The Secret of Moon Castle

The Secret #5

by Enid Blyton

Peggy, Mike, Nora, Jack and Prince Paul are staying in the remote, mysterious Moon Castle. But weird things begin happening almost immediately - paintings come to life, books fly off shelves and instruments make noises when no one is touching them! Can the children discover the truth behind the spooky goings-on inside Moon Castle?

Genres: Adventure, Childrens, Fiction, Mystery, Middle Grade, Classics, Young Adult

198 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1953

About the author

See 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

Reviews

[Nandakishore Mridula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Continuing my trip down memory lane, with Enid Blyton. This last book of the series, ironically, was the first one I read. I remember thinking it creepy in a fun way.

[Lydia Willcock · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I suddenly realised that over the years I had read all except the last in the series, I knew I had to remedy that. And while this series was never among my very favourites (other than the first one, and I do still love them all), reading this reminded me just how much Enid Blyton shaped both my childhood and also my own writing - and lots of other things! And I loved it just as much as I would have when I was younger. This one is one of the more unusual Enid Blytons that I've read - it reminded me a lot of Mountain of Adventure and Five Get Into a Fix, among others. The strange Happenings and Goings On left me quite baffled, and had a lot of unusual elements thrown in! And now I want to go back and reread the whole series, as well as some others. These books will never get old!
So glad they're available as ebooks now so I can finally complete series and find books I could never find in paperback when I was originally reading them.

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm thoroughly enjoying rereading these old favourites of my childhood. This is a series I must have only read once because I didn't remember a lot of it. The first book The Secret Island I really enjoyed but this one is my favourite of the series.
Moon Castle is the central character of this story. It has so many hidden secrets and it was so much fun. As usual there are some brilliant characters and the mystery, while not completely thrilling, was interesting.
This is the last in the series and is a fitting end to the adventures.

[Chitra Iyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the my first book ever! My first Enid Blyton book, my first mystery book, my stepping stone to the bibliophile world! The writing and the story had such an impact on my young heart, that I fell head over heals in love with books. for a lifetime!

I am avid reader, a reviewer and hopefully will be a writer one day. And all that I am today is because of The Secret of the Moon Castle. I am, like many others, ever indebted to Enid Blyton!

[Tracey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found this in a pile of books that a friend let me delve through. Remembered reading it as a kid , feeling nostalgic I decided to read it again.
A quick easy read , with likeable kids exploring a old castle that has secrets .

[Gigli · Rating 4 out of 5]

»»» A aquisição:
Fui buscar livros da minha infância a casa dos meus pais e veio esta preciosidade. Ainda me lembro da felicidade de em pequena ser um dos livros que escolhi na livraria de Buarcos (Figueira da Foz), no início de mais umas fantásticas férias em família. Bons tempos.

»»» A aventura:
Os irmãos João, Miguel, Margarida e Nora são convidados pelo amigo, o Príncipe Paulo da Barónia, para se juntarem a ele numas férias de verão com a família real num castelo em Inglaterra. Para preparar a vinda da família real, os irmãos e Paulo, acompanhados da tutora e do segurança, seguem primeiro para o Castelo.
Com os avisos da população local sobre o castelo estar amaldiçoado e assombrações na vila mineira abandonada que existe no seu complexo, o animado grupo de jovens fica ainda mais entusiasmado.
Quando eles não conseguem encontrar uma porta de entrada para a misteriosa torre do castelo, onde avistam estranhas luzes à noite, e ouvem ruídos repentinos, vêem livros a cair e quartos virados de pantanas, ficam determinados a descobrir os segredos do castelo que estão na origem de tudo.

»»» Sentimento final:
Muito bom.
Excelente aventura e mistério, comprovativo do grande talento de Enid Blyton, que escreve para os mais jovens sem cair na infantilização.

»»» Nota final (Capa e outras considerações):
--- [Capa] – Capa fantástica, das melhores desta obra, ligando o misterioso castelo e os mistérios que o rodeiam. Também pouco infantilizada, ao contrário de muitas das capas mais recentes, bem de acordo com o livro, juvenil, mas sóbrio.
--- [Ilustrações] – Esta edição inclui algumas ilustrações, dispersas pelo livro.

