Plot
This book was rough to get through - the BSC basically breaks up and they are all working as individual units. It's bad.
But let me start at the beginning. The girls are still losing their fucking minds about Mrs. Newton's new baby (named Lucy, which I know is secretly because Ann M. Martin loves I Love Lucy) (it's super sad that I still remember that, right?) so when Mrs. Newton calls the club and Kristy answers, she is so excited she just accepts the job without offering it to any of the others. Everyone gets PISSED. And they start screaming horrible things at each other, and they all storm out.
MaryAnne mostly gets called a baby during the brawl, and this is just unfair. Yes, MA dresses like a baby and has a baby room, but that's all because her father is way over controlling and won't let her grow up. I mean, also MA is a huge cry baby, but that's on her.
They are in this ridiculous fight for over a month, and they are running the meetings separately, meaning one sitter sits in Claudia's room and answers all the calls and takes all the jobs. It is no way to run a baby-sitting club, I can assure you of that. Claudia and MaryAnne kind of make up, but then Claudia overhears Mimi and MaryAnne getting all chummy and Claudia loses her shit. Fight back on.
Anyway, during this time Kristy is a huge b word and very blatenly kicks MA out of their usual lunch table. Stacey and Claudia are sitting with their boyfriends, so MA is on her own until this nice, new girl named Dawn Schafer asks to join her and then they become tight. So tight, in fact, that they are hanging out at each other's houses and they discover their parents used to date in high school. AND they are so tight that when MaryAnne is babysitting for Jenny Prezizioasdioio (I am not going to try to spell her last name correctly) and Jenny gets a high fever and needs to go to the hospital, it's Dawn she calls to help her. After MA is a BA at getting Jenny taken care of, her father sees how mature she is and allows her to start staying out later, redecorate her room and start dressing more normally for a 12 year old girl.
Anyway, the girls cause a huge scene at Jamie Newton's birthday party and MA is like, enough is enough. She calls an emergency meeting, and they all make up cause they can't remember why they are mad. Then MA throws a BSC party, but she invites Dawn too...and then the girls invite Dawn to be a member too! Fuck yeah!
Takeaways
This book takes place in February-March. Still following a normal timeline.
I remember when I was a kid reading this book, I thought it was so weird that MA and Dawn's parents would still be into each other after like 15 years had passed. Oh....little Jen, you're cute.
The Prezzasoios's are, like, the weirdest family. Mrs. P and Jenny dress to the nines every single day, even if it's just to stay at home. Mr. P. wants to just be in jeans and a tee, living life like a normal dude. I guarantee had the series lasted a little longer, Mr. P. would be guilty of putting his p in a new Mrs. P who is a little more laid back than original Mrs. P.
The things these girls say to each other during their flights are ridiculous. Oh, I forgot to mention that at one point, Dawn realizes that MA is using her to make the other members of the BSC jealous. So then they get into a fight too. To which, MaryAnne yells at Dawn to trip down the stairs. WTF, MaryAnne!
When Dawn meets MaryAnne, however, MaryAnne says all of her friends are out sick. So she lied. But even when it got ridiculous and MaryAnne and Dawn were only hanging out with each other and it was clear MA had no other friends, Dawn still just went with it. It reminds me of new couples, and when they get together and the girlfriend only wants to hang out with the boyfriend all the time. It's like, bitch, where are your friends? You had to have had people in your life before this relationship started. If I suddenly started a serious relationship right now, you better believe I would still need to hang out with my friends without my bf around.
Best character
I have two for this week: First, MaryAnne. She is kind of a badass. She sticks up for herself with the girls, with her dad, with Dawn, and she handles the Jenny P. going to the hospital thing very well. Totally saves several days.
Second, MaryAnne's dad. He clearly has some high standards when it comes to his daughter, and when she starts whining in the beginning of the book he's just like "Stop. No whining." and that was it. But after MA proves herself as a mature, responsible person, he lets her have her way.
Worst character
I have two for this week, too.
Fucking Kristy. The baby-sitters all get in a fight, but the other three girls show up for the next meeting anyway. Cause it's the right thing to do. but Kristy - KRISTY SKIPS THE MEETING. Not cool, Kristy. You're supposed to be the leader, the glue of this club. NOT COOL, KRISTY.
And then, just this one interaction with Stacey puts her back on this list, again. While they are fighting, Stacey basically says she doesn't need any of the girls because, and I quote, "don't forget where I'm from." Fuck you, Stacey, and your high rise apartment in the city. Go back there if you are so cool.
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