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The Famous Five #11
Five Have a Wonderful Time
The bolt was securely pushed home. So somebody was a prisoner on the other side!
George has joined her cousins for an exciting caravanning holiday, where there's a ruined castle on top of a hill nearby.
Keen to explore it, the Five make plans to visit. But when they spot a desperate face in the tower window, they know there's a mystery to solve...
Who is hiding inside the castle - and why?
George has joined her cousins for an exciting caravanning holiday, where there's a ruined castle on top of a hill nearby.
Keen to explore it, the Five make plans to visit. But when they spot a desperate face in the tower window, they know there's a mystery to solve...
Who is hiding inside the castle - and why?
201 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1952
131 people are currently reading
2085 people want to read
About the author
Enid Blyton
4,966books6,152followersSee 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 245 reviews
July 15, 2024
Enid is really phoning in the titles at this point...
George (recovering from a cold) goes to join her three cousins on their parentless caravan holiday within sight of Thanites castle.
George's late arrival allows Julian to foreshadow the plot by phoning to check that Uncle Quentin wasn't one of the two vanished scientists reported in the newspapers.
Imagine a world where two scientists going off without saying where is national news! George thinks they are just traitors who are going to sell their secrets to "another country".
Initially they are described as being in a field with other more modern caravans. But when the very next day unfriendly circus folk arrive to occupy the field they drive out the famous five but seem to have no beef with the other campers.
Anne keeps herself busy with housework. She decides against asking the boys to wash up as they are "not too good with crockery".
George's binoculars are mentioned several times, so we know they are going to be important.
The circus folk arrive. They have a "snake man" and the children are worried about poisonous snakes escaping. But as we all know, they will be fine as long as they don't eat the snakes.
The five discuss the missing scientists/traitors. They have strong opinions on treachery! Though quite how they think that the ideas inside scientist's heads belong to England rather than the person whose head they are in ... I'm not sure.
Anyway, wouldn't you know it, they spot one of the foreshadowed missing scientists in a tower window in the castle using the foreshadowed binoculars. They're not entirely sure it's him ... because ... what are the odds? So they investigate further and uncover a mystery visit by fake Antiquities Inspectors!
There's some trouble with the circus folk who hide the Five's caravans but all is sorted out when Jo from book 9 turns up having run off from her foster home to spend time with her relations in the circus. Jo sorts things out!
The kids find a SECRET PASSAGE that somehow takes them from the outer wall of the castle to the semi ruined tower where the scientist is being held captive.
There follows the usual song and dance about being captured by baddies, escaping etc. This time the circus folk pitch in using cunning circus tricks to get them out of the tower, a gun is whipped from the hand of one baddie and a python wraps up the rest of the baddies.
The real question though is ... what the hell were the bad scientist and his buddies doing holding the good scientist (whose surname confusingly is Terry Kane, which sounds like a whole name) prisoner in a castle they don't own and which is OPEN TO THE PUBLIC?
The excuse given is that they were waiting for the heat to die down before moving Terry Kane out of the country, and that the bad scientist knows lots about castles.
If you think about it for more than 2 seconds this is utter nonsense. They could have taken the scientist away before the story broke and there was any fuss to die down in the first place. And failing that, there are precisely 11,763,553 better places to hide him than in this castle. The man could have shouted for help and been heard by scores of tourists! And consider the logistics of getting him in and out...
For light relief we have Uncle Quentin turn up at the camp and be taken prisoner by the circus folk.
So, to conclude, we have kidnapping galore, secret passages, spare child, and men with guns in this one.
But we miss out on the old favourites of treasure, caves, attempts to poison Timmy, twins, girls who dress as boys, and (technically) Uncle Quentin's science (though it is a near miss).
Oh, we also have lookalikes again (Jo is a dead ringer for George), but nobody mentions it in this book.
..
George (recovering from a cold) goes to join her three cousins on their parentless caravan holiday within sight of Thanites castle.
George's late arrival allows Julian to foreshadow the plot by phoning to check that Uncle Quentin wasn't one of the two vanished scientists reported in the newspapers.
Imagine a world where two scientists going off without saying where is national news! George thinks they are just traitors who are going to sell their secrets to "another country".
Initially they are described as being in a field with other more modern caravans. But when the very next day unfriendly circus folk arrive to occupy the field they drive out the famous five but seem to have no beef with the other campers.
Anne keeps herself busy with housework. She decides against asking the boys to wash up as they are "not too good with crockery".
George's binoculars are mentioned several times, so we know they are going to be important.
The circus folk arrive. They have a "snake man" and the children are worried about poisonous snakes escaping. But as we all know, they will be fine as long as they don't eat the snakes.
