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The Famous Five #21
Five Are Together Again
The Famous Five are having great fun camping out near the home of a famous scientist. But they might have known there'd be a mystery to solve. When the scientist's important research papers go missing, he needs the gang's help to get them back! But how can the Five work out who took them? And why?
These classic editions feature Enid Blyton's unchanged text and Eileen A. Soper's original illustrations.
195 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 20, 2014
95 people are currently reading
2103 people want to read
About the author
Enid Blyton
5,146 books6,273 followersSee also:
Ένιντ Μπλάιτον (Greek)
Enida Blaitona (Latvian)
Энид Блайтон (Russian)
Inid Blajton (Serbian)
Інід 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)
Інід 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 165 reviews
August 11, 2020
This is how the book ends :-
‘What an exciting time we’ve had! I really did enjoy every minute of it!’
So did we, George. Hurry up and fall into another adventure. We are longing to hear what you and the others will be up to next. How we wish we could join you! Good-bye for now - and take care of yourselves, Five. Good luck!
Enid Blyton didn't know that this book was to be her last Famous Five book. It's a sobering thought. The book came out in 1964, and Enid Blyton would live a further 4 more years. Unlike Dame Agatha Christie, Blyton retained most of her faculties when she neared death.
I remember a 'Find Outers' Mystery book that was made of pretty poor plotting, but the last Famous Five book suffered no such limitations. There is not one Enid Blyton book that I gave a 1 star rating to, and that makes her my most reliable author. I don't know what that means for me, but there you go.
PS - I know that there are Famous Five books that are ghostwritten but they don't count, since they are a horrible fake version of the real thing.
‘What an exciting time we’ve had! I really did enjoy every minute of it!’
So did we, George. Hurry up and fall into another adventure. We are longing to hear what you and the others will be up to next. How we wish we could join you! Good-bye for now - and take care of yourselves, Five. Good luck!
Enid Blyton didn't know that this book was to be her last Famous Five book. It's a sobering thought. The book came out in 1964, and Enid Blyton would live a further 4 more years. Unlike Dame Agatha Christie, Blyton retained most of her faculties when she neared death.
I remember a 'Find Outers' Mystery book that was made of pretty poor plotting, but the last Famous Five book suffered no such limitations. There is not one Enid Blyton book that I gave a 1 star rating to, and that makes her my most reliable author. I don't know what that means for me, but there you go.
PS - I know that there are Famous Five books that are ghostwritten but they don't count, since they are a horrible fake version of the real thing.
June 11, 2023
This is the last Famous Five book! Published in the 1960s just a few years before I was born and five years before the final page was turned on Enid Blyton herself.
After 20 books, with countless summer holidays spent adventuring, the four kids are still decidedly young, and Timmy is in the prime of doglife.
It's not a great book. Let's get that out there. Enid hits the old notes: The children are driven out of Kirrin cottage by illness ... again - it's the renamed cook, she has scarlet fever. We wheel in an absent minded professor and a spare boy again ... who like a previous spare boy owns a monkey... (this time it's Tinker and his father, as seen in a much earlier book (Demon's Rock) where Tinker owns a lighthouse). We have a travelling circus again, a chimpanzee again, a suspicious foreigner again - Chinese this time, for a bit of variety. The theft of scientific work is the crime ... again. But how did theape thief climb the unclimbable tower to get the top secret mumbo jumbo?
Not the best F5 book by a long margin, but not quite the silliest either.
And it ends with the author looking forward to more adventures. So, it's a nice goodbye to a series that has given an enormous number of young kids, me and my daughter included, many days of happy reading.
++++++++++
Consistency note: possibly one of Blyton's many consistency fails? Book 1 ends with talk of George going to Anne's boarding school (her first time at school) where they take dogs. Later books talk about Timmy at school with George. Book 21 opens with George & cousins returning to Kirin after a school term and talk of how much she has missed Timmy and how he always waits for her to come back from school.
...or have they grown up and gone to different schools?
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After 20 books, with countless summer holidays spent adventuring, the four kids are still decidedly young, and Timmy is in the prime of doglife.
It's not a great book. Let's get that out there. Enid hits the old notes: The children are driven out of Kirrin cottage by illness ... again - it's the renamed cook, she has scarlet fever. We wheel in an absent minded professor and a spare boy again ... who like a previous spare boy owns a monkey... (this time it's Tinker and his father, as seen in a much earlier book (Demon's Rock) where Tinker owns a lighthouse). We have a travelling circus again, a chimpanzee again, a suspicious foreigner again - Chinese this time, for a bit of variety. The theft of scientific work is the crime ... again. But how did the
Not the best F5 book by a long margin, but not quite the silliest either.
And it ends with the author looking forward to more adventures. So, it's a nice goodbye to a series that has given an enormous number of young kids, me and my daughter included, many days of happy reading.
++++++++++
Consistency note: possibly one of Blyton's many consistency fails? Book 1 ends with talk of George going to Anne's boarding school (her first time at school) where they take dogs. Later books talk about Timmy at school with George. Book 21 opens with George & cousins returning to Kirin after a school term and talk of how much she has missed Timmy and how he always waits for her to come back from school.
...or have they grown up and gone to different schools?
Join my Patreon
Join my 3-emails-a-year newsletter #prizes
..
November 29, 2024
Well, it's been a long road (getting from there to here) but here we are at the end of the final Famous Five novel! I mean, sure, there's a short story collection and F5 books written by other authors but they don't really count...
This being the case, I wish I could say the Five go out on a high but... nope. Enid's basically mooshed the plots from two previous books in the series together in what is a somewhat half-arsed attempt at a new story. The ending's a bit weird, too, with George and Timmy doing something to the bad guys that could easily have killed them. I mean, I'm not against the baddies getting iced in other types of books but it doesn't feel quite right in the Famous Five.
To be honest, this probably doesn't deserve three stars but I couldn't bring myself to say farewell to this series with a two star rating after all the fun it's given us over the last year or so...
This being the case, I wish I could say the Five go out on a high but... nope. Enid's basically mooshed the plots from two previous books in the series together in what is a somewhat half-arsed attempt at a new story. The ending's a bit weird, too, with George and Timmy doing something to the bad guys that could easily have killed them. I mean, I'm not against the baddies getting iced in other types of books but it doesn't feel quite right in the Famous Five.
To be honest, this probably doesn't deserve three stars but I couldn't bring myself to say farewell to this series with a two star rating after all the fun it's given us over the last year or so...
August 2, 2022
This is the last in the series and it was definitely time for it. The 'mystery' was nothing at all really and was over and done with in a few pages. There isn't much excitement in it either. The dynamics of the Five seemed to change in this one. Julian was especially bossy and obnoxious and there was a touch of it in Dick this time as well. George was very unlike herself, being very tame and not scowling much at all. I missed the plots of the earlier novels. I was looking forward to part of it happening on Kirren Island again but was sadly disappointed in the part the island had to play.
For a last novel in a beloved series she could have done it more justice. I think she must have been fed up of the Five by then and just pumped out a story to finish them off.
Having said all that, I still have happy memories of the books and they took me back to when I was very young with no cares in life. Glad I re read them.
For a last novel in a beloved series she could have done it more justice. I think she must have been fed up of the Five by then and just pumped out a story to finish them off.
Having said all that, I still have happy memories of the books and they took me back to when I was very young with no cares in life. Glad I re read them.
January 9, 2016
The Last Famous Five Adventure
9 January 2016
Well, here I am sitting in a car driving back to Melbourne (actually, to be precise I am in the passenger seat – my Dad is driving – even though the car has cruise control doesn't mean that I can write a book review and drive at the same time). Anyway, this is the last of the Famous Five books, and the last of the Enid Blyton books that I have slated to read (and no, the Naughtiest School Girl won't be one of those books I end up reading in the future, though knowing my luck I'll probably end up eating my words sometime in the future as I end up writing a review of it down the track).
So, the Five come together for one last adventure (though there is a suggestion at the end of the book that it might not be their last adventure, however we do know that after this one Enid Blyton didn't write any more), and they once again return to Kirin Cottage, which also means a return to Kirin Island. However there is a problem – George's house keeper has come down with scarlet fever, which means the house is under quarantine, so they have to go and stay somewhere else, namely at Tinker's house (the kid that loves going around pretending he is a motor car). Of course they stumble onto an adventure (halfway through the book), and end up solving it (I should have said spoiler alert however I think we all know what to expect from a mystery book).
