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.