Slog - Comments on Return to Sweet Valley

Comment by DanFan

DanFan — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 12:13:43 -0800

Like, ohmygod! That is, like, so totally crazy!

Comment by Robin Sparkles

Robin Sparkles — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 12:15:48 -0800

Nooo! I still remember that "perfect size six" quote.

Looking back, it's kind of unnecessary to mention their size at all.

Comment by arduous

arduous — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 12:18:50 -0800

To be fair, Paul, in the past 10 years companies have gradually changed sizing so that what was a size 6 10 years ago is now a size 2. So, actually the Wakefields stayed the same height and weight, but Gap just changed their sizing.

Comment by DanFan

DanFan — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 12:26:01 -0800

@3 - Are you telling me that I'm not really a size 4? Dammit, now I'll have to go purge myself into a size 2. Damn you, Gap, Damn you to hell!!

Comment by mj

mj — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 12:27:42 -0800

@3 That is so true! Sizes have really changed.
I'm a size six and twenty years ago a size six was only for super petite skinny girls!

Comment by Graham

Graham — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 12:36:51 -0800

And I came in here to complain about vanity siziing. Looks like just about everyone already beat me to that punch.

Did you know that there are more than 550 books already in existance in the Sweet Valley ouevre? And something like 40 hour long television episodes?

Sweet Valley aint nuttin' to fuck wit.

Comment by Fnarf

Fnarf — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 12:40:52 -0800

You ARE a super-petite skinny chick, mj.

Comment by wisepunk

wisepunk — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 12:44:27 -0800

good, keep em skinny. How else will they find a man?

Comment by violet_dagrinder

violet_dagrinder — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 12:45:56 -0800

I loved those books as a kid, and I'm pretty sure that they helped me hate the way I looked. Knowing I would never be "perfect" and all.

But, culture is a product of what people actually think just as much as the other way around, so. Can't blame the books.

Comment by arduous

arduous — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 12:47:11 -0800

Sorry, I meant to say that what was a size 6 is now a size 4. Not size 2. Though with some lines of clothes, a 6 IS now a 2.

Comment by julia

julia — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 12:50:56 -0800

Pffft, I never read Sweet Valley when I was a kid. Babysitters Club is the shit.

Comment by DanFan

DanFan — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 13:02:11 -0800

@10 - Although women's sizes may have changed, I don't think juniors (teen girl sizes) have. Strangely, I can wear a 4 (or "6" if you will) in women's but I have to wear a 7/9 in juniors. I'd feel much better if it was a "5". :)

Comment by mj

mj — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 13:05:29 -0800

And this is why I love you Fnarf!

Comment by Fnarf

Fnarf — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 13:49:10 -0800

And this is why you hate me, mj:

These size-four twins -- twins! -- give me the shakes. Sweet Valleys, indeed!

Comment by anna

anna — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 13:52:18 -0800

damn, paul. you've finally completely won me over. as a kids & YA bookseller, i've been cautiously hoping you don't hate on our section too much (as many book reviewers do). if you read bookshelves of doom you win my undying devotion to your posts & columns. keep kicking ass.
and @ 3 & 5, the blogger does mention (in her footnotes) that she realizes that sizes have changed but it bugs her anyway that they had to change it in the books.

Comment by Bellevue Ave

Bellevue Ave — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 14:20:44 -0800

"my girlfriend loves sweet valley and she thinks elizabeth wakefield is worthless"

Comment by Jessica

Jessica — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 14:39:17 -0800

@16: Elizabeth Wakefield is a spineless pushover goody-two-shoes piece of shit. Lila Fowler and Jessica Wakefield are where it's at.

Comment by Mikki

Mikki — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 14:44:44 -0800

@16: You are such a dork. I'll be using my "chocolate parfait/my arm hurts" voice for the rest of the weekend as punishment.

@17: Exactly! Oh, and Ms. Purest of the Pure Elizabeth is the one who always cheats on her boyfriends. Always. Dubs.

Comment by SDizzle

SDizzle — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 14:57:48 -0800

Remember in Sweet Valley University when Elizabeth gained 15 pounds and got fat?

Mmk must just be me.

Comment by pretentious

pretentious — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 15:12:42 -0800

slam book fever!

Comment by keshmeshi

keshmeshi — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 15:21:04 -0800

@14,

I hope this doesn't burst your bubble, but they're not identical twins.

Comment by hillside_hoyden

hillside_hoyden — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 15:33:32 -0800

@19,

I TOTALLY remember that. And then she got stalked AGAIN because Elizabeth Wakefield is California's #1 most stalkable girl. Also also, in the "Sweet Valley Sagas" telling the history of the Wakefield women, THEY were all a "perfect size six" too.

Comment by Bellevue Ave

Bellevue Ave — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 15:41:43 -0800

Sweet Valley Sagas were horrible because of the obvious manufactured coincidences like the names starting with the same letters and shit. Totally Bogus.

Comment by Mikki

Mikki — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 16:01:42 -0800

@20: I just finished reading that, no joke. It really bothered me that Amy Sutton's eyes were gray in Slam Book Fever when they were sky-blue just 12 books earlier in Last Chance (and they were brown on the cover!)

Bellevue Ave, the names were sometimes even the same in the sagas, but with a different spelling. Also, you can tell the twins apart on any SVH book cover even better than I can.

Comment by mj

mj — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 17:02:44 -0800

Fnarf, I will never hate you! I may punch you or strangle you every once in a while but that is just fun.

Comment by Will in Seattle

Will in Seattle — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 17:33:17 -0800

Punching Fnarf is always fun, mj. Strangling him is a bit of work, tho.

Comment by mj

mj — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 10:06:09 -0800

@26 Will, unless you hit like a girl and strangle as if you are giving a hug you wont be doing either thing like me.

Let it go Will... Punch a pillow and get over it.