What I did think about as I was reading this book was what happened to the Famous Five after this. Well since this is the last of their adventures I was contemplating that this was going to be the last time they all got together. First of all Timmy is a dog which means that he is probably getting old and would have to be put down sooner of later (much to George's horror), so my theory is that this is what happens between now and the next set of holidays. Julian, being the oldest, graduates from school and heads off to college (we'll say Oxford for arguments sake) where he graduates with a law degree and then ends up working at Scotland Yard.
As for Dick, well he ends up getting a scholarship at an American Ivy League university where he studies science and becomes a forensic scientist (for the FBI obviously). George ends up following him over, however she takes a different path and ends up getting involved in the social revolution and the sexual liberation movement (due to her desire to be a boy). She doesn't necessarily go off the rails though, as she ends up graduating and becoming a vet. As for Anne, and I know this is going to sound a little sexist, but when we consider the context of the stories this isn't surprising – she marries and becomes a housewife.
I did note that they have a new generation of the Famous Five running around with modern gadgets such as laptops, however I would have to say that they would be more like the grandchildren of the original Famous Five as opposed to their children (the children of the Famous Five would have been children of the 80s). It is also interesting how the new lot seemed to have some specialist skill sets where as the original characters didn't seem to have any specific skill sets. Anyway, that is enough of my theorising and it is probably time now to go and do something else (like have a bit of a snooze).
9 January 2016
Well, here I am sitting in a car driving back to Melbourne (actually, to be precise I am in the passenger seat – my Dad is driving – even though the car has cruise control doesn't mean that I can write a book review and drive at the same time). Anyway, this is the last of the Famous Five books, and the last of the Enid Blyton books that I have slated to read (and no, the Naughtiest School Girl won't be one of those books I end up reading in the future, though knowing my luck I'll probably end up eating my words sometime in the future as I end up writing a review of it down the track).
So, the Five come together for one last adventure (though there is a suggestion at the end of the book that it might not be their last adventure, however we do know that after this one Enid Blyton didn't write any more), and they once again return to Kirin Cottage, which also means a return to Kirin Island. However there is a problem – George's house keeper has come down with scarlet fever, which means the house is under quarantine, so they have to go and stay somewhere else, namely at Tinker's house (the kid that loves going around pretending he is a motor car). Of course they stumble onto an adventure (halfway through the book), and end up solving it (I should have said spoiler alert however I think we all know what to expect from a mystery book).
What I did think about as I was reading this book was what happened to the Famous Five after this. Well since this is the last of their adventures I was contemplating that this was going to be the last time they all got together. First of all Timmy is a dog which means that he is probably getting old and would have to be put down sooner of later (much to George's horror), so my theory is that this is what happens between now and the next set of holidays. Julian, being the oldest, graduates from school and heads off to college (we'll say Oxford for arguments sake) where he graduates with a law degree and then ends up working at Scotland Yard.
As for Dick, well he ends up getting a scholarship at an American Ivy League university where he studies science and becomes a forensic scientist (for the FBI obviously). George ends up following him over, however she takes a different path and ends up getting involved in the social revolution and the sexual liberation movement (due to her desire to be a boy). She doesn't necessarily go off the rails though, as she ends up graduating and becoming a vet. As for Anne, and I know this is going to sound a little sexist, but when we consider the context of the stories this isn't surprising – she marries and becomes a housewife.
I did note that they have a new generation of the Famous Five running around with modern gadgets such as laptops, however I would have to say that they would be more like the grandchildren of the original Famous Five as opposed to their children (the children of the Famous Five would have been children of the 80s). It is also interesting how the new lot seemed to have some specialist skill sets where as the original characters didn't seem to have any specific skill sets. Anyway, that is enough of my theorising and it is probably time now to go and do something else (like have a bit of a snooze).
November 19, 2011
The final book in the exciting Famous Five series sees a return of two of the characters from "Five go to Demon's rocks"- that is, Tinker and Mischief the monkey! Looking forward to a nice holiday at Kirrin, the Four children arrive there only to be told Joan, the cook, is ill with Scarlet Fever and the house is under quarantine. Now, here was a bit of confusion- the kids are returning from school, but Timmy didn't go to school with George like he usually does? We're told over and over in the books that George wouldn't go to a school that didn't allow pets, and indeed see him at school with her in a few books, but all of a sudden that's changed and it's a little confusing.
Now, where are the Five to go? well, Professor Hayling invites them to his house, and promptly forgets he issued the invite! Good thing his cook Jenny and Tinker remember, and the Five are camping in a field with circus folk nearby, coming to the house only for meals. They befriend the circus folk, especially Charlie the chimp. While they're there, some of Professor Hayling's precious scientific papers are stolen, and it's up to the Five to make sure the thieves don't get the rest.
I like this book, but I wish that we had ended the series on Kirrin, even if I prefer when the five are away from there. It would have been nice to see them start and finish their true adventures (I don't count any book written by anyone else about the five as their "true" adventures) on the Island, although that was where George showed her spunky character one last time with the Magician Wooh there anyway. It would have been nice to see all the five there.
Still, I'll end with a note about this series. It really is an excellent series, and I know it's been labelled all kinds of things over the years, such as racist, sexist etc, and I've read one view that says the whole series is repressed sexual energy on the part of the author (there are towers, and tunnels, somehow that's sexual?) But it really is just four children and their dog having adventures, upholding justice and eating great food. Don't analyze it, just love it. Just read it, and you'll do fine.
Now, where are the Five to go? well, Professor Hayling invites them to his house, and promptly forgets he issued the invite! Good thing his cook Jenny and Tinker remember, and the Five are camping in a field with circus folk nearby, coming to the house only for meals. They befriend the circus folk, especially Charlie the chimp. While they're there, some of Professor Hayling's precious scientific papers are stolen, and it's up to the Five to make sure the thieves don't get the rest.
I like this book, but I wish that we had ended the series on Kirrin, even if I prefer when the five are away from there. It would have been nice to see them start and finish their true adventures (I don't count any book written by anyone else about the five as their "true" adventures) on the Island, although that was where George showed her spunky character one last time with the Magician Wooh there anyway. It would have been nice to see all the five there.
Still, I'll end with a note about this series. It really is an excellent series, and I know it's been labelled all kinds of things over the years, such as racist, sexist etc, and I've read one view that says the whole series is repressed sexual energy on the part of the author (there are towers, and tunnels, somehow that's sexual?) But it really is just four children and their dog having adventures, upholding justice and eating great food. Don't analyze it, just love it. Just read it, and you'll do fine.
November 27, 2012
I read all of the Famous Five books, and the Secret Seven books, AND some of Blyton's other childrens' adventure stories, when I was a child. Indeed, it is probably this author, more than any other, who instilled in me the love of reading that I have today. Of course they seem terribly dated these days, embodying values that belong to a generation that is passing away, and no doubt some people would say "good riddance!" but they are a reminder that not everything our parents and grandparents held dear was bad and, in many ways, they expose the folly of our own generation, so intent on breaking free of the past that we have failed to notice the lack of anything really sustainable with which to replace it.
May 29, 2025
จบแล้วกับเล่มสุดท้ายของห้าสหาย ความรู้สึกเหมือนมันไม่ได้เขียนทิ้งทวนอะไรนะ แค่ไม่มีต่อเฉย ๆ เรื่องราวก็เหมือนเล่มก่อนหน้านี้ทั่ว ๆ ไป ที่ออกไปผจญภัยกัน โดยที่เล่มนี้ใช้ตัวละครเดิมจากเล่มที่ 20 แต่เล่มก่อนก็ดี ๆ อยู่ พอมาเล่มนี้จอร์จทำตัวป่วนเฉย อ้าว! เหมือนกลายเป็นเด็กเบียว ๆ ดื้อ ๆ ไม่สนใจใครเหมือนเล่มต้น ๆ เฉย ช่างน่ารำคาญอ่ะ !
March 31, 2022
Good job this is the last one, the books in the series were getting weaker and this is definitely worse. I was disappointed that she brought back Tinker - not my favourite extra child in need of improvement (I'd have preferred Sooty).
Though I do question why in the previous book that Tinker was in why his father had to come and stay in Kirrin Cottage. when they lived a mere bike ride away. Especially as it was a such an inconvenience to Aunt Fanny and Joanna (now called Joan) to try put them up.
Very little effort in even attempting to try something different in this, and the lack for reference to the other adventure as notable, such as:
- a scientist building a tower; no mention of Quentin doing this on Kirrin Island (which isn't that far away, remember).
