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The Famous Five #3
Five Run Away Together
Julian, Dick and Anne arrive in Kirrin Cottage to stay with George (real name Georgina) for the holidays. They plan to spend time exploring Kirrin Island but their happiness is spoilt when Aunt Fanny falls ill and has to leave with Uncle Quentin to be treated in a far-off hospital. They are cared for by Aunt Fanny's temporary cook, Mrs Stick, who is accompanied by her husband and their ghastly son Edgar. The Sticks and the four children come to hate each other. Mrs Stick repeatedly tries to poison George's dog Timmy, prompting George to hatch a secret plan to run away to Kirrin Island. When Julian catches her leaving, she decides to allow the other children to go with her.
The children find evidence of other people visiting the island and suspect smugglers. The discovery of a young girl's toys and clothes point to something sinister going on.
The children find evidence of other people visiting the island and suspect smugglers. The discovery of a young girl's toys and clothes point to something sinister going on.
264 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1944
About the author
Enid Blyton
5,200 books5,906 followersSee also:
Ένιντ Μπλάιτον (Greek)
Enida Blaitona (Latvian)
Энид Блайтон (Russian)
Inid Blajton (Serbian)
Енід Блайтон (Ukrainian)
Enid Mary Blyton (1897 - 1968) was an English author of children's books.
Born in South London, Blyton was the eldest of three children, and showed an early interest in music and reading. She was educated at St. Christopher's School, Beckenham, and - having decided not to pursue her music - at Ipswich High School, where she trained as a kindergarten teacher. She taught for five years before her 1924 marriage to editor Hugh Pollock, with whom she had two daughters. This marriage ended in divorce, and Blyton remarried in 1943, to surgeon Kenneth Fraser Darrell Waters. She died in 1968, one year after her second husband.
Blyton was a prolific author of children's books, who penned an estimated 800 books over about 40 years. Her stories were often either children's adventure and mystery stories, or fantasies involving magic. Notable series include: The Famous Five, The Secret Seven, The Five Find-Outers, Noddy, The Wishing Chair, Mallory Towers, and St. Clare's.
According to the Index Translationum, Blyton was the fifth most popular author in the world in 2007, coming after Lenin but ahead of Shakespeare.
See also her pen name Mary Pollock
Ένιντ Μπλάιτον (Greek)
Enida Blaitona (Latvian)
Энид Блайтон (Russian)
Inid Blajton (Serbian)
Енід Блайтон (Ukrainian)
Enid Mary Blyton (1897 - 1968) was an English author of children's books.
Born in South London, Blyton was the eldest of three children, and showed an early interest in music and reading. She was educated at St. Christopher's School, Beckenham, and - having decided not to pursue her music - at Ipswich High School, where she trained as a kindergarten teacher. She taught for five years before her 1924 marriage to editor Hugh Pollock, with whom she had two daughters. This marriage ended in divorce, and Blyton remarried in 1943, to surgeon Kenneth Fraser Darrell Waters. She died in 1968, one year after her second husband.
Blyton was a prolific author of children's books, who penned an estimated 800 books over about 40 years. Her stories were often either children's adventure and mystery stories, or fantasies involving magic. Notable series include: The Famous Five, The Secret Seven, The Five Find-Outers, Noddy, The Wishing Chair, Mallory Towers, and St. Clare's.
According to the Index Translationum, Blyton was the fifth most popular author in the world in 2007, coming after Lenin but ahead of Shakespeare.
See also her pen name Mary Pollock
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 547 reviews
August 1, 2022
The Famous Five were a big part of my childhood, but I hadn’t read this one until now. This edition was published in 2010, with a foreword by Enid Blyton’s granddaughter, Sophie Smallwood, who writes about how Timothy the Dog was her favourite – I tend to agree. There’s perhaps no better judge of character than Timmy in the literary world!
Enid Blyton books have always been a nostalgic form of escapism. I think even adults crave their own version of Kirrin Island; whether literal or metaphorical.
“Aren’t we lucky to have an island and castle of our own! Just think, this is all ours!”
Five Run Away Together was originally published in 1944. It’s a product of the times and therefore, might offend some readers. I chose to read it for what it is, but did find this darker than others. There was a recurrent threat of animal violence, with the characters encouraging their dog to attack a smaller one! This detracted from my enjoyment - I actually felt sorry for the villains.
What I’ll most remember this book for, is how it changed my views on a beloved Australian classic. It begs the question; at what point can an author or estate launch legal action against another? Nan Chauncy published her novel, They Found a Cave, 5 years later. It shares the exact plot. A group of children go stay with their aunt, who takes ill, requiring a hospital stay. Because of this, the children are stuck with mean housekeepers who are plotting a scheme. So, the children run away and discover a cave, which they set-up to make all homely for themselves, while hatching a plan to bring the housekeepers to justice.
