Nancy Drew #1

3.5 stars

I loved the Nancy Drew books as a kid, so I thought it would be fun to read the series again.

I found 13 Nancy Drew books at my local library's book sale. It's fun to revisit these stories. I used to think that Nancy was perfect, but on this reread, I was surprised at the pleasure she took in knocking the Tophams off their pedestal. And of course in the series she trespasses and breaks into places. For a well brought-up girl who is generally polite and kind, she shows her flaws, anchored in her desire for justice. Of course, this series isn't about character arc. It's all about solving mysteries with an amateur detective, and in that light, Nancy is clever, daring, and diligent. She's a wonderful role model for young readers. While the writing may be dated, it was still a fun read.