The five discuss the missing scientists/traitors. They have strong opinions on treachery! Though quite how they think that the ideas inside scientist's heads belong to England rather than the person whose head they are in ... I'm not sure.
Anyway, wouldn't you know it, they spot one of the foreshadowed missing scientists in a tower window in the castle using the foreshadowed binoculars. They're not entirely sure it's him ... because ... what are the odds? So they investigate further and uncover a mystery visit by fake Antiquities Inspectors!
There's some trouble with the circus folk who hide the Five's caravans but all is sorted out when Jo from book 9 turns up having run off from her foster home to spend time with her relations in the circus. Jo sorts things out!
The kids find a SECRET PASSAGE that somehow takes them from the outer wall of the castle to the semi ruined tower where the scientist is being held captive.
There follows the usual song and dance about being captured by baddies, escaping etc. This time the circus folk pitch in using cunning circus tricks to get them out of the tower, a gun is whipped from the hand of one baddie and a python wraps up the rest of the baddies.
The real question though is ... what the hell were the bad scientist and his buddies doing holding the good scientist (whose surname confusingly is Terry Kane, which sounds like a whole name) prisoner in a castle they don't own and which is OPEN TO THE PUBLIC?
The excuse given is that they were waiting for the heat to die down before moving Terry Kane out of the country, and that the bad scientist knows lots about castles.
If you think about it for more than 2 seconds this is utter nonsense. They could have taken the scientist away before the story broke and there was any fuss to die down in the first place. And failing that, there are precisely 11,763,553 better places to hide him than in this castle. The man could have shouted for help and been heard by scores of tourists! And consider the logistics of getting him in and out...
For light relief we have Uncle Quentin turn up at the camp and be taken prisoner by the circus folk.
So, to conclude, we have kidnapping galore, secret passages, spare child, and men with guns in this one.
But we miss out on the old favourites of treasure, caves, attempts to poison Timmy, twins, girls who dress as boys, and (technically) Uncle Quentin's science (though it is a near miss).
Oh, we also have lookalikes again (Jo is a dead ringer for George), but nobody mentions it in this book.
..
April 25, 2020
I must say that in the aftermath of reading this book, I pegged it at 2 stars. But then I chided myself for relying too much on familiarity. Not every Famous Five has an endgame that is familiar.
One beef I have with these fair folk. They do not change because of external stimuli, but because one of their own likes the Five. I must chalk this too with other unfamiliarity.
Enid Blyton was inspired in its starkest sense. Nothing more, nothing less. The denouement was very much plot driven, laborious though it was. In the end I found the book to be the real thing, because after this one book - the 11th one - not many good books have been written in this series.
One beef I have with these fair folk. They do not change because of external stimuli, but because one of their own likes the Five. I must chalk this too with other unfamiliarity.
Enid Blyton was inspired in its starkest sense. Nothing more, nothing less. The denouement was very much plot driven, laborious though it was. In the end I found the book to be the real thing, because after this one book - the 11th one - not many good books have been written in this series.
June 8, 2019
Let's get this out of the way: Five Have A Wonderful Time is possible the worst book title of all time. It's not exactly indicative of excitement and peril, is it? I guess the author and the publisher figured that, by the time you get to the eleventh book in a bestselling series, people are going to buy it no matter what you call it. I suppose the modern equivalent would be J.K. Rowling releasing Harry Potter Teaches Ron To Floss.
It's a shame, really, as this is one of the more exciting instalments in the series, with one of the Five even getting attacked with a whip at one point! (Anybody have any idea why my autocorrect changes the word 'point' to 'Poi the!'? It makes no sense to me.)
They encounter their friend Jo from the last book again, so the Five become six for most of the book. Dick is very happy about Jo being back; I foresee a long and happy love affair in their future. There's everything you'd expect from a Famous Five book: espionage, kidnapping, vicious baddies and heroic kids. The main deviation from the norm is that they didn't seem to get through as much food as they usually do. Maybe their parents have put them all on a diet...
It's a shame, really, as this is one of the more exciting instalments in the series, with one of the Five even getting attacked with a whip at one point! (Anybody have any idea why my autocorrect changes the word 'point' to 'Poi the!'? It makes no sense to me.)
They encounter their friend Jo from the last book again, so the Five become six for most of the book. Dick is very happy about Jo being back; I foresee a long and happy love affair in their future. There's everything you'd expect from a Famous Five book: espionage, kidnapping, vicious baddies and heroic kids. The main deviation from the norm is that they didn't seem to get through as much food as they usually do. Maybe their parents have put them all on a diet...