There was plenty of conflict and suspense here to keep younger (or even older, nostalgic) readers engaged. Thankfully there were laughs too. I remain convinced Enid Blyton secretly wanted to be a food critic, as food was as much a character as anyone.
“They opened a tin of meat, cut huge slices of bread and made sandwiches. Then they opened a tin of pineapple chunks and ate those, spooning them out of the tin, full of sweetness and juice. After that they still felt hungry, so they opened two tins of sardines and dug them out with biscuits. It made a really delicious meal.”
I kept waiting for them to be sick! Blyton knew how to build mystery and intrigue, and still managed to surprise me with a twist, albeit a sinister one. The resolution of the twist was very wholesome and made up for what was otherwise one of the grittier adventures in the series.
On a side note, this was book 22/22 of my 2022 reading challenge! Only fitting for it to be with the author that kick-started my love for reading itself. Thank you, Enid Blyton.
Enid Blyton books have always been a nostalgic form of escapism. I think even adults crave their own version of Kirrin Island; whether literal or metaphorical.
“Aren’t we lucky to have an island and castle of our own! Just think, this is all ours!”
Five Run Away Together was originally published in 1944. It’s a product of the times and therefore, might offend some readers. I chose to read it for what it is, but did find this darker than others. There was a recurrent threat of animal violence, with the characters encouraging their dog to attack a smaller one! This detracted from my enjoyment - I actually felt sorry for the villains.
What I’ll most remember this book for, is how it changed my views on a beloved Australian classic. It begs the question; at what point can an author or estate launch legal action against another? Nan Chauncy published her novel, They Found a Cave, 5 years later. It shares the exact plot. A group of children go stay with their aunt, who takes ill, requiring a hospital stay. Because of this, the children are stuck with mean housekeepers who are plotting a scheme. So, the children run away and discover a cave, which they set-up to make all homely for themselves, while hatching a plan to bring the housekeepers to justice.
There was plenty of conflict and suspense here to keep younger (or even older, nostalgic) readers engaged. Thankfully there were laughs too. I remain convinced Enid Blyton secretly wanted to be a food critic, as food was as much a character as anyone.
“They opened a tin of meat, cut huge slices of bread and made sandwiches. Then they opened a tin of pineapple chunks and ate those, spooning them out of the tin, full of sweetness and juice. After that they still felt hungry, so they opened two tins of sardines and dug them out with biscuits. It made a really delicious meal.”
I kept waiting for them to be sick! Blyton knew how to build mystery and intrigue, and still managed to surprise me with a twist, albeit a sinister one. The resolution of the twist was very wholesome and made up for what was otherwise one of the grittier adventures in the series.
On a side note, this was book 22/22 of my 2022 reading challenge! Only fitting for it to be with the author that kick-started my love for reading itself. Thank you, Enid Blyton.
May 16, 2024
The children are all a year older, which makes Julian 13, I believe. The chronology is abandoned in later books as even with pretty much every Easter and Summer holiday being made use of and most of the Christmases, this still, by book 23, leaves us with four infantalised twenty-somethings and a rather elderly hound.
This book begins, or reignites if you consider its role in other books, Blyton's love affair with convenient illness. The children are constantly abandoned because of poor health, bad memory, or benevolent neglect, generally into the hands of villains.
Another repeating theme that surfaces here is that of the villainous poor. Blyton's enthusiastic casting of gypsies into the villain's role has yet to begin. I did think it had been foreshadowed by the kidnapper's boat being called "The Roma" but that was on audiobook and it turns out to have been "The Roamer".
Anyway, the plucky five are abandoned by two sets of parents into the hands of the substitute cook, Mrs Stick, and her husband. The couple have a spotty son for the children to bully and he has a small dog for Timmy to bully.
Things do not go splendidly. The ginger beer is not forthcoming in lashings. Slap up feasts are only made possible by stealing the food Mrs Stick has made for her own family. And to cap it all, George grows worried that the Sticks plan to poison her dog (there are a good number of threatened and attempted poisonings of Timmy across the series and at least one successful though non fatal attempt).
George runs off to her island and the others follow. Did I mention that in addition to the castle (emptied of its gold by the children in book 1) the island has an exposed shipwreck and a cave? Well it does and these play their roles in the uncovering and subsequent foiling of a kidnap involving the child of very wealthy parents.
Comic side relief is provided by the continued tormenting of young Master Stick whose parents the Five are going to have jailed. Some of this through animal impressions relying on the deeply unconvincing rural ignorance of this family of "city folk" and the equally unconvincing echoiness of the castle dungeons.
It all works out well. Mr Stick is captured through a police-sanctioned gambit that puts a child (Julian) at great risk and has no reasonable chance of success. And the children get to witness the final denouement via the incredibly flexible device of "Access to Kirrin Island" which drives the plot of several books in the series.
