Litsy

Nancy Drew 14: The Whispering Statue | Carolyn Keene

Great discussion for this month‘s book, #LittenDetectives ! It seems we‘re all in agreement about the over the top nature of the Ivory Charm.

December‘s book varies greatly between the versions, but both contain…wait for it…a whispering statue. Let‘s hope this one is a bit less convoluted.

Discussion on December 15th. All are welcome to join. Please comment is you wish to be added or removed from the tag list! #NancyDrewBR

rubyslippersreads, DebinHawaii, DGRachel, BarkingMadRead, Jennifer3, kspenmoll, PurpleyPumpkin, JenlovesJT47, MariaW, CogsOfEncouragement, AnneCecilie, Born.A.Reader, mrp27, Deblovestoread, lauraisntwilder, Bookwormjillk, Read4life, StayCurious, bookandbedandtea, Laughterhp, Sace, Bren912, kwmg40, jlhammar, CSeydel, Ruthiella, dabbe, Enchanted_Bibliophile, Allylu, TheAromaofBooks, Charityann, Roary47, Pageturner1, KristiAhlers, peanutnine, PageShifter, AmandaBlaze, julieclair

Librarybelle @LitsyEvents 5h

DGRachel Here‘s hoping this one is better since my library doesn‘t have it, so I‘ll have to buy it. 🤞🏻 4h

Librarybelle Let‘s hope it‘s better, @DGRachel ! 4h

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Ruthiella Sounds like it‘s going to be a little supernatural in theme… 👻 4h

Librarybelle True, @Ruthiella ! 4h

Bookwormjillk Just put a hold on the library ebook. I‘m glad they have it. I think I prefer the later versions to the 1930‘s versions. 4h

Librarybelle Glad they have it, @Bookwormjillk ! 4h

24 likes7 comments

DebinHawaii

Nancy Drew 13: The Mystery of the Ivory Charm | Carolyn Keene

so-so

#ReadAway2024 #SeriesLove2024

Finished earlier in the week for #NancyDrewBR & I will echo what seems to be most of the group & say this was my least favorite so far of the books. Very disjointed plot & downright weird in spots, I don‘t remember reading this one as a child (I think there are some gaps in my Nancy Drew reading). There were no noggin knockouts for Nancy & the #NNK counter but a side character got smacked over the head really hard ⬇️

DieAReader, Librarybelle, Andrew65, TheSpineView, GHABI4ROSES

DebinHawaii … & once they got him awake with “stimulants” & decided he was “OK” they left him in care of a young boy & he went to go sleep it off upstairs. Yikes! 🤕😳 #ConcussionCareNancyDrewStyle (edited) 6h

Librarybelle Love the hashtag! 5h

DieAReader 🥳🥳🥳 5h

Sace @DebinHawaii 😂 5h

TheSpineView Awesome! 3h

30 likes5 comments

kwmg40

The Mystery of the Ivory Charm | Carolyn Keene

so-so

This is the weakest of the Nancy Drew series I've read since starting from the beginning with #NancyDrewBR. It's got a bit of everything -- elephants, a charm with mysterious powers, a kidnapped boy from India -- and most of it unbelievable.

@Librarybelle

Librarybelle It‘s a very weak one. Let‘s hope next month‘s is better! 2d

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Librarybelle

Nancy Drew 13: The Mystery of the Ivory Charm | Carolyn Keene

Alright #LittenDetectives : It‘s time for our #NancyDrewBR discussion!

I‘ve posted 5 questions as spoilers. You can find them on my feed, the book‘s feed, or by searching the group‘s hashtag.

Next month‘s book, The Whispering Statue, is another one with big differences between the texts.

In 1937, Nancy finds a statue that supposedly whispers & looks like her.

In 1970, Nancy is involved in a mystery around rare books & a stolen statue.

Librarybelle I‘ll post the official reminder tomorrow! 2d

Bookwormjillk I'm going to look for the 1970 version. 1930's Hannah annoys me. 2d

Laughterhp Oops haven‘t read this months yet. 2d

DebinHawaii Hopefully it‘s better. I‘m not sure whether I read it before or not. 1d

44 likes4 comments

Librarybelle

Nancy Drew 13: The Mystery of the Ivory Charm | Carolyn Keene

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5. Tunnels, elephants and monkeys gone wild...we have a few instances of Nancy in danger. The professor (at least in 1974) gets clobbered over the head. What did you think of the suspenseful situations in this one?