- a circus (or fair or travelling entertainers or whoever in a caravan; doesn't seem to matter Ms Blyton does appear to have an obsession with them, If memory serves me well, not just in the Famous Five books either.)
- the donkey skin costume; already done and not only that Julian and Dick were given the last one "Clopper", a horse costume, to keep!
- stolen import scientific papers. (What is it with this? Were there really famous scientist, always at great danger, and apparently building towers for unclear reasons?)
- animals displaying a strong comprehension of English and critical thinking.
It does seem that Ms Blyton checked out of this series several books ago. Though I wonder if these books were written in the early stages of her dementia.
Though I do question why in the previous book that Tinker was in why his father had to come and stay in Kirrin Cottage. when they lived a mere bike ride away. Especially as it was a such an inconvenience to Aunt Fanny and Joanna (now called Joan) to try put them up.
Very little effort in even attempting to try something different in this, and the lack for reference to the other adventure as notable, such as:
- a scientist building a tower; no mention of Quentin doing this on Kirrin Island (which isn't that far away, remember).
- a circus (or fair or travelling entertainers or whoever in a caravan; doesn't seem to matter Ms Blyton does appear to have an obsession with them, If memory serves me well, not just in the Famous Five books either.)
- the donkey skin costume; already done and not only that Julian and Dick were given the last one "Clopper", a horse costume, to keep!
- stolen import scientific papers. (What is it with this? Were there really famous scientist, always at great danger, and apparently building towers for unclear reasons?)
- animals displaying a strong comprehension of English and critical thinking.
It does seem that Ms Blyton checked out of this series several books ago. Though I wonder if these books were written in the early stages of her dementia.
November 25, 2019
Having now finished the series of full novels (we have a collection of short stories still to go), I can see how the quality of the storytelling dropped away. The earlier novels were lively, humerous and so full of plot and with great stories, but the last few have been thinly plotted, and often repetitive.
Some parts of the plots of earlier novels were regurgitated and parts of this one just didn't make sense. Unfortunately it really was rather bad, showing that Enid Blyton had pretty much run out of decent stories for this series.
This one was published only a few years before her death, from dementia, and maybe it was beginning to show in her writing. Rather sad.
Some parts of the plots of earlier novels were regurgitated and parts of this one just didn't make sense. Unfortunately it really was rather bad, showing that Enid Blyton had pretty much run out of decent stories for this series.
This one was published only a few years before her death, from dementia, and maybe it was beginning to show in her writing. Rather sad.
April 3, 2016
These books (Famous five) are hands down one of my favorite books from my childhood. All those adventures and mystery …and those sandwiches they always packed! aww, just the best! I would love to read one of these again. To bring back those memories..memories of first experiences with reading books.
April 19, 2018
I really loved the famous five stories when I was a child and so did my children and Grandchildren.
Storytelling at it's best. Highly recommended.
Storytelling at it's best. Highly recommended.
July 31, 2014
Oh what a wonderful start to reliving my childhood days.
The Famous Five series has always been my cherished books since I was about 6 or 7 I guess. And to be able to read them again and go along with the Five as they solve another mystery was just wonderful :)
This is the last book of the series and I don't think it was the best of the lot but still it was enjoyable. Enjoyed it just as much as I did when reading as a child.. Guess some people never grow up or grow out of their childishness :D :D
The story is really simple, George's cook is down with scarlet fever and her parents are under quarantine. Therefore, the Five can't stay at Kirrin Village, instead have to go and stay with their friend Tinker and his manic monkey Mischief. Tinker's father is another absent minded but brilliant scientist, always working on something really important. When the Five and Tinker decide to camp out on the fields near Tinker's home, they catch up with a traveling circus. Fun and entertainment ensues, only to be marred by a theft of Professor Hayling's papers. The Five investigate and of course are successful in catching the thief!!
Short and sweet, it was a wonderful trip down memory lane. By the way, I still get hungry while reading these books, the food is really tempting, even today!! :P :P
Do take a trip with these Five and believe me your stress will fly out of that window :) :)
The Famous Five series has always been my cherished books since I was about 6 or 7 I guess. And to be able to read them again and go along with the Five as they solve another mystery was just wonderful :)
This is the last book of the series and I don't think it was the best of the lot but still it was enjoyable. Enjoyed it just as much as I did when reading as a child.. Guess some people never grow up or grow out of their childishness :D :D
The story is really simple, George's cook is down with scarlet fever and her parents are under quarantine. Therefore, the Five can't stay at Kirrin Village, instead have to go and stay with their friend Tinker and his manic monkey Mischief. Tinker's father is another absent minded but brilliant scientist, always working on something really important. When the Five and Tinker decide to camp out on the fields near Tinker's home, they catch up with a traveling circus. Fun and entertainment ensues, only to be marred by a theft of Professor Hayling's papers. The Five investigate and of course are successful in catching the thief!!
Short and sweet, it was a wonderful trip down memory lane. By the way, I still get hungry while reading these books, the food is really tempting, even today!! :P :P
Do take a trip with these Five and believe me your stress will fly out of that window :) :)
July 28, 2020
Well, here we are at the end of the series. What a series! I was somewhat disappointed in the plot of this last book but Blyton did not realize this would be her last.
The series as a whole was fairly entertaining. I am sure the independence of the children greatly appeal to young readers. My main criticism of the series is that the scientists seem daffy and aloof. The fathers were harsh; they were “mad” scientists. I am glad the cousins had each other because the parents were mostly absent. I also had to mark out the word “idiot,” used so much in the books. We don’t use that word in my family.
Many of the mysteries were great fun. It was nostalgic to remember that children could freely ride on bicycles, camp, swim and explore. The world for children was much more open in those days. It was the world in which I grew as a child.
I also loved the imagery of Kirrin Island, Kirrin village, the roadside trails, the English countryside, the delicious picnics and the traveling circuses. All these days are long gone by.
The last sentences of this last book reflect the nostalgia felt. “How we wish we could join you! Goodbye for now—and take care of yourselves, Five. Good luck!”
The series as a whole was fairly entertaining. I am sure the independence of the children greatly appeal to young readers. My main criticism of the series is that the scientists seem daffy and aloof. The fathers were harsh; they were “mad” scientists. I am glad the cousins had each other because the parents were mostly absent. I also had to mark out the word “idiot,” used so much in the books. We don’t use that word in my family.
Many of the mysteries were great fun. It was nostalgic to remember that children could freely ride on bicycles, camp, swim and explore. The world for children was much more open in those days. It was the world in which I grew as a child.
I also loved the imagery of Kirrin Island, Kirrin village, the roadside trails, the English countryside, the delicious picnics and the traveling circuses. All these days are long gone by.
The last sentences of this last book reflect the nostalgia felt. “How we wish we could join you! Goodbye for now—and take care of yourselves, Five. Good luck!”
August 18, 2007
The last in the series that was actually written by Blyton. I didn't really enjoy the continuation written by someone else. Well, it was just not the same. I was too familiarized with the "routine" by Enid Blyton.
Probably she charmed me as a kid as J.K. Rowlings does to kids nowadays. Probably with different media coverage and financial success. Well, It just show us how the world has changed.
All in all, reading famous five was part of my idyllic childhood memory. And most probably it was the first experience that got me into books and reading after all.
Probably she charmed me as a kid as J.K. Rowlings does to kids nowadays. Probably with different media coverage and financial success. Well, It just show us how the world has changed.
All in all, reading famous five was part of my idyllic childhood memory. And most probably it was the first experience that got me into books and reading after all.
June 21, 2019
First time I’m rereading The Famous Five series. Some series are as beautiful to read as adults as they were in childhood. This series does fall into that category.
This is the last of the Famous Five books, so it was kind of a bittersweet read. It was nice to see a minor character from a previous novel recurring in this one. And I enjoyed the read, although must say that I liked the Demon's Rocks adventure more than this one. One of my favorite series by Blyton, no doubt.
This is the last of the Famous Five books, so it was kind of a bittersweet read. It was nice to see a minor character from a previous novel recurring in this one. And I enjoyed the read, although must say that I liked the Demon's Rocks adventure more than this one. One of my favorite series by Blyton, no doubt.
November 6, 2024
FANTASTIC WAY TO END THE SERIES! THE WAY THE BOOK ENDED HOWEVER???
