to have friends at all (what a terrific person Dana is turning out to be, eh?), and if at all possible, she does all of Dana and Jeremy's chores for them, which ends up having the exact opposite effect than what she'd hoped for, as the Larson parents are now scolding Dana and Jeremy for taking advantage of Sally, making them even more angry with her than they already were.
Charming pair!
One day as they leave for school, Dana's mother tells them to come back straight from school, as her father has something to say to them. Sally immediately jumps to the conclusion that she's being sent off to a new home (after, what, a week? Two? But of course, why even give it a chance when you can just ship her off to someplace else?) and from the 'sharp looks' Jeremy and Dana are sending her, she's certain they think the same.
Since they have to get back as quickly as possible, Dana, Jeremy and Sally borrow a car to get to and from school. On the way home, they pick up two hitch-hikers (who hitch-hikes in the middle of town? Ah right, a plot device, that's whom) despite Sally strongly arguing against it. Turns out her instincts were right (shocker!) and despite the fact that they were never described as being all that big, nor carrying a gun or a knife, the hitch-hikers manage to force Jeremy to drive them to the infamous 'Kelleys', steal his wallet and almost kidnap the two girls. Let's let the logic of that hang in the air for a minute, shall we?
But wait! Didn't I write almost kidnap the girls? Yes, because Sally could never let anything happen to her darling cousins, so making use of the street-smart she's obtained while living in foster homes (wish we could've seen some of that earlier), she turns around, manages to convince the two hitch-hikers that Dana's a bore, they should let her go, because she (Sally) would be lots more fun to hang out with. Taking her on her word, they do just that, and leave Dana and Jeremy to drive off home, abandoning poor Sally.
Fortunately, Dana is not quite as dense as she's seemed so far, and quickly realizes that Sally was just putting on an act to save them! "Oh no! We have to save her!" Fortunately Mark Riley lives just down the road, and even more fortunately Ken Matthew and John Pfeifer (booh! even if he is a good guy in this one) are visiting him, so together the four of them drive back to Kelleys and rush in to save their 'sister'. Faced by this superior force, the hitch-hikers realise there's no more fun to be had, and let Sally go.
They drive back home, and almost in hysterics Dana and Jeremy tell their father that they CAN'T let Sally go, she BELONGS! to which a mystified father replies that there was never any question of sending Sally away - in fact, the family meeting was called because he and their mother had decided to formally adopt Sally! All is happy and blissful and all earlier differences of opinion have been forgotten. The end.
The B Plot: Introducing - Prince Albert. For once a Jessica scheme that doesn't involve her being evil and malicious and that doesn't take grossly advantage of Liz' spinelessness. One of the reasons I actually really like this book :-)
Jess has found and fallen in love with a complete mutt and knowing the lack of parenting abilities usually shown by her parents, she realises they will never discover a dog hidden in the house for a few days. Calling on Liz to help her take care of Prince Albert and cover up, she argues that if her parents can see how well she's been taking care of him, once she springs her surprise on them a week later, they're bound to let her keep him!
My logicz, let me show you them.
But nothing is ever that simple. The very day before she was going to introduce her parents to Prince Albert, she and Liz is taking him for a walk, and he escapes the collar and runs away! Oh no! Search as they might, he's gone forever.
Or is he...
Of course not. Being SV land, Ned Wakefield picks that night to come home with a dog he's found at the shelter, and - to the amazement of everybody but the observant reader - that dog is none other than Prince Albert!!! Ned and Alice are amazed the dog already seems to know Liz and Jess, but brush it off with the girls just being naturally loveable.
The end.
Points of interest:
Up next, the Romeo and Juliet story of Sweet Valley. Will an engagement ring come between Maria and Michael? Stay tuned till I have the time to do my next recap of #34, "Forbidden Love"!
Unfortunately I've been completely unable to find the cover online, but it shows Dana giving a much better-looking Sally a makeover. Found one - although bad quality, but it'll have to do.
The A Plot: Dana (of The Droid fame) is excited and embarrassed at the same time. Her cousin Sally is coming to live with them, but while it'll be great to have a new sister, the reason why she's coming to live with them is that Sally's parents have abandoned her. Her father just walked out on them, and when her mother remarried, she gave Sally up to a foster home. Dana knows it's not Sally's fault, but she still thinks it's embarrassing. Especially since Sally has been moving around so much that she's had to stay back a year in school. Snobbish much?
Dana's brother, Jeremy, isn't much better. He's pissed at Sally already before she arrives, for no apparent reason.
Of course, with this welcoming committee, it's no surprise that Sally is somewhat nervous when arriving to the Larson residence. She quickly discovers that Dana only likes her when she can control her - looks, friends, hobbies and everything - and that Jeremy simply doesn't like her at all! Instead of saying "Screw them" she figures, that the only way she'll be allowed to stay in Sweet Valley (which - in her own words - is the most beautiful town she's ever lived in) is to make them happy, no matter what. "No parent would sacrifice their children's happiness for a stranger." But Sally, you're not a stranger, you're their family! They're not going to kick you out, just because their kids are morons.