Personally, I thought the whole story was weak. Even as a young reader, I don't think this would be a favorite of mine. #NancyDrewBR

BarkingMadRead He gets clobbered in 1937 as well, I thought that a lot of the events seemed convenient in this one, and the spacey chick really annoyed me. 2d

Bookwormjillk Yup, took a big hit in 1937 and Coya stopped breathing twice. I agree I don't think I would have liked this as a kid either. 2d

DGRachel I was disappointed that there was no #NNK in this one. The extent of George‘s injuries in the house was troubling to me, although she recovered quickly (oh to be 18 and fictional…) 2d

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kwmg40 It surprised me that someone else got knocked on the head in this one! 2d

MariaW I think there has been more suspense than the things mentioned above. Okay, there was that grave and heavy impact, but they are still there. George gets herself buried under a mirror, Mrs Allison faints, Rishi alsmost strangles himself, Peter Putham‘s dog attacks the girls, he himself gets locked up and Mrs Allison tries to drown herself. For me it doesn‘t have to be bloody all the time. 🩸🩸🩸 (edited) 2d

DebinHawaii I was worried about them crawling through collapsed tunnels & Carson basically pushing Nancy through the hole to get through. It did seem like prime time for a #NNK And the professors knock out & leaving Rishi with him with him going upstairs to sleep off the head wound that I mentioned in an earlier comment. 🤯😳🤕 1d

Ruthiella I also noticed that Nancy administered quite a bit of nebulous first aid in this one where a medical professional would have been better called for. 14h

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Librarybelle

Nancy Drew 13: The Mystery of the Ivory Charm | Carolyn Keene

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4. As for characters in this one, Nancy sleuths with her usual crew. She also spends a day with Tommy (at least, in the 1974 edition), and really gets to know Rishi (Coya in 1936). Admittedly, Bess's apprehension kind of annoyed me--it seemed more dire in this one.

Any thoughts on the characters this time? #NancyDrewBR

Bookwormjillk I don't think we had a Tommy. I laughed at one point when Nancy seemed like she might be going into a trance with Ms Allison and Bess and George were like whatever we're going for a walk. 2d

DGRachel Ms Allison was kind of a crack up. I just knew she was up to no good with her theatrics. This one felt like everyone had a bit of a personality breakdown, like when TV writers change mid-series and the new writers basically make new characters out of the old. Also, what would Nancy do without Ned‘s random connections? I admit I kept thinking the professor would somehow be in on the kidnapping. I found him suspicious. 🤨 2d

kwmg40 The characters felt very one-sided in this novel, though Rishi brought some fun into the story. 2d

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MariaW Mrs Allison‘s exaggerated behaviour as a medium/enlightened person was kind of funny. I don‘t even think she knew what she was doing all the time, but of course when it came to the confession she was somewhat sober. 🙈 (edited) 2d

DebinHawaii This one was so crazy pants & over the top characters & actions. @DGRachel Yes! Ned‘s random connections are so entertaining! He knows everyone! 😆 I also love how Nancy essentially puts herself in charge at the station with Ms Allison‘s confession. 🙄 1d

Ruthiella @DGRachel @DebinHawaii Totally laughed at the convenience of Ned knowing the professor! 😂 1d

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Librarybelle

Nancy Drew 13: The Mystery of the Ivory Charm | Carolyn Keene

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3. Time to take a step back and look at a bigger picture. There are references to Indian culture in this one, and with a storyline based around Rishi's (or Coya's) identity, it's good to get a background on what it means. A link to the Wikipedia entry on Maharaja is in the comments.

Note that when this book was originally published, the British Empire still ruled India; this did not end until 1947. #NancyDrewBR

Librarybelle Link to the Maharaja article on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maharaja 2d

Bookwormjillk Interesting. Thanks for the background. 2d

DGRachel Ahh…empire and colonization. Thanks for this. I didn‘t realize before this book that it was a title given in each state/district in India as opposed to an overall ruler. 2d

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kwmg40 There were definitely some stereotypes and feelings of colonialism in this book. 2d

MariaW Didn‘t you watch Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom? I got my knowledge about maharadschas from this one. 😜 The whole time was thinking, this book would have never been written today. We just have to it keep in mind, when it was written. And overall, the Indian culture (even though through stereotypes) was portrayed positively. Rai is a negative character, not because he is a foreigner, but because his personality is a bad one. (edited) 2d

DebinHawaii @MariaW Great points! 1d

Ruthiella I agree with @MariaW , the book did show Indian culture in a positive light considering when it was written. 1d

14 likes7 comments

Librarybelle

Nancy Drew 13: The Mystery of the Ivory Charm | Carolyn Keene

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2. Let's talk plot. What did you think of the story? Personally, I felt it was a bit convoluted! The lost son of a maharaja? A traveling circus and a house that was converted for circus acts? A woman who appears to go into trances? So strange to me!