Footnote: "Access to Kirrin Island" is a nebulous thing. Sometimes Georgina is concerned about day trippers picnicking and littering on her island. Baddies are often encountered there (The Sticks in this book), sometimes rowing there in the dead of night. At the other extreme we are told that the rocks are so deadly that nobody could possibly reach the only safe cove without the expert knowledge of a small collection of local fishermen (or George). So deadly are these rocks, apparently, that in one book they are the only defence needed for Uncle Quentin's top secret work, and the baddies actually have to PARACHUTE onto the island.
Of course all the adults as fine with unsupervised 11 year old George rowing across open sea and through said rocks with her cousins.
Anyway, a fun book to pick at, and when you're nine a fun book full stop.
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..
This book begins, or reignites if you consider its role in other books, Blyton's love affair with convenient illness. The children are constantly abandoned because of poor health, bad memory, or benevolent neglect, generally into the hands of villains.
Another repeating theme that surfaces here is that of the villainous poor. Blyton's enthusiastic casting of gypsies into the villain's role has yet to begin. I did think it had been foreshadowed by the kidnapper's boat being called "The Roma" but that was on audiobook and it turns out to have been "The Roamer".
Anyway, the plucky five are abandoned by two sets of parents into the hands of the substitute cook, Mrs Stick, and her husband. The couple have a spotty son for the children to bully and he has a small dog for Timmy to bully.
Things do not go splendidly. The ginger beer is not forthcoming in lashings. Slap up feasts are only made possible by stealing the food Mrs Stick has made for her own family. And to cap it all, George grows worried that the Sticks plan to poison her dog (there are a good number of threatened and attempted poisonings of Timmy across the series and at least one successful though non fatal attempt).
George runs off to her island and the others follow. Did I mention that in addition to the castle (emptied of its gold by the children in book 1) the island has an exposed shipwreck and a cave? Well it does and these play their roles in the uncovering and subsequent foiling of a kidnap involving the child of very wealthy parents.
Comic side relief is provided by the continued tormenting of young Master Stick whose parents the Five are going to have jailed. Some of this through animal impressions relying on the deeply unconvincing rural ignorance of this family of "city folk" and the equally unconvincing echoiness of the castle dungeons.
It all works out well. Mr Stick is captured through a police-sanctioned gambit that puts a child (Julian) at great risk and has no reasonable chance of success. And the children get to witness the final denouement via the incredibly flexible device of "Access to Kirrin Island" which drives the plot of several books in the series.
Footnote: "Access to Kirrin Island" is a nebulous thing. Sometimes Georgina is concerned about day trippers picnicking and littering on her island. Baddies are often encountered there (The Sticks in this book), sometimes rowing there in the dead of night. At the other extreme we are told that the rocks are so deadly that nobody could possibly reach the only safe cove without the expert knowledge of a small collection of local fishermen (or George). So deadly are these rocks, apparently, that in one book they are the only defence needed for Uncle Quentin's top secret work, and the baddies actually have to PARACHUTE onto the island.
Of course all the adults as fine with unsupervised 11 year old George rowing across open sea and through said rocks with her cousins.
Anyway, a fun book to pick at, and when you're nine a fun book full stop.
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Join my 3-emails-a-year newsletter #prizes
..
May 6, 2020
My opinion of the reread of this book hasn't changed much. When once the arrival of the other three siblings set my heart racing, now I feel drowsy. And a bit sad, too.
I've been wanting to write a fanfic about the Famous Five, and maybe I will. The challenge lies in the thought of a new angle. Or has the great Enid Blyton figured every good story idea? Somehow my will is resisting this ponderous, downish idea.
As for this book, it's too childish. It's more childish than the Enchanted Wood trilogy, or A book of Brownies. I'll probably never revisit this particular offering again. It's left better in my middle grade days.
I've been wanting to write a fanfic about the Famous Five, and maybe I will. The challenge lies in the thought of a new angle. Or has the great Enid Blyton figured every good story idea? Somehow my will is resisting this ponderous, downish idea.
As for this book, it's too childish. It's more childish than the Enchanted Wood trilogy, or A book of Brownies. I'll probably never revisit this particular offering again. It's left better in my middle grade days.
July 27, 2021
It was meant to be. At long last the unwanted thing happened. I got swayed by the review of one user here and consequently I couldn't enjoy The Famous Five book for what it is. Among the four kids, it was Julian's demeanor that spoiled the fun. I immediately noticed how bossy and slightly mean he was. He wouldn't say anything without cussing Anne or someone other than her.
I found the entire adventure boring and even the tinned stuff they were having on the island didn't look yummy to me. It's the end of an era. I may either take another Famous Five book on the rebound, or take a break from the series. It's not the end of the world, and I'm not sad at all, but such a day, maybe, was bound to arrive.
