Five Fall Apart Together

by Patrick Ussher

It is the mid 1950ʼs. Anne, her ferocious husband away in the navy, can think only of one thing; sulky George (alias Georgina), now a don at Girton, is still confused; honourable, responsible Julian serving as an army officer in Cyprus blunders irresponsibly into dishonour; and Dick, the same self-assured Dick, is a rising barrister... good of him to turn up really. Timmy the dog is, of course, sadly dead. But thereʼs a successor, replete with ghastly, dogly qualities. Yes, itʼs the Famous Five 18 years on. Blyton herself is there she has a temporary writerʼs block, though. And, yes, the Five do become “all alone together at last” , yes, at Kirrin, and they do have an adventure. There is lots more - why is Aunt Fanny so odd? Where is Uncle Quentin? How did Blyton get her plots? Find out this and lots more by reading the book which is Five Fall Apart Together, a humorous, historical novel certainly not for children (nor, as the novelʼs humourous critique of the race and class attitudes of the time proves, for the politically correct). The story is emphatically not written in Blytonʼs style, very far from it, though the “adventure” the Five eventually have in Five Fall Apart Together is an ironic extrapolation on the “adventures” she inventedfor them as children.

215 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 27, 2011

Reviews

[K.L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disturbing, especially for a fan of the original Famous Five. Snarkily enjoyable though

[Tweedledum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well did you ever wonder what happened to the famous five AFTER they grew up? Patrick Ussher has been exercising his mind over this question and has written a gloriously irreverent romp in which the five, fed up with having had their childhood manipulated and plagiarised by "that Blyton Woman" finally get the upper hand, but not until they have almost drowned, been trapped in a secret passage and come up against some very nasty characters of course. In the midst of the chaos uncle Quentin and aunt Fanny manage to find suitably eccentric ways of escaping their stereotypes as well to the general satisfaction of all. I read the famous five for sheer escapism and fun. Patrick Ussher's tribute story successfully matches this . Warning! This is NOT one for the children!

[Felicity Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having grown up with the Famous 5, and found some secret tunnels and temptingly close islands they would have enjoyed, it was really fun to meet them again in adult life. Ussher's characters are "spot on". Is there an interactive version so readers can "meet the team" and head off for adventure?

[K.L. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure what I felt about this! Not very well written, but interesting future for the Famous Five!!