July 29, 2021
Truly great, fast paced children’s adventure books. The entire series has expertly crafted plot lines with many red herring and unexpected twists and turns, demonstrating the best of the mystery/adventure genre. With challenging language, realistic imagery and stunning illustrations the famous five are a treat for imagination to let children explore. Perfect for the book lovers and children looking for escapism to a foreign world where different rules apply. Would very much recommend all these books and any other of Enid Blyton’s work.
October 16, 2022
As a kid I absolutely adored the adventures of The Famous Five by Enid Blyton and I've reread the entire collection of 21 books several times.
A few years ago I reread the first few books and was disappointed. Thus I gave 2* to the first installments.
Now I started to read the rest of them.
Have I become even harsher in my ratings?
Probably, because - despite my love for these books as a kid - I can't bring myself to give more than 1*.
A few of my biggest gripes:
What an utterly sexist nonsense
Annie does nothing else than 'playing mother/housekeeper': cooking, doing the dishes, �
Actually Dick and Julian should've switched names, as Julian often really acts like a real dick by being condescending towards girls.
This may be a representation of the zeitgeist, as the first book was published in 1942.
But then again, there exist lots of older books that were more 'modern' in thoughts.
So much eating and sleeping
What are those kids: marmots?
They just finished breakfast and they're already thinking about lunch. Oh, and of course they have to get food for the afternoon tea and for dinner.
It's true that I already heard of the importance of food in children's books. As you can read on : "In Blyton’s books, eating food is the central focal point that brings children together. This in turn ingrains the value of having a bond with family and friends."
Taking into account when the first books about The Famous Five were published, I can understand that World War II and the aftermath were of influence. And thus, that food played a big role in people's lives.
But to me, there's a big difference between mentioning the meals or using them as pure page-filling.
Just out of curiosity I scanned one of the books for mentions of food and sleep and it turned out that they appeared on more than 45% of the pages.
Which brings us to the remaining (approximately) 55%:
Plot holes
In between all the eating and sleeping, our protagonists also solve some 'mysteries' that are either unbelievable or totally clear from the beginning.
There are lots of situations that aren't credible to begin with: young children from 10 years old who go on camping trips all alone, they can buy cigarettes, �
And it doesn't get better as there are definitely many plot holes in the described adventures (they hadn't the bag with food within reach, but still managed to eat without going back to get it; etc.).
Some of the errors could be due to a bad Dutch translation, but not all of them.
Line work
Did you know that Enid Blyton (° 1897 - � 1968) wrote hundreds of books and at some periods even 50 books per year?
762 of them are listed on .
But if you want a more detailed list of all her works (> 1.000) you can take a look at or .
Bearing in mind the amount of written books, it's understandable that they often come across as pure line work with a lot of page-filling content.
The conclusion
If I had children, I wouldn't let them read this crap.
It's true that as an adult, you rate books in another way than you would've as a child.
But there are so many really good children's books out there that definitely deserve more attention than this overrated and outdated series.
And as George Bernard Shaw said: "Make it a rule never to give a child a book you would not read yourself."
A few years ago I reread the first few books and was disappointed. Thus I gave 2* to the first installments.
Now I started to read the rest of them.
Have I become even harsher in my ratings?
Probably, because - despite my love for these books as a kid - I can't bring myself to give more than 1*.
A few of my biggest gripes:
What an utterly sexist nonsense
Annie does nothing else than 'playing mother/housekeeper': cooking, doing the dishes, �
Actually Dick and Julian should've switched names, as Julian often really acts like a real dick by being condescending towards girls.
This may be a representation of the zeitgeist, as the first book was published in 1942.
But then again, there exist lots of older books that were more 'modern' in thoughts.
So much eating and sleeping
What are those kids: marmots?
They just finished breakfast and they're already thinking about lunch. Oh, and of course they have to get food for the afternoon tea and for dinner.
It's true that I already heard of the importance of food in children's books. As you can read on : "In Blyton’s books, eating food is the central focal point that brings children together. This in turn ingrains the value of having a bond with family and friends."
Taking into account when the first books about The Famous Five were published, I can understand that World War II and the aftermath were of influence. And thus, that food played a big role in people's lives.
But to me, there's a big difference between mentioning the meals or using them as pure page-filling.
Just out of curiosity I scanned one of the books for mentions of food and sleep and it turned out that they appeared on more than 45% of the pages.
Which brings us to the remaining (approximately) 55%:
Plot holes
In between all the eating and sleeping, our protagonists also solve some 'mysteries' that are either unbelievable or totally clear from the beginning.