Any standout moments for you while reading? #NancyDrewBR

BarkingMadRead Yes! So many weird things that didn‘t seem to totally connect. That house was bizarre 2d

Bookwormjillk There was a lot going on here interspersed with random meals. We just stole some papers, let's have a picnic! And a random lunch with the first lady. And they never did explain why the house was set up for circus practice did they. And at one point Nancy was tied up but still managed to point to the bad guy when the police came. 2d

DGRachel I agree with @BarkingMadRead - that house was bizarre. The other standout (and I don‘t know if this gets addressed in another question) was the fact that Rishi gets kidnapped and Nancy‘s all “oh no, I should be worried but there‘s a frat party this weekend and I want to go. How convenient that Ned can introduce me to an Indian man. Maybe he has a clue.” RISHI IS MISSING GIRL AND HE WAS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY! 2d

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BarkingMadRead @DGRachel omg yes! That whole frat thing was insane, and the necklace just happens to get stolen from her while she‘s there, because obviously every other Indian in the states knows each other 🤣 2d

Bookwormjillk @DGRachel yes!! 2d

Librarybelle @DGRachel @BarkingMadRead How could I forget that! The boy is missing, and you want to have fun, Nancy??? Really?!? And yes, the necklace is stolen while she is sleeping at the college, which was a way too convenient coincidence??? So weird! 2d

CogsOfEncouragement Yeah, wasted paragraphs telling us about them driving here or there again and again instead of something exciting happening or some detail better explained. 2d

kwmg40 I found the plot convoluted and unbelievable. Had to really suspend disbelief for this one! 2d

MariaW I thought the plot would be okay if it was placed in India or any nearby country and the characters were Indian natives. But being placed in the USA in a small town like River Heights and surroundings was very unlikely. And why would Mrs Allison help to set up an impostor in small, unknown region in Insia? It seemed like they ran out of ideas for the novels. 🙈 2d

DebinHawaii And on the Rishi kick—so you leave him with the professor who had a head wound/likely concussion & went up to “sleep it off” after being given stimulants by Nancy & Ned? Umm… that seems like a great plan! 😵‍💫 1d

Ruthiella Agree with everyone that this one was banana pants! 1d

Laughterhp This book was all over the place. Like every single person from India knew each other? 1d

dabbe @kwmg40 That's pretty much exactly what I wrote for question #1! 😂 5h

dabbe The writing was just ... horrible. And I don't know why this thought sticks with me, but at some point Nancy does her usual call-up-the-cousins-to-come-with-her-on-an-adventure bit, and something was written like “Bess had to act in a child's play and couldn't go.“ I'm like 😳? No link to the story whatsoever, and what was the point? So much of the writing was like that. 5h

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Librarybelle

Nancy Drew 13: The Mystery of the Ivory Charm | Carolyn Keene

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1. One good thing about this month's book: the revisions are minor! Originally published in 1936, this was written by Mildred Wirt Benson (we've seen her a lot so far on our journey). It was revised in 1974 by Priscilla Baker-Carr (who also worked on several Hardy Boys books).

The 1974 condenses the 1936 edition and changes the name Coya (1936) to Rishi (1974).

Which edition did you read? Overall thoughts? #NancyDrewBR

BarkingMadRead I had 1937, his name was still Coya 2d

BarkingMadRead Also, this was probs it my least fave so far. I was mad at Hannah half the time and the storyline was kind of weak 🙈 2d

DGRachel I had the 1974 edition and I found the whole book lacked the heart of the others. The plots are always ridiculous, but I found no joy reading it. Usually these are good for a laugh or two. 2d

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Bookwormjillk I had 1936 with Coya. I was also mad at Hannah. 2d

CogsOfEncouragement 1974, and I felt this lacked the excitement, special skills, and friendship of the better volumes. 2d

kwmg40 I'd read the 1974 version. 2d

MariaW I‘ve read the 1974 version and thought it was an exciting, but very unlikely story. I mean what‘s the likelihood of a deposed maharadscha to retire to River Heights? 💯 for sure. 😂😂😂 2d

DebinHawaii I agree with the group— least favorite so far. It was jumbled & totally implausible, & just all-out odd with the trance-like states & circus house. 1d

Ruthiella 1974 version as per usual! 1d

Laughterhp It looks like I read the 1974 version. I did not really like this one. 1d

dabbe The 1974 version was what I read, and boy did I get exhausted suspending my disbelief with this one! 5h

14 likes11 comments

Bookwormjillk

The Mystery of the Ivory Charm | Carolyn Keene

so-so

I think the ghost writer made a list of everything they thought kids wanted in a mystery and jumbled it all together in this book. What a slog. @Librarybelle #NancyDrewBR

Librarybelle Good thought! 2d

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