I found the entire adventure boring and even the tinned stuff they were having on the island didn't look yummy to me. It's the end of an era. I may either take another Famous Five book on the rebound, or take a break from the series. It's not the end of the world, and I'm not sad at all, but such a day, maybe, was bound to arrive.
March 8, 2022
I cannot be that vitriolic with this book. It got 2 stars from me when I reread it first time around. This once, I read it in French. There is something to be said about books that appear as a series in the famed Bibliotheque verte/rose publishing house.
Le Club des Cinq, or the Famous Five are best when they try to escape from the rules imposed by adults and go to their paradise island, Kirrin Island, or here Kernach Island. Here the book was rendered better because the alienating adults were a cut above usual, and the features of their paradise revealed hidden rewards.
Once the book neared its end, I switched off and then the book was over. You won't catch me waxing lyrical over the Five. I find them monotonous, and sexist. Perhaps classist too. These kids would probably grow up into adults where they would marry and cheat and birth the type of kids that they despised when they themselves were children.
Therefore, I must stress on why I liked this book. The characters were laughably imagined. The prose was boring. But the getaway part of the plot, together with the twist of the Sticks, both deserve some praise. In all this translation made me fall in love all over again with this series, and that is the only merit I grudgingly give to Blyton.
Le Club des Cinq, or the Famous Five are best when they try to escape from the rules imposed by adults and go to their paradise island, Kirrin Island, or here Kernach Island. Here the book was rendered better because the alienating adults were a cut above usual, and the features of their paradise revealed hidden rewards.
Once the book neared its end, I switched off and then the book was over. You won't catch me waxing lyrical over the Five. I find them monotonous, and sexist. Perhaps classist too. These kids would probably grow up into adults where they would marry and cheat and birth the type of kids that they despised when they themselves were children.
Therefore, I must stress on why I liked this book. The characters were laughably imagined. The prose was boring. But the getaway part of the plot, together with the twist of the Sticks, both deserve some praise. In all this translation made me fall in love all over again with this series, and that is the only merit I grudgingly give to Blyton.
August 30, 2010
Jess, my 7-year old little girl, gives it 5 stars.
Comments while reading:
“I hate the Sticks! They are so nasty.”
“Why do English people have to have tea at 4 o’clock in the afternoon? Isn’t that too late? 4 o’clock is my nap time.”
“I hope Aunt Fanny will get better.”
“What is a ‘smuggler’? Why do people have to pay money to the government if they want to bring things from abroad?”
“What do gorse bushes and heathers look like?”
“Julian is the smartest but he likes to order the other kids around. He’s kind of bossy, but in a good way.”
“Anne likes to do girly things, like making beds and sandwiches. I don’t like to do girly things, but I also don’t want to be a boy like George. My friend Athena is a tomboy --- she likes Sonic the Hedgehog and hates Princess.”
“I knew it, the Sticks are the bad guys!”
“My favorite part is when Dick, Julian and George hide out in the dungeons and make animal noises to scare the Sticks. The Sticks think that ghost cows, sheep, and horses are chasing them! I laughed so hard. I think this is the funniest Famous Five book that I’ve ever read.”
“Anne is TWELVE and she doesn’t know what kidnapper means?”
“What is a ‘ransom’?”
January 5, 2014
In this third volume of the Famous Five series, events start off on a horrid note as the children discover that the packets of sandwiches they have wheedled from the new kitchen lackey are not very nice—too stale, too thick, and worst of all, not enough butter! However, the narrative quickly recuperates as our four little gourmands (plus Timmy!) devour some delicious fresh-baked bread, cakes, all of a meat pie and several jam tarts, bread and ham and butter and 'stuff', a roast chicken, some fine tomatoes, and a treacle tart, before moving onto biscuits, sausage rolls from the shop in the village, a dish of bacon garnished with tomatoes, more sausage rolls and fruit, more bread and jam and a pot of hot tea, cold ham, cheese, and the remains of a milk pudding.
As the book moves swiftly to its climax and Anne—who is such a good little housewife!—transforms a hidden cavern into a right proper English pantry, the four (plus Timmy!) consume soup, tins of meat, tins of fruit, tinned milk, sardines, tinned butter, more biscuits, tinned vegetables, and lashings of ginger beer, in addition to chunks from a tin of pineapple, more sardines dug out with biscuits, hot cocoa, a ham and a loaf of bread, a jar of pickles, boiled tongue, tinned peaches, bread and butter, golden syrup, additional lashings of ginger beer, even more sardines, pressed beef sandwiches, tinned apricots, tinned milk, tinned salmon, two more tins of peaches, another tin of milk, more bread and butter, and a big jug of cocoa. The book concludes with more cocoa all around, and a juicy bone for Timmy!
Oh, and there's something about smugglers and a child's kidnapping.