»»» Uma espreitadela:

[Mirrordance · Rating 2 out of 5]

Decisamente fuori target questa lettura. Datato nello stile e nelle ambientazioni sembra più vecchio delle avventure di Nancy Drew e degli Hardy Boys che forse sono ancora più vecchi. da far giudicare ai ragazzini di oggi.

[Nik Shahram · Rating 5 out of 5]

this whole series defined my childhood but I can't find the other books on hereeee

[Meghaa Pradyumnan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enid Blyton and Ruskin Bond have been my favorite authors since childhood. I loved devouring their books and kept wanting more.
I found this in a pile of books that a friend let me delve through. As I remembered reading Enid Blyton's as a kid, feeling nostalgic, I decided to pick this up and read it.
A quick, fun, and easy read, with likeable kids exploring a old castle that has secrets of its own. And of course, you’ll find plenty of food descriptions as is the norm in her books. I used to feel ravenous after reading Enid Blyton's books solely for this reason :) The kids and their adventures are the best part and I'm sure you'll love an adventure in an old, ruined castle!

[Jahnavi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thrilling read ....loved it

[Moppet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This typical Blyton romp starts with four children and their friend, Prince Paul of Baronia, tucking into a calorific tea (buttered toast, hot scones, home-made eclairs and a huge chocolate sponge cake). Their mother (unusually for Blyton, a career woman - a trained pilot) has news for them: she is going to rent a castle for Prince Paul's royal parents - and they're all invited to stay there. This is exactly the sort of holiday you would want as a ten-year-old, but aren't very likely to get.

Soon after they arrive at Moon Castle the excitement gets kicked up a notch when spooky events begin to occur - books fly off library shelves and musical instruments start to play themselves. The castle caretakers claim the place is haunted, but this is Blyton, so it can't be - while she made use of many of the props of Gothic fiction, in her books apparently supernatural events always have an explanation. Happily, this one is more intriguing than the usual gang of smugglers. I had to dock the book a star for not making it clear how very dangerous it is to explore an abandoned mine and also for suggesting that the effects of radiation are about as serious as sunburn - but on the whole this is a solid tale of adventure which doesn't disappoint.

[Thebruce1314 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved Enid Blyton's mystery stories as a kid, so when I spotted this one, it made me nostalgic and I had to get it. It has all of the exciting elements I remembered: an old castle, a ruined village, mysterious mines. I think it is because of books like this that I love history so much: you never quite know what you're going to find. But, as often happens, the mystery fell a little flat of my expectations upon rereading. The first half of the book was good, but the second half was a little slow and the ending was downright disappointing. And there were a few threads left unfinished, which really annoys me!

[Ocha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Keluarga Paul dari Kerajaan Baronia memutuskan untuk berlibur di Inggris dan meminta tolong Nyonya Arnold untuk mencarikan Kastil untuk disewa. Pilihan jatuh pada Kastil Bulan yang tempatnya sangat terpencil dan konon sering terjadi kejadian-kejadian aneh didalamnya. Di dalam Kastil mereka menemui tiga orang perempuan yang aneh dan seorang laki-laki yang tidak ramah serta menara Kastil yang tampak misterius. Selama seminggu pertama, Jack, Mike, Peggy, Nora dan Paul beserta Dimmy dan Ranni akan menempati Kastil tersebut. Akan tetapi selama itu mereka mengalami kejadian-kejadian aneh seperti pintu gerbang yang terbuka sendiri, buku-buku perpustakaan yang melompat jatuh, bunyi alat-alat musik serta lukisan, tata ruang kamar yang berubah sendiri serta lukisan yang matanya menyala seakan hidup. Mereka merasa ada kejadian yang berlangsung di Kastil Bulan yang tentunya akan mereka selidiki.