Unfortunately, she doesn't listen to me, but does everything in her power to become invisible and only do what Dana and Jeremy wants her to do - she doesn't go see a movie with Mark Riley because Jeremy doesn't want her 'stealing' his friends, she doesn't work for the Oracle because Dana wants her to be the Droids' manager, she doesn't accept a shopping invitation from Liz, because Dana apparently doesn't want her to have friends at all (what a terrific person Dana is turning out to be, eh?), and if at all possible, she does all of Dana and Jeremy's chores for them, which ends up having the exact opposite effect than what she'd hoped for, as the Larson parents are now scolding Dana and Jeremy for taking advantage of Sally, making them even more angry with her than they already were.
Charming pair!
One day as they leave for school, Dana's mother tells them to come back straight from school, as her father has something to say to them. Sally immediately jumps to the conclusion that she's being sent off to a new home (after, what, a week? Two? But of course, why even give it a chance when you can just ship her off to someplace else?) and from the 'sharp looks' Jeremy and Dana are sending her, she's certain they think the same.
Since they have to get back as quickly as possible, Dana, Jeremy and Sally borrow a car to get to and from school. On the way home, they pick up two hitch-hikers (who hitch-hikes in the middle of town? Ah right, a plot device, that's whom) despite Sally strongly arguing against it. Turns out her instincts were right (shocker!) and despite the fact that they were never described as being all that big, nor carrying a gun or a knife, the hitch-hikers manage to force Jeremy to drive them to the infamous 'Kelleys', steal his wallet and almost kidnap the two girls. Let's let the logic of that hang in the air for a minute, shall we?
But wait! Didn't I write almost kidnap the girls? Yes, because Sally could never let anything happen to her darling cousins, so making use of the street-smart she's obtained while living in foster homes (wish we could've seen some of that earlier), she turns around, manages to convince the two hitch-hikers that Dana's a bore, they should let her go, because she (Sally) would be lots more fun to hang out with. Taking her on her word, they do just that, and leave Dana and Jeremy to drive off home, abandoning poor Sally.
Fortunately, Dana is not quite as dense as she's seemed so far, and quickly realizes that Sally was just putting on an act to save them! "Oh no! We have to save her!" Fortunately Mark Riley lives just down the road, and even more fortunately Ken Matthew and John Pfeifer (booh! even if he is a good guy in this one) are visiting him, so together the four of them drive back to Kelleys and rush in to save their 'sister'. Faced by this superior force, the hitch-hikers realise there's no more fun to be had, and let Sally go.
They drive back home, and almost in hysterics Dana and Jeremy tell their father that they CAN'T let Sally go, she BELONGS! to which a mystified father replies that there was never any question of sending Sally away - in fact, the family meeting was called because he and their mother had decided to formally adopt Sally! All is happy and blissful and all earlier differences of opinion have been forgotten. The end.
The B Plot: Introducing - Prince Albert. For once a Jessica scheme that doesn't involve her being evil and malicious and that doesn't take grossly advantage of Liz' spinelessness. One of the reasons I actually really like this book :-)
Jess has found and fallen in love with a complete mutt and knowing the lack of parenting abilities usually shown by her parents, she realises they will never discover a dog hidden in the house for a few days. Calling on Liz to help her take care of Prince Albert and cover up, she argues that if her parents can see how well she's been taking care of him, once she springs her surprise on them a week later, they're bound to let her keep him!
My logicz, let me show you them.
But nothing is ever that simple. The very day before she was going to introduce her parents to Prince Albert, she and Liz is taking him for a walk, and he escapes the collar and runs away! Oh no! Search as they might, he's gone forever.
Or is he...
Of course not. Being SV land, Ned Wakefield picks that night to come home with a dog he's found at the shelter, and - to the amazement of everybody but the observant reader - that dog is none other than Prince Albert!!! Ned and Alice are amazed the dog already seems to know Liz and Jess, but brush it off with the girls just being naturally loveable.
The end.
Points of interest:
- It's not explained until page 32 that Jess and Liz are identical twins, we never hear of the 'perfect size 6 figures' (although they are gorgeously slender), and we have to wait all the way until page 79(!!!!) before Jeffrey muses how different they are, and Liz laughs at how much difference 4 minutes make.
- The oh-so-sofisticated Dana seriously exclaims: "Don't you think malls are wild? They're like the new Main Street, USA, know what I mean?". Ah 1987. How adorably clueless you were.
- We now have Enid's word that Liz is worthy of the "Saint Elizabeth" title: "Elizabeth Wakefield to the rescue! Fear not, all you sad, lonely poeple! Elizabeth will come to save you!"
- In the same breath, she tells Liz to "Stop being such a pushover". Tell it as it is, girl! Although the amount of meddling and being pushed over is really remarkably small in #33. The ghostwriter must have been having an 'off' day.
Up next, the Romeo and Juliet story of Sweet Valley. Will an engagement ring come between Maria and Michael? Stay tuned till I have the time to do my next recap of #34, "Forbidden Love"!