Belinda Dao

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This is part 3 of my review and summary of Intensely Alice for those of you who have not been able to read the book yet and are dying to know what happens.

WARNING: Please do not continue reading if you do not want to know what happens.

Chapter Three – Cemetery Tag

At the cemetery, Keeno, Mark, Pamela, Elizabeth, and Alice play cemetery tag (basically, it’s tag in a cememtery, but when you’re tagged “It” you have to howl at the moon). They then play a game of Tombstone Trot (basically, it’s like running hurdles except your hurdles are tombstomes) on their way out to the entrance. However, before they can make it safely out to the car, the group is meant by two police officers. Mark is ordered to open his trunk for a search, but the police come up with nothing and order them to go home. Mark notices that the police car is following them and drives cautiously. When Pamela, Elizabeth, and Alice are dropped off, they are greeted by Lester who inquires about the police escort. After retelling Lester about the evening, Alice exclaims that Lester has turned into her Dad. After Lester goes to sleep, the girls talk about the evening before the subject turns to Patrick. Alice tells them that Patrick knows she’ll be coming and staying overnight, but he has not figured out where she’ll be sleeping. The girls discuss this before deciding that life was much easier with boys when they were younger.

The next day, Alice makes sure to tidy up the house and to make food before Ben and Sylvia come back home in order to show them that she is mature and responsible. Ben and Sylvia are pleased both with their trip and with Alice’s effort when they return home from New York. Ben says the next trip is to Chicago and asks Alice if she has figured out where she’ll be staying when she visits Patrick. Alice lies and says that she’ll be sleeping in the girls’ dorm. This lie leaves Alice full of questions (Where exactly is she sleeping? How will she explain herself if she doesn’t end up sleeping in the girls’ dorm? etc.)

MY TAKE: The chapter was just okay for me. There was nothing too memorable about it. I thought the cemetery scene or the police escort home could have been crafted to be a funnier somehow. I still feel like this chapter is setting up events that happen later in the book. One last thought: Was anybody else confused about Tombstone Trot? It took me a couple readovers and a third person explanation to describe it to me. I’m still a bit unclear as to how you play.

Chapter Four – Change of Plans

Carol calls about a change in plans. One of her bridesmaid has morning sickness and she asks Alice to be her replacement. Thrilled, Alice accepts and changes her flight plans to leave a couple days earlier.

That night, Patrick calls and Alice updates him on her plans and casually asks where she’ll be sleeping during her overnight stay with him. When Patrick says he’s still looking into it, Alice wants to invite herself to stay in Patrick’s dorm room, but instead says she hopes she not staying too far away from him because she does not know the neighborhood. Patrick tells her not to worry, which makes Alice happy. They then plan to meet at Water Tower on Sunday at noon and Alice “can’t wait.” Later that week, Alice drops by the lingerie shop and buys black lacy panties for her overnight stay with Patrick becuase she cannot arrive wearing her Jockey pair.

On the 4th of July, the gang (Alice’s group of friends) gathers at Mark’s house instead of the Mall to watch the fireworks. During the fireworks, when the group finally is able to convince Mrs. Steidmeister to watch the fireworks with them and Mr. Steidmeister, Mark announces that it is his parents’ anniversary. They cheer and congratulate his parents. Later, when Alice and Gwen are helping Mrs. Steidmeister wash the dishes, Mrs. Steidmeister says that Mark is thinking about attending Clemson, which makes her happy because it is still on the East Coast. She hopes the group will still come over during breaks and Alice assures her that they will.

Before you know it, Alice is packing for Chicago. She plans out all her outfits for her visit with Patrick. Ben drops her off at the airport and makes sure that she’ll be okay for her flight. Once in the terminal, Alice feels “free at last.”

MY TAKE: So this chapter provides a bit more meat to the story than the last one did. The first “meaty” part is the phone call with Patrick. I honestly cannot express how happy I am that Patrick and Alice are finally back together after his whole thing with Penny and her whole thing with Sam and Tony. Anyways, the phone call was filled with one or two “Awww how cute” lines. Mrs. Naylor is definitely hyping up this visit to Patrick. The second “meaty” part of this chapter is the 4th of July gathering at the Steidmeisters. I definitely see why Mrs. Naylor put this scene in it. It gives us more details about the Steidmeisters and Mark’s relationship with his parents. It’s nice to learn a bit more about Alice’s friends. It makes me feel like I’m finding out more about one my friends. (This is what reading Alice for 12+ years will do to you.)

Chapter Five – Window Seat

On the plane, Alice has a window seat. She’s nervous as the plane moves down the runway and takes off. The man next to her, Doug Carpenter, notices her nervousness and offers to buy her a drink. Alice declines. The man strikes up a conversation with Alice and lets his hand linger on her leg. Alice, uncomfortable with the situation, moves his hand away. However, Doug thinks she is playing a game with him and puts his hand back on her leg. Alice again moves his hand away. Finally, Doug puts his hand back on her knee and gives it a quick squeeze. This is the end of the line for Alice and she loudly tells Mr. Carpenter to remove his hand from her leg. As people turn around to see where the commotion is coming from, an embarrassed Doug moves to a different seat and does not bother Alice for the rest of the flight. Arriving in Chicago at the O’Hare Airport, Alice is greeted by Uncle Milt. When he asks her about the flight, Alice omits her encounter with Doug as she figures Aunt Sally would probably never let her leave the house. At baggage claim, Alice’s suitcase is missing.

MY TAKE: Alice embarrassing sleazy Doug made me laugh. Though not on par with other funny moments in the Alice series, it was funny. Alice losing her suitcase is one of those “Oh no!” moments we wish we never want to experience.

Be sure to check out other Intensely Alice updates including chapter summaries and reviews (spoiler alert!), surveys, polls, and more!

In: Books | tags: Alice series, Intensely Alice, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, review. | #