As the book moves swiftly to its climax and Anne—who is such a good little housewife!—transforms a hidden cavern into a right proper English pantry, the four (plus Timmy!) consume soup, tins of meat, tins of fruit, tinned milk, sardines, tinned butter, more biscuits, tinned vegetables, and lashings of ginger beer, in addition to chunks from a tin of pineapple, more sardines dug out with biscuits, hot cocoa, a ham and a loaf of bread, a jar of pickles, boiled tongue, tinned peaches, bread and butter, golden syrup, additional lashings of ginger beer, even more sardines, pressed beef sandwiches, tinned apricots, tinned milk, tinned salmon, two more tins of peaches, another tin of milk, more bread and butter, and a big jug of cocoa. The book concludes with more cocoa all around, and a juicy bone for Timmy!
Oh, and there's something about smugglers and a child's kidnapping.
March 10, 2019
This is a pretty good entry in the Famous Five series. It's slightly darker than the first two books but nothing young children won't be able to cope with and enjoy.
What I particularly enjoyed was the twist at the beginning of act three. I didn't see it coming (apparently Sunshine Seaspray did but she's a bit of a smarty pants when it comes to that sort of thing).
Anyway, at book three in our twenty two book Famous Five marathon, I'm not getting bored of the series yet.
Buddy read with Sunshine Seaspray.
What I particularly enjoyed was the twist at the beginning of act three. I didn't see it coming (apparently Sunshine Seaspray did but she's a bit of a smarty pants when it comes to that sort of thing).
Anyway, at book three in our twenty two book Famous Five marathon, I'm not getting bored of the series yet.
Buddy read with Sunshine Seaspray.
November 14, 2017
I don't think the Enid Blyton famous five books will ever stop being a firm favourite in our family.
Recommended.
Recommended.
January 5, 2013
Reviewed at: The Library of Lights
So, I’ve been making quite a long revisit to my childhood years and started to read Enid Blyton’s works again. ‘Five Run Away Together’ was an absolute favourite from my childhood years. I lost count how many times I’ve read this particular book, and re-reading it as an adult still does not bores me. ‘Five Run Away Together’ by Enid Blyton is an absolute escapism. Every kid, and kid at heart, should read this book. There is nothing not to like about this book. There’s plenty of heartwarming scenes in this book that I like. Plenty of moral for you to reflect on too. The language used? Definitely proper, and something all parents would approve of. This masterpiece was nothing like our modern YA books that’s filled with ridiculous vulgarities and whatnot.
Love this book a lot, and would still rate it a 5 star. You folks should recommend this to your kids too, if you have any. If you don’t, you might wanna pick up a book in the ‘FIVE ISLAND ADVENTURE’ series, and escape to a wonderful world as you read along.
Be forewarned, though. Reading Enid Blyton’s ‘FIVE ISLAND ADVENTURE’ series will whet your appetite. There’s plenty of good food featured every now and then in her books.
So, I’ve been making quite a long revisit to my childhood years and started to read Enid Blyton’s works again. ‘Five Run Away Together’ was an absolute favourite from my childhood years. I lost count how many times I’ve read this particular book, and re-reading it as an adult still does not bores me. ‘Five Run Away Together’ by Enid Blyton is an absolute escapism. Every kid, and kid at heart, should read this book. There is nothing not to like about this book. There’s plenty of heartwarming scenes in this book that I like. Plenty of moral for you to reflect on too. The language used? Definitely proper, and something all parents would approve of. This masterpiece was nothing like our modern YA books that’s filled with ridiculous vulgarities and whatnot.
Love this book a lot, and would still rate it a 5 star. You folks should recommend this to your kids too, if you have any. If you don’t, you might wanna pick up a book in the ‘FIVE ISLAND ADVENTURE’ series, and escape to a wonderful world as you read along.
Be forewarned, though. Reading Enid Blyton’s ‘FIVE ISLAND ADVENTURE’ series will whet your appetite. There’s plenty of good food featured every now and then in her books.
November 6, 2021
Good little story, set in simper times. As always good plot with great characters. A story That can be read over and over again
June 19, 2019
I have fond memories of this story and it was certainly one which I read a lot as a child. I do recall it being an awful lot longer than this, but of course as a child I think 5 minutes of an audiobook when you're sleepy is almost like a year.
This is the story of Kirin Island when the Five go there to escape the wrath of Mrs Stick who is a nasty housekeeper helping out the family whilst aunt Fanny is ill. The Five end up on the island and they find out that there is something going on which involves smuggling, hiding out, and the housekeeper. Lots to discover as always and this one actually has a fairly interesting adventure at the core.
3*s
This is the story of Kirin Island when the Five go there to escape the wrath of Mrs Stick who is a nasty housekeeper helping out the family whilst aunt Fanny is ill. The Five end up on the island and they find out that there is something going on which involves smuggling, hiding out, and the housekeeper. Lots to discover as always and this one actually has a fairly interesting adventure at the core.
3*s
August 1, 2022
I enjoyed this addition to the Famous Five collection. It was a bit grittier in parts than some of the others but still worked well.