PREMISE: Reunited with Tinker, who featured in an earlier adventure: the Famous Five are invited to camp out in a field close to his house (in which Professor Hayling, Tinker's scientist father also lives). When a circus arrives, and sets up camp the Famous Five are contented with the mild excitement of watching the Circus folk's antics, and getting to know them. But then real commotion strikes when a tower in the grounds of Professor Hayling's house is robbed. Can the Five track down the culprit? And what has the mystery got to do with Kirrin Island?
THOUGHTS: Reuniting with Tinker was so much fun! When George's mum says "Do you remember Tinker?" I screamed out "yes!" so happily haha. I also loved that a circus was featured. Takes me back to "Five go off in a caravan". All in all the book was fantastic and almost got 5 stars. But the ending felt left... as in "left out". One minute we're working out who the robber is, the next minute all is well??? Just felt like an unfinished ending with way too many questions. That said, the unfinished-ness is only worth a .5 star deduction.
4.5 Stars!
xoxo.
PREMISE: Reunited with Tinker, who featured in an earlier adventure: the Famous Five are invited to camp out in a field close to his house (in which Professor Hayling, Tinker's scientist father also lives). When a circus arrives, and sets up camp the Famous Five are contented with the mild excitement of watching the Circus folk's antics, and getting to know them. But then real commotion strikes when a tower in the grounds of Professor Hayling's house is robbed. Can the Five track down the culprit? And what has the mystery got to do with Kirrin Island?
THOUGHTS: Reuniting with Tinker was so much fun! When George's mum says "Do you remember Tinker?" I screamed out "yes!" so happily haha. I also loved that a circus was featured. Takes me back to "Five go off in a caravan". All in all the book was fantastic and almost got 5 stars. But the ending felt left... as in "left out". One minute we're working out who the robber is, the next minute all is well??? Just felt like an unfinished ending with way too many questions. That said, the unfinished-ness is only worth a .5 star deduction.
4.5 Stars!
xoxo.
September 12, 2025
3 stars
“That dog’s as good as half a dozen policemen!”
In their final adventure, the Famous Five stay with their friend Tinker and his scientist father, Professor Hayling, after a scarlet fever outbreak quarantines the Kirrin family. While camping near the professor's home, a circus arrives, but the fun turns to mystery when the scientist's top-secret research papers are stolen from a tower on the grounds.
Not the best finale I was hoping for. It was a very good plot with a lot of likeable characters, but for the final book in the series, I thought there’d be a lot more references to their earlier adventures. They did return to Kirrin Island which was a bonus, but they left Anne behind again which was disappointing.
My ranking: #9/21
“That dog’s as good as half a dozen policemen!”
In their final adventure, the Famous Five stay with their friend Tinker and his scientist father, Professor Hayling, after a scarlet fever outbreak quarantines the Kirrin family. While camping near the professor's home, a circus arrives, but the fun turns to mystery when the scientist's top-secret research papers are stolen from a tower on the grounds.
Not the best finale I was hoping for. It was a very good plot with a lot of likeable characters, but for the final book in the series, I thought there’d be a lot more references to their earlier adventures. They did return to Kirrin Island which was a bonus, but they left Anne behind again which was disappointing.
My ranking: #9/21
April 3, 2019
... reading with my 10 year old daughter...
The last one in the series :( Nice story! Both, I and my daughter loved it.
The last one in the series :( Nice story! Both, I and my daughter loved it.
July 3, 2013
Judul : Lima Sekawan vol. 21 (Sirkus Misterius)
Pengarang : Enid Blyton
Alih Bahasa : Agus Setiadi
Penerbit : PT Gramedia Pustaka Utama
Tebal : 192 halaman
Lima Sekawan kembali lagi! Sekarang mereka berkemah di dekat rumah temannya, Utik, yang merupakan anak seorang ilmuwan ternama. Awalnya Utik marah karena ada rombongan sirkus keliling yang ikut berkemah di lapangan miliknya. Tapi setelah ayahnya membacakan dokumen perjanjian mengenai lapangan tersebut, Utik pun akhirnya bersedia berkemah berdekatan dengan mereka.
Awalnya perkemahan itu berjalan menyenangkan. Pemain sirkus itu menampilkan penampilan pra-pertunjukkan kepada Lima Sekawan dan Utik. Saat bertemu MR. Wooh, si Penyihir Ajaib, pun Utik membeberkan rahasia mengenai proyek Ayahnya yang sebenarnya tidak boleh diketahui siapapun. Tanpa Utik sadari, Mr. Wooh sangat tertarik untuk mencuri dokumen rahasia ayahnya dan ingin menjualnya kepada negara. Dan malam itu juga, Mr. Wooh pun beraksi. Sayangnya, Jenny, juru masak Utik, belum tidur dan melihat adanya sekelebat bayangan yang naik ke tembok menara dan menyebabkan Mr. Wooh hanya mendapatkan beberapa lembar kertas dari kamar menara itu.
Lima sekawan tak tinggal diam. Mereka berencana untuk memalsukan dokumen rahasia itu dengan angka yang berbeda dan mengembalikannya ke kamar menara sedangkan dokumen asli akan dibawa ke Pulau Kirrin—pulau milik George. Tapi sayang, aksi itu segera diketahui oleh Mr. Wooh yang kebetulan mampir ke tenda Julian. Lima Sekawan pun akhirnya merubah taktik untuk langsung menyimpan dokumen aslinya di Pulau Kirrin. Awalnya George marah, ia merasa ialah yang pantas untuk melakukan tugas itu karena pulau itu miliknya. Tapi George punya rencana lain. Sebelum tidur, George berpamitan kepada Anne kalau ia hendak berjalan-jalan bersama anjing kesayangannya, Timmy. Tapi George tidak berjalan-jalan melainkan pergi ke Pulau Kirrin bersama Timmy. Di sana Mr. Wooh dan seorang temannya sudah menunggu kedatangannya. Dan dengan segala kecerdikannya, akhirnya mereka pun terjebak di Pulau Kirrin.
Serial ini selalu menarik seperti serial-serial yang sebelumnya. Keseruan, ketegangan, dan kekocakkan menjadi bumbu penyedap yang menarik untuk dibaca. Dan entah bagaimana ceritanya, Lima Sekawan pun pasti bisa mengungkap dan menuntaskan segala keanehan yang ada dengan kecerdikan mereka. Bisa dibilang, buku ini sempurna. Tidak memiliki kesalahan suatu apapaun.
Tokoh yang aku suka adalah George. Perempuan yang bergaya dan bersikap seperti anak laki-laki ini memang kolokan dan suka merajuk, tapi ia mempunyai ketabahan yang luar biasa. Ia berani menghadapi ribuan penjahat sekalipun selama ia bersama Timmy. Ia pun tak gentar terhadap resiko yang menghadangnya. Lain halnya dengan George, Utik sangat nakal. Ia tidak bisa diam, selalu mengganggu pekerjaan ayahnya. Mulutnya pun tak bisa dijaga. Ia selalu membeberkan pekerjaan ayahnya yang sifatnya sangat rahasia, baik secara sengaja ataupun tidak sengaja dengan alasan bahwa ia sangat mengagumi sosok ayahnya. Alhasil, kelakuannya itu pun mengundang resah banyak pihak.
Dari serial ke-21 ini, aku bisa memberinya rating sebanyak 4 dari 5 bintang. Aku akui cerita ini memang menarik dan bagus, tetapi kalau dibandingkan dengan serial yang lainnya, ada yang lebih menarik daripada serial ke-21 ini.
Salam resensator,
Ninda
Pengarang : Enid Blyton
Alih Bahasa : Agus Setiadi
Penerbit : PT Gramedia Pustaka Utama
Tebal : 192 halaman
Lima Sekawan kembali lagi! Sekarang mereka berkemah di dekat rumah temannya, Utik, yang merupakan anak seorang ilmuwan ternama. Awalnya Utik marah karena ada rombongan sirkus keliling yang ikut berkemah di lapangan miliknya. Tapi setelah ayahnya membacakan dokumen perjanjian mengenai lapangan tersebut, Utik pun akhirnya bersedia berkemah berdekatan dengan mereka.
