Nancy Drew Challenge August Recap

The Nancy Drew Challenge is a reading challenge for 2010 for readers to attempt to read all 56 original yellow hardbacks that were in the Nancy Drew Mystery Stories. Click here for more information or to sign up for the challenge. At the end of each month, I will put up a post where participants of the challenge can recap how they did during that month.

Whoops! Apologies for being late this month! I was traveling on the last day in August and then Friday was my birthday so I've been all sorts of busy the past few days. Anywho, I am delighted to say that I finished my own challenge! While that may sound rather funny, seriously this is a huge accomplishment. I have been trying to read all of these 56 Nancy Drew books almost my entire life (since I was 8 years old). Finally, after almost 20 years, I did it!!! The last few books were very blah though, I must say. It seemed that the authors were just grasping for ideas. The technology is limited and they aren't very politically correct. George used to be one of my favorite characters but as I read throughout the series, she is very condescending towards Bess. I mean let the girl freaking eat!!!!

The last book, The Thirteenth Pearl seemed a bit behind the times in terms of race relations towards Asians to me. First, they kept referring to all Asians as Asiatic. I've never heard that word used about people before though I am aware that certain flowers use that term. Second, Nancy is disguised as an Asian using the makeup techniques that many Caucasian Hollywood actors endured in the early days of Hollywood when Asians weren't allowed to be on camera. The overall story just wasn't very good at all which is sad as it was the last book of the original series. What I thought was very interesting was that each Nancy Drew story concludes with the title of the next book in the series. This last book however just ends with bringing back the title of the first book, The Secret of the Old Clock, as to tie all the books together. Sort of like just saying, James Bond will return.

Next month, I'll write about what I thought about the series as whole.

How was Nancy Drew for you in August? Don't forget that there are prizes to be won if you read all the books or at least 30 books in the series. I will have linkys up next month for those who finished the contest.