June 16, 2022
Two stars less for this one - due mainly to the appalling class snobbery displayed throughout the Famous Five’s third adventure.
A perfectly good plot is severely marred by the children’s increasingly gross lack of manners and respect to the novel’s villains, the Stick family - a grotesque (mis)portrayal of the uncouth and clearly undesirable lower orders.
On the plus side (there is one), bottles of ginger beer make their first appearance (although I’m still waiting for the quantities involved to be described as ‘lashings’)! Hopefully there’ll be more of the latter and less lording it over the servants in future adventures. And the variety and amount of food described and consumed is pretty remarkable too.
A perfectly good plot is severely marred by the children’s increasingly gross lack of manners and respect to the novel’s villains, the Stick family - a grotesque (mis)portrayal of the uncouth and clearly undesirable lower orders.
On the plus side (there is one), bottles of ginger beer make their first appearance (although I’m still waiting for the quantities involved to be described as ‘lashings’)! Hopefully there’ll be more of the latter and less lording it over the servants in future adventures. And the variety and amount of food described and consumed is pretty remarkable too.
August 5, 2020
trigger warning
This has not aged well at all.
I knew that in the years since I've last read a Famous Five novel, my view upon Anne has changed, but I was surprised at just how patronising everyone is to her, from the characters down to the author who calls her doing household chores "playing" instead of the tasks that are simply necessary but may appear boring.
The five bully a boy they don't like without any shame. The good guys are not really better than the bad guys in this, apart from the actual law-breaking, that is.
Am really glad I just bought one novel instead of splurging on a boxed set.
This has not aged well at all.
I knew that in the years since I've last read a Famous Five novel, my view upon Anne has changed, but I was surprised at just how patronising everyone is to her, from the characters down to the author who calls her doing household chores "playing" instead of the tasks that are simply necessary but may appear boring.
The five bully a boy they don't like without any shame. The good guys are not really better than the bad guys in this, apart from the actual law-breaking, that is.
Am really glad I just bought one novel instead of splurging on a boxed set.
January 19, 2019
Eine tolle Folge mit der fiesen Familie Stock. Was mich aber sehr überraschte, [06.10.2018]
July 9, 2019
Progutali smo i treći deo. I napadamo četvrti 😊
July 30, 2015
THIS IS PRETTY MUCH ALL THAT I CAN THINK ABOUT!
They got a loaf of new bread, some cold ham, a few tomatoes and a pot of jam. Anne found knives and forks and plates. Julian opened two bottles of ginger-beer.
They had a fine breakfast of tongue, tinned peaches, bread and butter, golden syrup and ginger-beer.
Anne had opened a tin of salmon, two tins of peaches, a tin of milk, cut some bread and butter, and made a big jug of cocoa.
❤
They got a loaf of new bread, some cold ham, a few tomatoes and a pot of jam. Anne found knives and forks and plates. Julian opened two bottles of ginger-beer.
They had a fine breakfast of tongue, tinned peaches, bread and butter, golden syrup and ginger-beer.
Anne had opened a tin of salmon, two tins of peaches, a tin of milk, cut some bread and butter, and made a big jug of cocoa.
❤
July 29, 2021
The Famous Five's third adventure sees the gang return to Kirrin Island in a ploy to escape the tyranny of the Stick family, who are watching the children while Aunt Fanny is ill in hospital. But with the threat of smugglers, this outing is quite dark for Blyton - and I Loved it! Kidnapping and screams in the night don't deter them however, and trickery, rebellion, and camaraderie all take centre stage.
An exciting, thrilling adventure!
An exciting, thrilling adventure!
Read
December 21, 2016Old favourite. Adventure, plenty of food, and a dash of mystery—what better way to relax than with an EB. I’d plain forgotten quite HOW horrid those Sticks were. Not everything is entirely PC but all good fun!
August 6, 2021
Third in the Famous Five series. When the children arrive at Kirrin Cottage for the holidays they find Aunt Fanny poorly and the kitchen handed over to the awful Mrs Stick. Along with her equally awful husband, son and dog, they are hellbent on making life as unpleasant as possible for the five.
When Aunt Fanny goes off to convalesce, taking Uncle Quentin with her, the five decide to secretly go off and camp on Kirrin Island, to get as far away from The Sticks as possible. But when they arrive on the island strange things start to happen; there are flashes and noises at night, and they find an odd trunk on the old wreck. Who is responsible? Are there smugglers about? It’s up to the Five to find out!
Another brilliant book by Enid Blyton, which has stood the test of time. I’m loving rereading these with my 10 year old daughter - who is enjoying them as much as I did decades ago.
When Aunt Fanny goes off to convalesce, taking Uncle Quentin with her, the five decide to secretly go off and camp on Kirrin Island, to get as far away from The Sticks as possible. But when they arrive on the island strange things start to happen; there are flashes and noises at night, and they find an odd trunk on the old wreck. Who is responsible? Are there smugglers about? It’s up to the Five to find out!