Awalnya perkemahan itu berjalan menyenangkan. Pemain sirkus itu menampilkan penampilan pra-pertunjukkan kepada Lima Sekawan dan Utik. Saat bertemu MR. Wooh, si Penyihir Ajaib, pun Utik membeberkan rahasia mengenai proyek Ayahnya yang sebenarnya tidak boleh diketahui siapapun. Tanpa Utik sadari, Mr. Wooh sangat tertarik untuk mencuri dokumen rahasia ayahnya dan ingin menjualnya kepada negara. Dan malam itu juga, Mr. Wooh pun beraksi. Sayangnya, Jenny, juru masak Utik, belum tidur dan melihat adanya sekelebat bayangan yang naik ke tembok menara dan menyebabkan Mr. Wooh hanya mendapatkan beberapa lembar kertas dari kamar menara itu.
Lima sekawan tak tinggal diam. Mereka berencana untuk memalsukan dokumen rahasia itu dengan angka yang berbeda dan mengembalikannya ke kamar menara sedangkan dokumen asli akan dibawa ke Pulau Kirrin—pulau milik George. Tapi sayang, aksi itu segera diketahui oleh Mr. Wooh yang kebetulan mampir ke tenda Julian. Lima Sekawan pun akhirnya merubah taktik untuk langsung menyimpan dokumen aslinya di Pulau Kirrin. Awalnya George marah, ia merasa ialah yang pantas untuk melakukan tugas itu karena pulau itu miliknya. Tapi George punya rencana lain. Sebelum tidur, George berpamitan kepada Anne kalau ia hendak berjalan-jalan bersama anjing kesayangannya, Timmy. Tapi George tidak berjalan-jalan melainkan pergi ke Pulau Kirrin bersama Timmy. Di sana Mr. Wooh dan seorang temannya sudah menunggu kedatangannya. Dan dengan segala kecerdikannya, akhirnya mereka pun terjebak di Pulau Kirrin.
Serial ini selalu menarik seperti serial-serial yang sebelumnya. Keseruan, ketegangan, dan kekocakkan menjadi bumbu penyedap yang menarik untuk dibaca. Dan entah bagaimana ceritanya, Lima Sekawan pun pasti bisa mengungkap dan menuntaskan segala keanehan yang ada dengan kecerdikan mereka. Bisa dibilang, buku ini sempurna. Tidak memiliki kesalahan suatu apapaun.
Tokoh yang aku suka adalah George. Perempuan yang bergaya dan bersikap seperti anak laki-laki ini memang kolokan dan suka merajuk, tapi ia mempunyai ketabahan yang luar biasa. Ia berani menghadapi ribuan penjahat sekalipun selama ia bersama Timmy. Ia pun tak gentar terhadap resiko yang menghadangnya. Lain halnya dengan George, Utik sangat nakal. Ia tidak bisa diam, selalu mengganggu pekerjaan ayahnya. Mulutnya pun tak bisa dijaga. Ia selalu membeberkan pekerjaan ayahnya yang sifatnya sangat rahasia, baik secara sengaja ataupun tidak sengaja dengan alasan bahwa ia sangat mengagumi sosok ayahnya. Alhasil, kelakuannya itu pun mengundang resah banyak pihak.
Dari serial ke-21 ini, aku bisa memberinya rating sebanyak 4 dari 5 bintang. Aku akui cerita ini memang menarik dan bagus, tetapi kalau dibandingkan dengan serial yang lainnya, ada yang lebih menarik daripada serial ke-21 ini.
Salam resensator,
Ninda
May 8, 2025
(Of this series, I've read and reviewed Five on a Treasure Island, Five Go Adventuring Again, Five Run Away Together, Five Go to Smuggler's Top, Five Go Off in a Caravan, Five on Kirrin Island Again, Five Go Off to Camp, Five Get Into Trouble, Five Fall Into Adventure, Five Have a Wonderful Time, Five Go Down to the Sea, Five on a Hike Together, Five Go to Mystery Moor, Five on a Secret Trail, Five Have Plenty of Fun, Five Go to Billycock Hill, Five on Finniston Farm, Five Go to Demon's Rocks, Five Get into a Fix and Five Have a Mystery to Solve)
Finally, we're here - the last of the Famous Five novels. While I personally feel the quality fluctuated if not deteriorated for the last handful of entries (Blyton was, sadly, quite unwell by the early 60s) this is a solid last hurrah. The well-worn tropes feel like a deliberate affectionate tribute rather than a shrug and a sigh, and I hope Together Again made it into one of the TV adaptations.
We welcome back Tinker, who is still an extremely accomplished car-mimic. Interestingly, he only does this when he has to be around his dad or when he needs to calm himself down after an argument (yes, the two coincide regularly), making it quite a unique self-soothing tactic. Although his informed mechanical knowledge is again not put to use, it's nice to see him have a bit more fire to him in this installment. He's quick to get into scrapes, cry, run off, divulge his dad's career secrets, etc - and this breathless abandon drives the main plot.
We also welcome back a travelling circus, a donkey costume, a motherly housekeeper, mega-intelligent animals and a thievery plot. One can easily predict who the 'main baddie' is with one's eyes shut, although . Fair play, Enid, credit where credit's due.
We also get to have one last trip to Kirrin Island; turns out it's a mere bike ride away from the Hayling abode (bit of a ret-con, but more on that below). I'm willing to forgive this as it's good old George and Tim who best the villains - rightly so, it's HER ISLAND! - after several books of both child and dog 'conveniently' needing to be away from the action.
Back to ret-cons and inconsistencies: as I was thinking about the series construction, I acknowledged that one of the appeals of the Famous Five is that they all make good stand-alone adventures despite the ambiguous timelines, plot amnesia etc. It's what made them so accessible when I was young. I was a voracious little reader, but couldn't finish the Narnia series past the first couple of books as it was difficult to find the correct sequels in order, therefore I lost interest. As an older child I ended up reading Harry Potter out of order, too. Many kids reading a series wouldn't have necessarily been able to buy or borrow a copy of every entry. It's much easier in the age of the internet, and perhaps not all kids cared about missing a chunk, but with Blyton you can rest assured the gang will return to the status quo before you visit them next.
I was expecting a grand signoff, but from the tone of the conclusion, it doesn't sound like Blyton intended this one to be the farewell to the Five. As mentioned, she was already in the grips of Alzheimer's by 1964. Perhaps she really had plans to continue, or perhaps she wanted to end on an open note. As previous GR reviewer Luffy has already stated, that's a very sobering thought.
All in all, despite some of my less-than-stellar ratings and the inevitable "wait, he said WHAT?" that come with reading these in 2025, I've really enjoyed re-discovering the Famous Five. Even now, I've found myself oddly gripped on occasion, or looking forward to my 'easy read' before bed. It's plain to see how this eternally-young mob of posh kids continue to enthrall generations, whether they're an out-loud read by parents, or a child's gateway into reading for pleasure.
4/5
Finally, we're here - the last of the Famous Five novels. While I personally feel the quality fluctuated if not deteriorated for the last handful of entries (Blyton was, sadly, quite unwell by the early 60s) this is a solid last hurrah. The well-worn tropes feel like a deliberate affectionate tribute rather than a shrug and a sigh, and I hope Together Again made it into one of the TV adaptations.
We welcome back Tinker, who is still an extremely accomplished car-mimic. Interestingly, he only does this when he has to be around his dad or when he needs to calm himself down after an argument (yes, the two coincide regularly), making it quite a unique self-soothing tactic. Although his informed mechanical knowledge is again not put to use, it's nice to see him have a bit more fire to him in this installment. He's quick to get into scrapes, cry, run off, divulge his dad's career secrets, etc - and this breathless abandon drives the main plot.
We also welcome back a travelling circus, a donkey costume, a motherly housekeeper, mega-intelligent animals and a thievery plot. One can easily predict who the 'main baddie' is with one's eyes shut, although . Fair play, Enid, credit where credit's due.
We also get to have one last trip to Kirrin Island; turns out it's a mere bike ride away from the Hayling abode (bit of a ret-con, but more on that below). I'm willing to forgive this as it's good old George and Tim who best the villains - rightly so, it's HER ISLAND! - after several books of both child and dog 'conveniently' needing to be away from the action.
Back to ret-cons and inconsistencies: as I was thinking about the series construction, I acknowledged that one of the appeals of the Famous Five is that they all make good stand-alone adventures despite the ambiguous timelines, plot amnesia etc. It's what made them so accessible when I was young. I was a voracious little reader, but couldn't finish the Narnia series past the first couple of books as it was difficult to find the correct sequels in order, therefore I lost interest. As an older child I ended up reading Harry Potter out of order, too. Many kids reading a series wouldn't have necessarily been able to buy or borrow a copy of every entry. It's much easier in the age of the internet, and perhaps not all kids cared about missing a chunk, but with Blyton you can rest assured the gang will return to the status quo before you visit them next.
