A new look at 'The Whispering Statue'
Of the 55 volumes that I had read during my elementary school days, The Whispering Statue did not really stand out. As with most of the other stories, I could recall practically nothing about #14 of the Nancy Drew Mystery Stories years later.
To this day, I don't understand this unfortunate inability to remember much about the books I pored over so avidly as a child. There was the seance scene from The Ghost of Blackwood Hall -- I remember that. And there was the man who stopped abruptly in mid-run then turned around and waved a white handkerchief to someone across the street, from The Clue in the Jewel Box. A few other scenes and characters do come to mind, but all in all, it seems Nancy's adventures have been banished to the deepest parts of my memory.
When my reawakened interest in Carolyn Keene's page-turners prompted me to start reading them again early this year, I realized that my memory's failing in this respect was actually a good thing. Re-reading each volume, therefore, is now like reading it for the first time -- hence, enjoying the adventure all over again!
I acquired a revised-text (RT) copy of The Whispering Statue as part of a bundle. And though it was another title that prompted me to purchase the whole lot of five, I was delighted just the same over the prospect of poring over the other mysteries -- covers so familiar, yet contents drawing a blank.
As I reached the end of Statue then happily clapped the book shut, I couldn't believe that none of the scenes in the story was familiar. It was entertaining enough; Nancy and her friends were exposed to excitingly perilous situations, and the villains were caught in the end. Definitely enough danger in there, yet the story seemed new to me. Well, if I enjoyed the book now, I'm sure I read it with much gusto as an 11-year-old! Talk about having twice the fun!
As I had mentioned in a previous post, getting hold of copies of the original-text (OT) edition is my main interest. The RTs are in ample stock in bookstores until today, but the OTs -- which were in production only till the end of the 1950s -- are pretty hard to come by, especially outside the US. These are, after all, vintage books (the only exceptions are the reprints of volumes 1 to 21 produced by Applewood Books in the 1990s, but these, too. were discontinued after a few years).
Which is why when among a bunch of "modern-day" Nancy Drews on a local seller's post there appeared a vintage one, I couldn't believe my luck. It was inexpensive and in good condition. Of course I snapped it up right away!
I have read enough of these OTs to note the remarkable difference between a mystery penned in the 1930s and its updated 1960s version. The language and the pace can be significant indications of the time in which a story was written, and Carolyn Keene's work is no exception.
The leisurely pace and the rich imagery in the original versions -- qualities that are absent in the revised, post-1958 versions -- are elements I most appreciate. They simply make for an extraordinary reading experience each time.
The vocabulary, too, can be quite fascinating in that certain words, phrases and expressions I haven't even heard of, warrant a pause to consult the dictionary. Check out this line from the OT edition of Statue, published in 1937:
From the context, figuring out what it meant was easy. My first guess was "Baloney! I don't believe such poppycock!" (I learned "poppycock" from my father, and I have never heard anyone else use it. He was born in the 1920s so in case you were born many decades later and this is the first time you've come across the word, it simply means "nonsense")
Statue underwent revisions in 1970, and not only was the original trimmed from 25 chapters down to 20 (as were all other titles from volume 1 to 34); it was given a major overhaul as far as the plot was concerned. In fact, the OT and the RT have practically different storylines.
I am not complaining -- I finished reading the original just days ago and I love the fact that getting two editions of the same book was far from being a waste. I enjoyed two completely different stories even though they share a title, an author (a pseudonym, really), and the main characters.
Much can be learned from the Nancy Drew book fan group I'm part of. One can likewise take delight in the various perspectives and preferences regarding anything, from cover art and Carson Drew to book collecting and series spin-offs. A number of avid readers expressed their preference for volume 14's revised version, finding the original excessively dramatic, its solution and final chapters over-the-top.
I had this in mind as I began reading the book but soon forgot about it as I became absorbed in the intriguing elements of the teen detective's encounters in and around Sea Cliff.
By the time I reached the last couple of chapters I was totally into the action and the unraveling of the mystery (frankly, I was stunned). Such complex revelations and an incredible scene involving Nancy amid torrential waters! And I loved the way it all unfolded. At the same time, though the dramatic scene seemed fantastic, the ending was closer to reality than that of most Nancy Drew mysteries. Not everyone came out unscathed in this one, and though the mystery was finally solved, a happy ending was not to be had by all the characters involved.
Overall, even if I love both editions of The Whispering Statue, I think it's the 1937 version I'll be flipping through more often. The elegance as reflected in the language and in the ambience is something I find most appealing. The 1970 version will come in handy especially when a 20-chapter read is all I have time for, and probably if I'm in the mood for a '70s vibe:
Otherwise, the refinements characteristic of society as depicted in the amateur sleuth's world pre-1959 suit me just fine.