Another brilliant book by Enid Blyton, which has stood the test of time. I’m loving rereading these with my 10 year old daughter - who is enjoying them as much as I did decades ago.
July 17, 2022
Another fab adventure for the Famous Five! I’m loving this series so much!
November 23, 2008
As with all Famous Five books, this is of the same trusted and successful formula.
I loved these books as a child and I am delighted that my girls loved them as children too.
The stories are adventures of a byegone age, yet still hold the attention of children, around the world...... they have stood the test of time well - and for a great reason.
The stories are plausible, fun, adventurous and contain an excellent mix of young characters... with a little bit of everyone in each of them - something that children have obviously known for decades.
I loved these books as a child and I am delighted that my girls loved them as children too.
The stories are adventures of a byegone age, yet still hold the attention of children, around the world...... they have stood the test of time well - and for a great reason.
The stories are plausible, fun, adventurous and contain an excellent mix of young characters... with a little bit of everyone in each of them - something that children have obviously known for decades.
February 12, 2016
Investigation series everyone should read
January 25, 2020
An all time favourite!
March 9, 2020
My favourite in this series will always be Timmy!
April 28, 2015
An adventure involving custom duties
24 August 2012
I will have to say that I quite enjoyed this book, especially with the nice little twist at the end. Okay, when I was a pre-teen I pretty much read all of the Famous Five books (I have to watch out because I almost wrote that in German) and loved them. In fact I couldn't get enough of them and even jumped over to the Secret Seven when there were no more Famous Five books to read. However it just did not seem to be the same. Later on, there are comments that the five are caught in an endless time warp of school holidays and pre-pubescent teenagerhood, however at this stage it is not the case. I do wonder if I were to try to experiment in the same way whether I would have my 'Famous Five' grow up, in the same way that Harry Potter grows up. Personally, I could not allow my characters over a series of books to remain trapped in a form of endless youth, but then we will see if I ever get to that point.
The first thing that struck me about this book was how silly the adult Kirrins seem to be. This is the third novel and it is the second time that they have hired some rather less than trustworthy individuals. Okay, the tutor in book 2 was actually quite charming, and had everybody except George and Tim eating out of his hand. However, I suspect Blyton was right when she created Timothy as a dog who is able to sniff out rather suspicious individuals. Personally, with my experience with dogs, I have not actually encountered any that would instinctively point out a bad guy; they normally they react to strangers the same way their masters behave, or else distrust anybody they do not know.
As for the Sticks, one wonders why Uncle Quentin even consider such suspicious individuals. Mrs Stick, right from the beginning, seemed outright suspicious. From when you first meet her, and her family, you do not like her. Further, her behaviour and treatment of the five would be tantamount to child abuse today. However, this was written in the early 1940s (during the war, surprise, surprise, though there is hardly any mention of it, but then I guess it is because this book is meant to be timeless, or at least as timeless as the period in which it was written allows). These days one simply cannot hire anybody off the street to look after children, and if one does so without performing the proper checks, then one could also get oneself in trouble. These days the law protects children much more than it did back in the 1940s. While some may argue that we may be going just a little overboard, I will suggest that this recognition of the vulnerability of children is a sign of us becoming mature.
It is also interesting that despite George and Tim uncovering the tutor's plot to steal Uncle Quentin's research in the last adventure, Uncle Quentin still does not learn to trust George and Tim's judgement. This, to me, shows a lack of wisdom on Uncle Quentin's part. Personally, I do sympathise with George because, even though I do love my Dad, I must admit that I experienced that from him when I was younger as well. However, I will not be using this forum to criticise my own father, simply because, like the rest of us, he is human, and I must admit that my actions in the past probably leant to his distrust of him. However, to have a wretched individual make accusations against you, and then you not being allowed to defend yourself is not a nice position to be in, especially when your superior seems to use any excuse that comes about to criticise and condemn your actions.
There was one interesting review I read of this book, and that was when a seven year old girl asked her father about a custom duty. It is interesting that Blyton uses this concept in this story. It is apparently about Smugglers, and in a way these days many custom duties have been removed. Another term would be tariffs. It is suggested that this seven year old girl is not alone in not understanding the concept of custom duties because I suspect that 90% of the population does not understand custom duties, and the 10% who do are probably benefiting financially from them. However, these days many places have removed them (usually through gunboat diplomacy) but they are a measure to protect a country's manufacturing base. Developed countries love to jack up tariffs so that poorer countries don't have an unfair advantage in being able to produce cheaper goods, however my argument is that they tend to hurt the consuming public more. If I buy an Asterix book in Australia (one of the Compendiums) I will be paying $35.00 for them, however over the internet I can get it, postage included, at half price. Once again, like the little girl, it is completely baffling to me as to why there us such a remarkable difference in price. Oh well, I guess I will have to wait if I want to pay a discount, though I must admit, is not really a bad thing.