I was expecting a grand signoff, but from the tone of the conclusion, it doesn't sound like Blyton intended this one to be the farewell to the Five. As mentioned, she was already in the grips of Alzheimer's by 1964. Perhaps she really had plans to continue, or perhaps she wanted to end on an open note. As previous GR reviewer Luffy has already stated, that's a very sobering thought.
All in all, despite some of my less-than-stellar ratings and the inevitable "wait, he said WHAT?" that come with reading these in 2025, I've really enjoyed re-discovering the Famous Five. Even now, I've found myself oddly gripped on occasion, or looking forward to my 'easy read' before bed. It's plain to see how this eternally-young mob of posh kids continue to enthrall generations, whether they're an out-loud read by parents, or a child's gateway into reading for pleasure.
4/5
June 3, 2012
This, as the final book in the Famous Five series, is a tad disappointing and confusing sadly. Although I have to admit that my son (6) enjoyed it as much as the others. It begins with the 4 children coming home from school and George being upset that Timmy doesn't meet her at the train station. I always thought that Timmy went to George with school. Then the actual mystery wasn't much of a mystery, and was all over in about 3 chapters, even with dragging it out.
It was okay, but not the best story by far.
It was okay, but not the best story by far.
December 27, 2012
Famous 5 are up to another adventure which is very exciting indeed.I really loved this book.Thumps up for famous 5 and Enid Blyton.
July 23, 2021
„Fünf Freunde und der Zauberer Wu“, der letzte Band der Originalserie, die die englische Vielschreiberin Enid Blyton 1943 begonnen und ursprünglich auf sechs bis höchstens acht Bände konzipiert hatte, aber wegen ihres großen Erfolges auf 21 Bände ausdehnte, wurde 1963, zwanzig Jahre später, erstveröffentlicht. Dass sich danach jedoch eine ganze Reihe weiterer Autoren berufen fühlten, Enid Blytons Protagonisten Julian/Julius, Dick/Richard, Anne, Georgina, genannt George und der Hund Timmy einfach weitere Abenteuer, immer wieder dieselben oder ganz ähnliche übrigens, erleben zu lassen, ist mit Bedauern anzumerken, denn irgendwann läuft sich auch das tollste Erfolgsrezept tot! Ohnehin ist Enid Blyton, eine der bekanntesten und sicherlich kommerziell erfolgreichsten Kinder- und Jugendbuchautoren des 20. Jahrhunderts und auch heute noch, lange nach ihrem Tod 1968, sicher auch eine der kontroversesten und bei Literaturkritikern wenig beliebt. Allerhand hat man ihr vorgeworfen, hat an ihrem recht simplen Stil herumzumäkeln gehabt, an ihren ewig gleichförmigen Geschichten, in denen sie alle Vorurteile ihrer Zeit reichlich bediente und nicht abzubringen war von ihren Rollenklischees.
Fragte man aber ihre Leser, so würde man allenthalben auf Begeisterung stoßen und gerade die 10 bis 12jährigen lieben ihre „Geheimnis“ - Abenteuer, die „Rätsel“ - und eben die „Fünf Freunde“ - Serien. Die jungen Leser, für die Enid Blyton nun einmal schrieb, störten sich weder an Gleichförmigkeit noch an irgendwelchen Klischees. Für sie sind die fünf Freunde, die in ihren Ferien so herrlich frei und weitgehend in Ruhe gelassen von den nervigen Erwachsenen ein spannendes Abenteuer nach dem anderen erleben und maßgeblich beteiligt sind an der Aufklärung mal mehr, mal weniger finsteren Verbrechen, bewunderte Vorbilder!
Wer stört sich schon daran, dass die vier Kinder nebst Hund dauernd ans Essen denken, dass Anne die Rolle des Hausmütterchens besetzt, George stets ungebärdig, zickig und irrational agiert, dass Julian/Julius immer alles besser weiß und die anderen herumkommandiert oder dass Dick/Richard auf den dauerlustigen Witzbold festgelegt ist – und dass ein Abenteuer dem anderen gleicht? Wer auch wundert sich darüber, dass die Eltern so sträflich desinteressiert sind an ihren Sprösslingen, wenn sie denn aus dem Internat in die Ferien zu ihnen kommen müssen, dass ihnen vielmehr daran gelegen ist, sie schnellstmöglich wieder loszuwerden? Für die jungen Leser sind die Eltern, mit denen George und ihre drei Cousins Anne, Julius und Richard gestraft sind, nur hinderliche Spaßbremsen, als die sie sich, wenn sie sich mal auf ihre Elternrolle besinnen, auch unweigerlich erweisen.
Aber jetzt muss der Erwachsene zu Wort kommen, denn was sich Georges Eltern Fanny und das zerstreute Vatergenie Quentin da leisten, ist doch sehr bedenklich! Da kommen die Kinder frohgemut in die Osterferien nach Kirrin (die Eltern der Cousins machen inzwischen Urlaub in Deutschland) – und werden gleich wieder weggeschickt, weil die Köchin Johanna/Joana/Joan plötzlich Scharlach bekommen hat und ins Krankenhaus gebracht wurde! Nun ja.... Mutter Fanny schickt die Kinder samt Hund zu dem befreundeten Professor Hayling, noch vergesslicher und verwirrter als Quentin, und seinem anstrengenden Sohn Brummer/Tinker in den Nachbarort. Hurra – die sind wir los, mag sich Fanny gedacht haben und nun beruhigt auf den Scharlach warten kann, der vielleicht über sie hereinbrechen wird, demnächst, irgendwann. Oder überhaupt nicht....
Die Kinder aber scheinen ganz zufrieden zu sein, zumal sich bei dem geistesabwesenden Professor die Chance auf ein neues Abenteuer auftut, als nämlich ein Wanderzirkus sein Lager aufschlägt, der zumindest eine zwielichtige Gestalt beherbergt, die ein verdächtiges Interesse an der neuen Erfindung des Professors an den Tag legt, und dessen geschwätzigen Sohn Brummer/Tinker auf äußerst plumpe Weise aushorcht. Doch zum Glück sind die fünf Freunde wachsam – und nach einem nur halb geglückten Einbruch in die Arbeitsstube des verwirrten Genialen beschließen sie zu handeln und dem vermuteten Dieb eine Falle zu stellen. Dass ihr Plan nicht so funktioniert, wie gedacht, kann sich der erfahrene Leser denken, genauso wie er weiß, dass die unberechenbare George immer für eine Überraschung gut ist, mit der sie sich unüberlegt, aber dennoch zielsicher, in Gefahr begibt...
Ende gut, alles gut? Aber sicher, darauf ist bei Enid Blyton, der Berechenbaren, immer Verlass! Und wenn sie, die Autorin höchstpersönlich, meint, dass nun, nach Band 21, aber auch Schluss sein muss, so kann ich ihr da nur zustimmen, denn alles ist gesagt, vielfach und immer wieder, alle nur denkbaren Abenteuer sind absolviert, manche sogar wiederholt, die Charaktere sind auch nach 21 Bänden, und das sind genauso viele Ferien, unverändert, sind weder älter noch reifer geworden und das würde vermutlich auch nicht anders werden (und ist es auch nicht geworden, allerdings nicht, weil Enid Blyton das so wollte!). Bevor es gar zu langweilig wird, hört eben auch die emsige Schreiberin Enid Blyton auf – und das ist völlig in Ordnung so!
Fragte man aber ihre Leser, so würde man allenthalben auf Begeisterung stoßen und gerade die 10 bis 12jährigen lieben ihre „Geheimnis“ - Abenteuer, die „Rätsel“ - und eben die „Fünf Freunde“ - Serien. Die jungen Leser, für die Enid Blyton nun einmal schrieb, störten sich weder an Gleichförmigkeit noch an irgendwelchen Klischees. Für sie sind die fünf Freunde, die in ihren Ferien so herrlich frei und weitgehend in Ruhe gelassen von den nervigen Erwachsenen ein spannendes Abenteuer nach dem anderen erleben und maßgeblich beteiligt sind an der Aufklärung mal mehr, mal weniger finsteren Verbrechen, bewunderte Vorbilder!
