Chapter 8 of Freshers

So, it's now December

Lois is getting letters from her department asking why isn't she at tutorials. She whinges that they already got their money, so why can't they leave her be?

And that money would be?

Tuition fees, paid by students, were not introduced until 1997/8. This is 1991. This seems like quite a glaring oversight for a writer. No one needs to be constantly factually accurate, but this is easily researchable. Even if some students were paying fees, they were nowhere near current figures. it's already established that Lois is not exactly living on the bread line. She's getting a scholarship, she's not even on a student loan here!

This chapter is very repetitive, only otherwise establishing that Lois isn't doing very well, and that she used to be the best student. It's bad editing as well that no one picked up how many times it is mentioned that Lois isn't doing very well, because this is going to come up again. This must be part of the extra 20,000 words.She goes a a tutorial, it's dull, then she has yet another wild house party, and an argument with Hywel.

CERYS

Cerys continues to be a gross whore, now on a train from Aberystywth to London. Did they have first class compartments in 1991? They don't now! She's reading a women's porn mag on the train, and this gets Marc excited so they have sex in the toilet. Nothing's sexier than train toilets! I'm going to assume that their constant shagging has caused brain damage since if you're trying to have a SECRET affair, doing it in a toilet on a train would risk a potential charge of indecency.

He takes her to Stringfelllows, because that's romantic! Then he takes her to Oxford Street and buys her an expensive ring that costs over £1000. Not being a ring person, and not old enough in 1991 to understand money, I can't actually tell if we're supposed to think that's impressive or spectacularly rubbish.

Back at their hotel UH OH, Marc's wife rang the room, and Cerys picked up. Mrs Arwel doesn't buy for a second Marc's excuse that she's the maid! Because, come on Marc. Rookie move! You should have had that off the hook. Marc gets into a strop and ditches Cerys, who thinks Marc's wife is a 'bloody bitch' for killing the vibe. FEMINISM!

HYWEL

And because this book is written by a woman, Hywel's plotline is the most consequence free. He takes Meleri home to meet his parents, failing to mention that they'd be sleeping in seperate beds because they're Christian. Meleri, being a sex-crazed maniac like all the women of this novel, has sex with him and his parents burst in. So Hywel announces he's leaving and decides to marry Meleri. No problems for Hywel, and his sex doll of a fiance! FEMINISM!

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7