Latar tempatnya gantian, dulu anak-anak berlibur ke tempat Paul sekarang keluarga Paul berlibur ke tempat anak-anak. Cerita yang menarik, anyway cara untuk menakut-nakuti orang-orang yang mau ke Kastil cukup cerdas ya. Trus jalan cerita mengalir dan tidak mengandung rasis. Cuma waktu bagian Jack nemuin jalan rahasia lewat panel agak ga dapet ya tapi mungkin imajinasi saya aja yang kurang. Overall bagus, sayang sudah buku terakhir di seri Empat Serangkai padahal mau liat kelangsungan mereka selanjutnya terutama Paul. Bakal kangen banget sama seri ini :)
Rating: 4.6/5

[Kirinna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was much better than my first foray into the series (Secret of Killimooin). A classic spooky castle story with trap doors, secret passages and mysterious haunts.

The five kids (three boys and two girls) are tasked with finding a temporary home for the rich American relatives of one of them, so they find "Moon castle", which the locals fear.
Because when you are a rich American, you obviously have to live in a castle.

They also have to deal with the strange keepers of the castle, an overweight small woman and her two tall sisters + the menacing adult son of her who is apparently a "genius scientist".
Soon after arrival and much to the kid's joy horror, paintings become alive, instruments play by themselves and rooms are vandalized by what could only be a ghost.

Parts of it reminded me of the Famous Five book "Five Get into a Fix", the one with the "magnetic mountain" though it isn't as good as that one. I liked the description of the castle, like the fantasy music box that could play a hundred (!) songs (imagine owning something like that lmao).

Just like in "The Secret of Killimooin"/"auf heißer Spur" the two girls do nothing of import, either sleeping through the action or being too scared of it (girls amiright??). Yes yes it was the times and Blyton did better in her later books, but still.

I appreciate though that one of the villain(s) was one of the sisters and in classic Blyton manner the descriptions of food and fun child activities brought back some fond memories.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleased with this one because it was a great adventure and a lovely trip down memory lane. There was no obviously racist or sexist scenes that Enid Blyton's works are sometimes criticised for. It just exuded a warmth throughout which made it very enjoyable and immersive and I was left feeling very content and satisfied after I finished the book.

I liked the illustrations in my copy and thought they were quite quaint but could find no reference to the illustrator so I am assuming they were done by the author herself. These did age it slightly and it also showed its age with some of the dated language and customs - the notion of a foreign Prince casually going to stay with his English school chums and his mother the Queen sending them all letters asking them to hire a castle so she can come and visit!

'"A Castle! I say - what fun to ring up the house agents and say, "Please will you send me the particulars of a dozen or so castles!" said Mike.'

I'm also not sure you would want to be encouraging young readers these days to go off alone and climb down into abandoned mine shafts by themselves!

Unfortunately I did come across a few typos in my edition as well but mine was quite an early copy so these might not be in all editions of this book.

[Catherine Pinkett · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lovely trip down memory lane. Read most Enid Blyton ad a girl, especially this series. A little dated in language now for this century but as a ten year old in 1970 these were indicative of the times in middle class society. I know that they are now criticised for racism, sexism etc, however I didn't grow up to have prejudices from being an avid reader of her work. There is a young boy in here from overseas who is a close friend of the children from the series and I feel he was treated with respect and cultural differences were acknowledged appropriately. Great plot though and the adventures are exciting. Wouldn't have let myboys wander around on their own even in the ninety's! We did though in those days. Would be interested to hear from anyone with kids who have enjoyed this even today.

[Devanshu Vashishtha · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good and thrilling mystery about some children who went to the castle but found it queer and started to look around they were all very interested about the castle's tower and decided to look over the mystery. A great yet another super fictional book by Enid blyton but it also is kinda spoiling as by the time we come to the end you can already guess who the culprit is and it starts to become quite uninteresting. But on the contrary, you can have a good word practise with a solid vocabulary.

It is a good book for thrill lovers Aka me but you can even get through your imagination as you like as we get to imagine things a lot in Enid blyton's collection. It also gives an idea that if you have the spirit you can get to know everything. A perfect blend of action, thrill, suspense, mystery, and excitement.