Wer stört sich schon daran, dass die vier Kinder nebst Hund dauernd ans Essen denken, dass Anne die Rolle des Hausmütterchens besetzt, George stets ungebärdig, zickig und irrational agiert, dass Julian/Julius immer alles besser weiß und die anderen herumkommandiert oder dass Dick/Richard auf den dauerlustigen Witzbold festgelegt ist – und dass ein Abenteuer dem anderen gleicht? Wer auch wundert sich darüber, dass die Eltern so sträflich desinteressiert sind an ihren Sprösslingen, wenn sie denn aus dem Internat in die Ferien zu ihnen kommen müssen, dass ihnen vielmehr daran gelegen ist, sie schnellstmöglich wieder loszuwerden? Für die jungen Leser sind die Eltern, mit denen George und ihre drei Cousins Anne, Julius und Richard gestraft sind, nur hinderliche Spaßbremsen, als die sie sich, wenn sie sich mal auf ihre Elternrolle besinnen, auch unweigerlich erweisen.
Aber jetzt muss der Erwachsene zu Wort kommen, denn was sich Georges Eltern Fanny und das zerstreute Vatergenie Quentin da leisten, ist doch sehr bedenklich! Da kommen die Kinder frohgemut in die Osterferien nach Kirrin (die Eltern der Cousins machen inzwischen Urlaub in Deutschland) – und werden gleich wieder weggeschickt, weil die Köchin Johanna/Joana/Joan plötzlich Scharlach bekommen hat und ins Krankenhaus gebracht wurde! Nun ja.... Mutter Fanny schickt die Kinder samt Hund zu dem befreundeten Professor Hayling, noch vergesslicher und verwirrter als Quentin, und seinem anstrengenden Sohn Brummer/Tinker in den Nachbarort. Hurra – die sind wir los, mag sich Fanny gedacht haben und nun beruhigt auf den Scharlach warten kann, der vielleicht über sie hereinbrechen wird, demnächst, irgendwann. Oder überhaupt nicht....
Die Kinder aber scheinen ganz zufrieden zu sein, zumal sich bei dem geistesabwesenden Professor die Chance auf ein neues Abenteuer auftut, als nämlich ein Wanderzirkus sein Lager aufschlägt, der zumindest eine zwielichtige Gestalt beherbergt, die ein verdächtiges Interesse an der neuen Erfindung des Professors an den Tag legt, und dessen geschwätzigen Sohn Brummer/Tinker auf äußerst plumpe Weise aushorcht. Doch zum Glück sind die fünf Freunde wachsam – und nach einem nur halb geglückten Einbruch in die Arbeitsstube des verwirrten Genialen beschließen sie zu handeln und dem vermuteten Dieb eine Falle zu stellen. Dass ihr Plan nicht so funktioniert, wie gedacht, kann sich der erfahrene Leser denken, genauso wie er weiß, dass die unberechenbare George immer für eine Überraschung gut ist, mit der sie sich unüberlegt, aber dennoch zielsicher, in Gefahr begibt...
Ende gut, alles gut? Aber sicher, darauf ist bei Enid Blyton, der Berechenbaren, immer Verlass! Und wenn sie, die Autorin höchstpersönlich, meint, dass nun, nach Band 21, aber auch Schluss sein muss, so kann ich ihr da nur zustimmen, denn alles ist gesagt, vielfach und immer wieder, alle nur denkbaren Abenteuer sind absolviert, manche sogar wiederholt, die Charaktere sind auch nach 21 Bänden, und das sind genauso viele Ferien, unverändert, sind weder älter noch reifer geworden und das würde vermutlich auch nicht anders werden (und ist es auch nicht geworden, allerdings nicht, weil Enid Blyton das so wollte!). Bevor es gar zu langweilig wird, hört eben auch die emsige Schreiberin Enid Blyton auf – und das ist völlig in Ordnung so!
April 3, 2024
In the grand finale of Enid Blyton's unassumingly tranquil Famous Five series, "Five Are Together Again", we are hurled headfirst into the unexpected: a concoction of danger, suspense, and an alarmingly casual brush with manslaughter. This isn't your average jaunt through the British countryside; it's an inadvertent guide on how to narrowly escape being accessory to serious crimes, whilst still keeping it quaintly Blyton-esque.
Our fearless quartet, plus one enthusiastic canine, find themselves embroiled in yet another adventure - because, as we all know, the allure of exploring top-secret tunnels and outwitting dubious adults never grows old, especially if you're perpetually stuck in the adolescence of the 1950s. This time, the Five are not just battling their usual diet of smugglers and thieves; they're confronting the stark reality of their actions, or at least they would be, in a narrative less forgiving than Blyton's.
The most jaw-dropping moment arrives late in the book when George and her loyal dog, Timmy, in a move that deviates sharply from their usual modus operandi of "let's talk it out" or "quick, to the hiding spot!", decide that pushing two men off a cliff into the sea is the appropriate course of action. This scene leaves us pondering: Did Blyton momentarily forget she was writing a children's book, or did she just decide to explore the darker underbelly of juvenile delinquency?
Up until this point, the series had its share of perilous moments, sure, but they were always coated in a thick layer of British decorum and improbable luck. This scene, however, is where Blyton seemingly decides to flirt with the idea of introducing her young readers to the concept of "actions have consequences" - but then, perhaps remembering that this was supposed to be light holiday reading, hastily retreats to safer ground.
Aside from this brush with potential manslaughter, the book follows the tried-and-tested formula: Kirrin Island (because where else?), an inconveniently timed disease outbreak (quarantines so ahead of their time), and, of course, a circus (because no Blyton adventure is usually complete without one). The book is peppered with the usual doses of camaraderie, and enough picnic food to induce a mild case of gout.
In "Five Are Together Again," Blyton wraps up the series with a bang. While readers may have expected another entirely wholesome adventure, what they got was a slightly unhinged escapade that flirts dangerously with the idea of rebranding the Famous Five as a juvenile version of a crime syndicate. It's a tonal departure that leaves us wondering if Blyton was laying the groundwork for a spin-off series: "The Famous Five: After Dark."
To sum up, this final instalment manages to encapsulate the innocence of childhood adventures, while simultaneously making a bold, if accidental, foray into the realm of serious crime. It's a fitting end to a series that has captivated generations, proving that even in the quaintest of children's tales, there's room for a little dark humour - intentional or not.
Our fearless quartet, plus one enthusiastic canine, find themselves embroiled in yet another adventure - because, as we all know, the allure of exploring top-secret tunnels and outwitting dubious adults never grows old, especially if you're perpetually stuck in the adolescence of the 1950s. This time, the Five are not just battling their usual diet of smugglers and thieves; they're confronting the stark reality of their actions, or at least they would be, in a narrative less forgiving than Blyton's.
The most jaw-dropping moment arrives late in the book when George and her loyal dog, Timmy, in a move that deviates sharply from their usual modus operandi of "let's talk it out" or "quick, to the hiding spot!", decide that pushing two men off a cliff into the sea is the appropriate course of action. This scene leaves us pondering: Did Blyton momentarily forget she was writing a children's book, or did she just decide to explore the darker underbelly of juvenile delinquency?
Up until this point, the series had its share of perilous moments, sure, but they were always coated in a thick layer of British decorum and improbable luck. This scene, however, is where Blyton seemingly decides to flirt with the idea of introducing her young readers to the concept of "actions have consequences" - but then, perhaps remembering that this was supposed to be light holiday reading, hastily retreats to safer ground.
Aside from this brush with potential manslaughter, the book follows the tried-and-tested formula: Kirrin Island (because where else?), an inconveniently timed disease outbreak (quarantines so ahead of their time), and, of course, a circus (because no Blyton adventure is usually complete without one). The book is peppered with the usual doses of camaraderie, and enough picnic food to induce a mild case of gout.
In "Five Are Together Again," Blyton wraps up the series with a bang. While readers may have expected another entirely wholesome adventure, what they got was a slightly unhinged escapade that flirts dangerously with the idea of rebranding the Famous Five as a juvenile version of a crime syndicate. It's a tonal departure that leaves us wondering if Blyton was laying the groundwork for a spin-off series: "The Famous Five: After Dark."
To sum up, this final instalment manages to encapsulate the innocence of childhood adventures, while simultaneously making a bold, if accidental, foray into the realm of serious crime. It's a fitting end to a series that has captivated generations, proving that even in the quaintest of children's tales, there's room for a little dark humour - intentional or not.