To this day, I don't understand this unfortunate inability to remember much about the books I pored over so avidly as a child. There was the seance scene from The Ghost of Blackwood Hall -- I remember that. And there was the man who stopped abruptly in mid-run then turned around and waved a white handkerchief to someone across the street, from The Clue in the Jewel Box. A few other scenes and characters do come to mind, but all in all, it seems Nancy's adventures have been banished to the deepest parts of my memory.
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| Something old, something new: Matte yellow edition with the original 1937 text (foreground), and glossy flashlight edition with the revised 1970 text. Cover art of both editions by Rudy Nappi |
When my reawakened interest in Carolyn Keene's page-turners prompted me to start reading them again early this year, I realized that my memory's failing in this respect was actually a good thing. Re-reading each volume, therefore, is now like reading it for the first time -- hence, enjoying the adventure all over again!
I acquired a revised-text (RT) copy of The Whispering Statue as part of a bundle. And though it was another title that prompted me to purchase the whole lot of five, I was delighted just the same over the prospect of poring over the other mysteries -- covers so familiar, yet contents drawing a blank.
As I reached the end of Statue then happily clapped the book shut, I couldn't believe that none of the scenes in the story was familiar. It was entertaining enough; Nancy and her friends were exposed to excitingly perilous situations, and the villains were caught in the end. Definitely enough danger in there, yet the story seemed new to me. Well, if I enjoyed the book now, I'm sure I read it with much gusto as an 11-year-old! Talk about having twice the fun!
As I had mentioned in a previous post, getting hold of copies of the original-text (OT) edition is my main interest. The RTs are in ample stock in bookstores until today, but the OTs -- which were in production only till the end of the 1950s -- are pretty hard to come by, especially outside the US. These are, after all, vintage books (the only exceptions are the reprints of volumes 1 to 21 produced by Applewood Books in the 1990s, but these, too. were discontinued after a few years).
Which is why when among a bunch of "modern-day" Nancy Drews on a local seller's post there appeared a vintage one, I couldn't believe my luck. It was inexpensive and in good condition. Of course I snapped it up right away!
I have read enough of these OTs to note the remarkable difference between a mystery penned in the 1930s and its updated 1960s version. The language and the pace can be significant indications of the time in which a story was written, and Carolyn Keene's work is no exception.
The leisurely pace and the rich imagery in the original versions -- qualities that are absent in the revised, post-1958 versions -- are elements I most appreciate. They simply make for an extraordinary reading experience each time.
The vocabulary, too, can be quite fascinating in that certain words, phrases and expressions I haven't even heard of, warrant a pause to consult the dictionary. Check out this line from the OT edition of Statue, published in 1937:
From the context, figuring out what it meant was easy. My first guess was "Baloney! I don't believe such poppycock!" (I learned "poppycock" from my father, and I have never heard anyone else use it. He was born in the 1920s so in case you were born many decades later and this is the first time you've come across the word, it simply means "nonsense")
Statue underwent revisions in 1970, and not only was the original trimmed from 25 chapters down to 20 (as were all other titles from volume 1 to 34); it was given a major overhaul as far as the plot was concerned. In fact, the OT and the RT have practically different storylines.
I am not complaining -- I finished reading the original just days ago and I love the fact that getting two editions of the same book was far from being a waste. I enjoyed two completely different stories even though they share a title, an author (a pseudonym, really), and the main characters.
Much can be learned from the Nancy Drew book fan group I'm part of. One can likewise take delight in the various perspectives and preferences regarding anything, from cover art and Carson Drew to book collecting and series spin-offs. A number of avid readers expressed their preference for volume 14's revised version, finding the original excessively dramatic, its solution and final chapters over-the-top.
I had this in mind as I began reading the book but soon forgot about it as I became absorbed in the intriguing elements of the teen detective's encounters in and around Sea Cliff.
By the time I reached the last couple of chapters I was totally into the action and the unraveling of the mystery (frankly, I was stunned). Such complex revelations and an incredible scene involving Nancy amid torrential waters! And I loved the way it all unfolded. At the same time, though the dramatic scene seemed fantastic, the ending was closer to reality than that of most Nancy Drew mysteries. Not everyone came out unscathed in this one, and though the mystery was finally solved, a happy ending was not to be had by all the characters involved.
Overall, even if I love both editions of The Whispering Statue, I think it's the 1937 version I'll be flipping through more often. The elegance as reflected in the language and in the ambience is something I find most appealing. The 1970 version will come in handy especially when a 20-chapter read is all I have time for, and probably if I'm in the mood for a '70s vibe:
Otherwise, the refinements characteristic of society as depicted in the amateur sleuth's world pre-1959 suit me just fine.
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