[Eg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't remember much about the content anymore, but I know that books of Enid Blyton were on my bookshelf at my childhood. It was mostly mystery that was captivating and round characters (fully developed). I remember that the ending was always something that I didn't see coming and that is what I liked - this unexpected plot twist and how everything fits together. The story about an unknown, hidden and sacred castle is something that is a very popular element for a mystery story with some detective elements. This was probably my favorite story of the book series.


I'm sure that this and other books from the collection would be interesting to re-read or read for a bit older people. It doesn't have to be only children's literature to enjoy a fine writing.

[Laraine Anne Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I came back to this because I wanted to find out if my memory of Blyton was correct: that she took around two thirds of the book to come to anything exciting and therefore worth reading. I remember I read on because I knew she would eventually deliver. I was right, but I also found the writing itself very pedestrian, something you don’t notice when you’re a kid. This slow to start problem was something I found in most books of the fifties. No wonder I loved School Friend and Girls’ Crystal so much! I made sure to reread a very old copy of The Secret Of Moon Castle because PC fanatics have nothing better to do with their lives than change the work of past authors, accusing them of racism when all they were doing was writing according to how things were in their times.

[Ammara Shakil · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of the very first books I read. I was around 8 when I read it. I loved it so so much. I don't remember much of the story, but I remember the feeling it left behind. The mysterious aura, especially when reading it after lights out, is something I still crave for. Enid Blyton's books are certainly some of the greatest children's books of all time. Lots of kids find her books to be their portal into the world of books and that stands true for me as well. I would recommend this and her other books if you have a kid who wants to read. It's an easy read but most importantly, it is a lot of fun.

[Farseer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last book in the Secret series goes back to the UK, and goes through all the right motions, with a mysterious castle, an abandoned town and mines, suspicious villains, secret passages and many of the usual trappings of a good Blyton adventure.

However, the whole thing feels slightly rushed, as if the author is not really relishing the story. We have some science fiction elements, with a mysterious metal with alarming properties, but fortunately the story doesn't really dwell on that. The way the villains are defeated feels a bit too easy.

An adecuiate addition to the series, but not really one of the most inspired.

[Joao · Rating 4 out of 5]

Os Quatro irmãos: Nora, Margarida, Miguel e João e o Príncipe Paulo estão de férias. É se o lugar de férias for um desconhecido castelo situado junto de uma aldeia arruinada e de misteriosas minas abandonadas? Estão reunidas as condições para mais uma fantástica aventura. Enid Blyton responde assim de uma forma viva e cativante aos pedidos dos seus leitores e leitoras. Para todas as idades.

[Shilpa · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always..superb adventure book by Enid Blyton. Her writing is so charming that you feel a warmth, happiness in her stories. Whenever I read, I can always connect to those adventures, tea, biscuits, pillow fights as if I am present there. Can't wait to read the next one. :)

[Jānis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tāda interesanta (laikam) grāmatu sērija priekš jauniešiem un bērniem. Es domāju, ka bērnībā man pašam tādu patiktu lasīt. Ir nedaudz naivuma un ar savu smadzeni es šo to varu paredzēt, bet bērns ir sajūsmā (5 gadi).

[K · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book I read by choice in my later years of Primary School, it captured my imagination and made me realise books weren’t all about factual items, fun semi-spooky story that had me excitedly reading through it to find out what would happen next.

[She Reads Nepal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the first books I remember reading when I was at school. After finishing all the homeworks I barely had time to read, but still read it with torch's light and all.
I still remember the word "Pins and Needles" from this book.

[Derelict Space Sheep · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blyton’s ‘Secret’ series ends with a bit of a whimper. The villain is unambiguous and the mystery entails a nebulous mining scheme that, Scooby-Doo style, would have remained hidden if not for his trying to scare the kids off with manufactured spookery.

[Vishal Mehta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enid does it again! A thoroughly satisfying read. I can't wait to introduce my children to Jack, Peggy, Mike, Nora and Paul. Well done indeed!

[Alex · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok read but others in the secret series are better. The ending to this one seemed to tail off too quickly

[Bookish_globetrotter · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5*