Hmm, it looks as if I have not actually had much to say about this book. I guess that is also a good thing because I have not actually spoilt the adventure. I guess the other thing though is that I am not surprised that Blyton did not use guns or drugs as a reason behind the smuggler's operations since this is a children's book (though there was another Bylton book that I read that did involve gun smuggler's).
24 August 2012
I will have to say that I quite enjoyed this book, especially with the nice little twist at the end. Okay, when I was a pre-teen I pretty much read all of the Famous Five books (I have to watch out because I almost wrote that in German) and loved them. In fact I couldn't get enough of them and even jumped over to the Secret Seven when there were no more Famous Five books to read. However it just did not seem to be the same. Later on, there are comments that the five are caught in an endless time warp of school holidays and pre-pubescent teenagerhood, however at this stage it is not the case. I do wonder if I were to try to experiment in the same way whether I would have my 'Famous Five' grow up, in the same way that Harry Potter grows up. Personally, I could not allow my characters over a series of books to remain trapped in a form of endless youth, but then we will see if I ever get to that point.
The first thing that struck me about this book was how silly the adult Kirrins seem to be. This is the third novel and it is the second time that they have hired some rather less than trustworthy individuals. Okay, the tutor in book 2 was actually quite charming, and had everybody except George and Tim eating out of his hand. However, I suspect Blyton was right when she created Timothy as a dog who is able to sniff out rather suspicious individuals. Personally, with my experience with dogs, I have not actually encountered any that would instinctively point out a bad guy; they normally they react to strangers the same way their masters behave, or else distrust anybody they do not know.
As for the Sticks, one wonders why Uncle Quentin even consider such suspicious individuals. Mrs Stick, right from the beginning, seemed outright suspicious. From when you first meet her, and her family, you do not like her. Further, her behaviour and treatment of the five would be tantamount to child abuse today. However, this was written in the early 1940s (during the war, surprise, surprise, though there is hardly any mention of it, but then I guess it is because this book is meant to be timeless, or at least as timeless as the period in which it was written allows). These days one simply cannot hire anybody off the street to look after children, and if one does so without performing the proper checks, then one could also get oneself in trouble. These days the law protects children much more than it did back in the 1940s. While some may argue that we may be going just a little overboard, I will suggest that this recognition of the vulnerability of children is a sign of us becoming mature.
It is also interesting that despite George and Tim uncovering the tutor's plot to steal Uncle Quentin's research in the last adventure, Uncle Quentin still does not learn to trust George and Tim's judgement. This, to me, shows a lack of wisdom on Uncle Quentin's part. Personally, I do sympathise with George because, even though I do love my Dad, I must admit that I experienced that from him when I was younger as well. However, I will not be using this forum to criticise my own father, simply because, like the rest of us, he is human, and I must admit that my actions in the past probably leant to his distrust of him. However, to have a wretched individual make accusations against you, and then you not being allowed to defend yourself is not a nice position to be in, especially when your superior seems to use any excuse that comes about to criticise and condemn your actions.
There was one interesting review I read of this book, and that was when a seven year old girl asked her father about a custom duty. It is interesting that Blyton uses this concept in this story. It is apparently about Smugglers, and in a way these days many custom duties have been removed. Another term would be tariffs. It is suggested that this seven year old girl is not alone in not understanding the concept of custom duties because I suspect that 90% of the population does not understand custom duties, and the 10% who do are probably benefiting financially from them. However, these days many places have removed them (usually through gunboat diplomacy) but they are a measure to protect a country's manufacturing base. Developed countries love to jack up tariffs so that poorer countries don't have an unfair advantage in being able to produce cheaper goods, however my argument is that they tend to hurt the consuming public more. If I buy an Asterix book in Australia (one of the Compendiums) I will be paying $35.00 for them, however over the internet I can get it, postage included, at half price. Once again, like the little girl, it is completely baffling to me as to why there us such a remarkable difference in price. Oh well, I guess I will have to wait if I want to pay a discount, though I must admit, is not really a bad thing.
Hmm, it looks as if I have not actually had much to say about this book. I guess that is also a good thing because I have not actually spoilt the adventure. I guess the other thing though is that I am not surprised that Blyton did not use guns or drugs as a reason behind the smuggler's operations since this is a children's book (though there was another Bylton book that I read that did involve gun smuggler's).
September 25, 2018
It's interesting how characters and storylines come rushing back when one rereads a favourite book. The Sticks were extremely annoying, no doubt. This is one of my favourite books in the series because though the villains are obvious, the crime isn't. And in the end, the Sticks do get what they deserve. Loved the book.
March 1, 2022
George’s father continues to be The Worst and this time he wasn’t even present for most of the book.
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