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33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The first of a smashing series!, January 6, 2005
This is the first installment of what was soon to become one of the all time best children's series ever written. This tome introduces us to the henceforth famous five: Julian, Dick, Anne, George, and of course, her faithful dog Timothy. The first three, who are siblings, travel to Kirren for the holiday and meet their cousin Georgina -a hot tempered little girl who dresses like a boy and refuses to answer to anything but "George". In no time, the five are fast friends and off on their first glorious adventure which sets the tone for many more: be prepared for mysterious happenings, bad tempered criminals, hair raising episodes in tunnels and passageways and of course, the usual mouth watering descriptions of every scrumptious meal the five share: FOUR meals a day, thank you very much, since the British partake of breakfast, dinner, tea AND supper! If you can make it through this book let alone the series without eating a lot of tomatos, you're a paragon of self discipline!
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27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The adventure that started it all, September 8, 2006
The Famous Five novels by Enid Blyton are a British institution in the United Kingdom and occupy a place in the bookshelves of nearly every self-respecting pre-teen. When I was growing up in the UK I devoured all the Blyton books I could get a hold of and then went onto her Secret Seven and (my all-time favorite) Adventure series.
The format for the books is essentially the same - a band of children get into a series of adventures thwarting criminals and solving mysteries. It's like Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys, but imbued with that classic British idiom and that fast-paced, expertly crafted Blyton style that give it an edge over her American counterparts.
The success of the formula is perhaps best demonstrated by the fact that the majority of the Blyton books I read were handed down to me from my mother who had received them as a child herself in the 1940s and 1950s. It's an unusual feeling opening a book and seeing it inscribed to a parent when they were your age. There are 21 stories in the series and 40 years later in the 1980s the series was even continued by French author Claude Voilier (who wrote several continuation novels).
Anyhow, this is the novel that started it all and in it we are introduced to the Famous Five - Julian, Dick, Anne, George, and her dog Tim.
As the novel opens Julian, Dick and Anne arrive at their uncle's for the summer where they are introduced to their cousin - the tomboyish Georgina (or George for short).
Together they set out to investigate the nearby island that belongs to George's mother and run straight into danger and adventure. There is a wreck submerged on the island that suppossibly has a fortune in gold inside, but several dives to the ship have yielded nothing. Then one night a fierce storm whips up and the wreck is brought to the surface.
It's compulsive reading and even as an adult I sometimes have that nostalgic desire to return to a more innocent time and read a Blyton novel.
These books are rather difficult to find in the United States though I was able to track down one online retailer that sells them as a complete set. However, if you want to sample the Famous Five series before putting down your hard earned cash for the entire series, this novel, (or my personal favorite of the series "Five Get into a Fix"), is well worth the expense.
Your children will thank you for it
Incidentally there is a DVD production available in Region 2 of this adventure. In the 1970s a British television series was also produced of the Famous Five adventures, and a second one in the 1990s and a 1981 movie adaptation of the first of the Adventure series (Island of Adventure).
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Enid Blyton Introduced Me To The Magical World Of Books!!!, October 10, 2005
I remember reading this book when I was about 7 and then I saved my weekly allowance of $2.50 to buy every book ever written by Ms. Blyton . The Famous Five Series is set in a time of childhood innocence and wondrous discovery of the world.I remember I felt I was with all of the characters in their adventures and longed to be a part of that wonderful world.If your child doesn't like reading then I suggest you buy him or her a copy of this book and if their attention spans have yet to be corrupted by 3 minute flashing videos on MTV and Nintendo then they will love this series.
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