March 1, 2023
Buku ini adalah serial terakhir Lima Sekawan. Menceritakan Julian, Dick, George, Anne dan Timmy yang liburan di rumah teman ayah George, namanya Pak Hayling. Pak Hayling ini seorang ilmuwan tapi pemarah banget. Untunglah beliau punya anak yang periang dan cerewet bernama Utik, beserta monyet kecilnya, Iseng.
Liburan mereka diisi dengan berkemah di halaman belakang rumah Pak Hayling yang luas. Dan pas banget, ada karavan yang akan mengadakan sirkus di tempat yang sama. Anak-anak seneng banget bisa lihat segala macam pemain dan binatang sirkus yang lucu nan cerdik.
Tapi kesenangan mereka hanya sampai di situ. Di suatu malam, catatan penting penelitian Pak Hayling hilang! Siapa sih yang bisa mencuri catatan yang disimpan di menara tinggi itu? Apa ada hubungannya dengan rombongan sirkus yang baru saja datang?
Di buku ini, menurutku mereka kurang berpetualang karena hanya berkutat di halaman belakang Pak Hayling. Tapi di sini mereka berlima, ditambah Utik dan monyetnya, sangat cerdik dan banyak akal dalam menyelesaikan kasus pencurian dokumen berharga itu.
Aku juga suka banget sama George. Walau dia perempuan, tapi keberaniannya dalam menangkap si pencuri di buku ini bersama anjingnya si Timmy, diakui oleh ketiga saudaranya.
Meskipun aku berhasil menebak siapa pencurinya, tapi ending yang diberikan di buku ini cukup baik untuk mengakhiri serial Lima Sekawan ini.
Liburan mereka diisi dengan berkemah di halaman belakang rumah Pak Hayling yang luas. Dan pas banget, ada karavan yang akan mengadakan sirkus di tempat yang sama. Anak-anak seneng banget bisa lihat segala macam pemain dan binatang sirkus yang lucu nan cerdik.
Tapi kesenangan mereka hanya sampai di situ. Di suatu malam, catatan penting penelitian Pak Hayling hilang! Siapa sih yang bisa mencuri catatan yang disimpan di menara tinggi itu? Apa ada hubungannya dengan rombongan sirkus yang baru saja datang?
Di buku ini, menurutku mereka kurang berpetualang karena hanya berkutat di halaman belakang Pak Hayling. Tapi di sini mereka berlima, ditambah Utik dan monyetnya, sangat cerdik dan banyak akal dalam menyelesaikan kasus pencurian dokumen berharga itu.
Aku juga suka banget sama George. Walau dia perempuan, tapi keberaniannya dalam menangkap si pencuri di buku ini bersama anjingnya si Timmy, diakui oleh ketiga saudaranya.
Meskipun aku berhasil menebak siapa pencurinya, tapi ending yang diberikan di buku ini cukup baik untuk mengakhiri serial Lima Sekawan ini.
February 6, 2018
"The children are supposed to be staying at Kirrin Cottage, but as soon as George's mother and father's maid Joanna catches scarlet fever, the Five are sent to live with an old friend, called Tinker, and his famous scientist father, who first appeared in Five Go To Demon's Rocks (1961). When top secret papers belonging to the scientist go missing, it is left up to the children to find the thief, whoever he is. "
I absolutely adored Famous Five as a child. I trawled through secondhand stores and slowly acquired all of them. For some reason in my childhood, there were lots of British books and comics widely available and back then they were sold for the mighty sum of 10 cents. Seems funny now when some of the secondhand shops charge $7-10 per book! I still have all of them safely saved in storage for when Little Miss grows up.
I absolutely adored Famous Five as a child. I trawled through secondhand stores and slowly acquired all of them. For some reason in my childhood, there were lots of British books and comics widely available and back then they were sold for the mighty sum of 10 cents. Seems funny now when some of the secondhand shops charge $7-10 per book! I still have all of them safely saved in storage for when Little Miss grows up.
November 4, 2025
MERESENSI BUKU NOVEL LIMA SEKAWAN:SIRKUS MISTERIUS
Nama:pengarang:Enid Blyton
Penerbit:Gramedia Pustaka Utama
Halaman buku:191
Ukuran buku:18,4x11
Harga buku:Rp 49.000,00
Tahun terbit:1963
Orientasi
Buku ini ditulis oleh penulis terkenal asal inggris yaitu enid Blyton kelahiran 11 agustus 1897 di east Dulwich, London, buku yang ia buat ini keluaran terakhir buku ini ada 191 halaman dan harga buku ini 49.000 ribu rupiah
Synopsis
Petualangan di mulai Ketika kertas kerja super-rahasia milik professor hayling tiba-tiba menghilang setelah ruang kerjanya di bobol. di sekitar perkemahan mereka, ada rombongan sirkus tapper yang sedang tampil , mereka berlima menyelidikinya ternyata pencurinya tuan tapper pemilik sirkus.
Rekomendasi: untuk anak remaja karena mengasah otak
Keurangan:-
Kelebihan:buku ini membuat pembaca ingin terus membaca buku ini
Nama:pengarang:Enid Blyton
Penerbit:Gramedia Pustaka Utama
Halaman buku:191
Ukuran buku:18,4x11
Harga buku:Rp 49.000,00
Tahun terbit:1963
Orientasi
Buku ini ditulis oleh penulis terkenal asal inggris yaitu enid Blyton kelahiran 11 agustus 1897 di east Dulwich, London, buku yang ia buat ini keluaran terakhir buku ini ada 191 halaman dan harga buku ini 49.000 ribu rupiah
Synopsis
Petualangan di mulai Ketika kertas kerja super-rahasia milik professor hayling tiba-tiba menghilang setelah ruang kerjanya di bobol. di sekitar perkemahan mereka, ada rombongan sirkus tapper yang sedang tampil , mereka berlima menyelidikinya ternyata pencurinya tuan tapper pemilik sirkus.
Rekomendasi: untuk anak remaja karena mengasah otak
Keurangan:-
Kelebihan:buku ini membuat pembaca ingin terus membaca buku ini
June 19, 2022
Liburan Lima Sekawan yang seharusnya dilewatkan di Pondok Kirrin harus berubah haluan karena Joan si juru masak kena penyakit jengkering. Paman Quentin dan Bibi Fanny pun harus dikarantina. Alhasil, mereka mengungi di tempat seorang profesor yang sama pelupanya dengan Paman Quentin, dan menghabiskan liburan dengan si Utik dan monyetnya Iseng. Mereka pun berkemah di lapangan belakang dengan rombongan sirkus!
Agak sedih sih baca buku ini, karena ini seri terakhir Lima Sekawan dan nggak ada tanda-tanda mau berakhir. Mungkin penulisnya juga nggak kepikiran kalau ini akan jadi buku Lima Sekawan terakhirnya, ya? Di buku ini, agak kesal dengan sikap George yang masih saja keras kepala dan egois. Tapi syukurlah semua berakhir baik, walaupun endingnya sedikit terburu-buru.
Agak sedih sih baca buku ini, karena ini seri terakhir Lima Sekawan dan nggak ada tanda-tanda mau berakhir. Mungkin penulisnya juga nggak kepikiran kalau ini akan jadi buku Lima Sekawan terakhirnya, ya? Di buku ini, agak kesal dengan sikap George yang masih saja keras kepala dan egois. Tapi syukurlah semua berakhir baik, walaupun endingnya sedikit terburu-buru.
Read
May 17, 2025The 21st and last in the Famous Five series by Enid Blyton which I'm currently rereading.
This one sees the Five going off to stay with Tinker who appeared in an earlier adventure. They camp out in a field behind his garden which is also occupied by circus folk who they get to know.
Of course it's not long before they find themselves mixed up in yet another adventure.
I've really enjoyed the trip down memory lane rereading the entire Famous Five series. However I have noticed that roughly the final 6 or 7 books aren't a patch on the early ones. It's almost as if Blyton had totally run out of ideas for the Five and was just churning them out by this stage. Now to get onto the Five Find Outers and Dog series which I loved as a child.
This one sees the Five going off to stay with Tinker who appeared in an earlier adventure. They camp out in a field behind his garden which is also occupied by circus folk who they get to know.
Of course it's not long before they find themselves mixed up in yet another adventure.
I've really enjoyed the trip down memory lane rereading the entire Famous Five series. However I have noticed that roughly the final 6 or 7 books aren't a patch on the early ones. It's almost as if Blyton had totally run out of ideas for the Five and was just churning them out by this stage. Now to get onto the Five Find Outers and Dog series which I loved as a child.
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