There are lots of situations that aren't credible to begin with: young children from 10 years old who go on camping trips all alone, they can buy cigarettes, �
And it doesn't get better as there are definitely many plot holes in the described adventures (they hadn't the bag with food within reach, but still managed to eat without going back to get it; etc.).
Some of the errors could be due to a bad Dutch translation, but not all of them.
Line work
Did you know that Enid Blyton (° 1897 - � 1968) wrote hundreds of books and at some periods even 50 books per year?
762 of them are listed on .
But if you want a more detailed list of all her works (> 1.000) you can take a look at or .
Bearing in mind the amount of written books, it's understandable that they often come across as pure line work with a lot of page-filling content.
The conclusion
If I had children, I wouldn't let them read this crap.
It's true that as an adult, you rate books in another way than you would've as a child.
But there are so many really good children's books out there that definitely deserve more attention than this overrated and outdated series.
And as George Bernard Shaw said: "Make it a rule never to give a child a book you would not read yourself."
August 1, 2022
This is one of the best of the adventures. It has all the usual secret passages and old ruins and of course the 'villains'! There are fair ground folk in this with weird and wonderful talents and an array of animals and reptiles.
Highly enjoyable.
Highly enjoyable.
March 31, 2024
Bagus bangett bukunya, ceritanya juga seruuuu
November 30, 2016
This one is a lot of fun. The kids make do with only a small amount of vittles, for them at least. Was that a hedgehog in the stew - no problemo. All the fun of the fair and more.
June 4, 2019
Aside from a few misconceptions about people who run fairgrounds and circuses, this was an enjoyable tale. There's a ruined castle with secret passages, and a kidnapped scientist believed to be involved in the sale of State secrets. It just needs the intrepid Five to solve the mystery and have a jolly exciting adventure.
June 3, 2017
Petualangan ke 11 Lima Sekawan!
Setelah lama membujuk kedua orangtuanya George dan Timmy akhirnya diperbolehkan untuk menyusul ketiga sepupunya untuk menginap di karavan di bukit dekat sebuah peri kuno. Asyiknya lagi ada artis-artis pasar malam yang juga menginap di situ. Belum lagi mereka bertemu dengan kenalan lama, Jo. Seperti biasa dimana ada Lima Sekawan disitu ada petualangan. Petualangan dimulai saat mereka secara tidak sengaja melihat seraut wajah di jendela puri kuno yang seharusnya tidak lagi bisa dimasuki!
Saya kembali membaca Lima Sekawan setelah berhenti cukup lama. Saya melahap buku ini dengan cukup cepat karena alurnya yang menarik dan cepat. Saya sudah suka dengan Jo dari buku sebelumnya maka dari itu saya cukup excited bertemu lagi dengannya.
Saya sangat suka suasana yang digambarkan Bu Enid di buku ini. Baik suasana desa dan perbukitan serta purinya juga dengan pertemanan yang unusual antara Lima Sekawan dengan para artis pasar malam (dan Jo). Seperti biasa di buku ini juga ada lorong rahasia, ruang rahasia, dll. Sangat menyenangkan!
Salam Limun Jahe!
Setelah lama membujuk kedua orangtuanya George dan Timmy akhirnya diperbolehkan untuk menyusul ketiga sepupunya untuk menginap di karavan di bukit dekat sebuah peri kuno. Asyiknya lagi ada artis-artis pasar malam yang juga menginap di situ. Belum lagi mereka bertemu dengan kenalan lama, Jo. Seperti biasa dimana ada Lima Sekawan disitu ada petualangan. Petualangan dimulai saat mereka secara tidak sengaja melihat seraut wajah di jendela puri kuno yang seharusnya tidak lagi bisa dimasuki!
Saya kembali membaca Lima Sekawan setelah berhenti cukup lama. Saya melahap buku ini dengan cukup cepat karena alurnya yang menarik dan cepat. Saya sudah suka dengan Jo dari buku sebelumnya maka dari itu saya cukup excited bertemu lagi dengannya.
Saya sangat suka suasana yang digambarkan Bu Enid di buku ini. Baik suasana desa dan perbukitan serta purinya juga dengan pertemanan yang unusual antara Lima Sekawan dengan para artis pasar malam (dan Jo). Seperti biasa di buku ini juga ada lorong rahasia, ruang rahasia, dll. Sangat menyenangkan!
Salam Limun Jahe!
October 30, 2010
More gipsies, kidnapped mad scientists, ruined castles, secret passages. But what was the favourite chocolate bar, the wrapper of which the Five recognised so well? I wanted to be told so that I could eat it and be like them too. Enid Blyton missed some lucrative product placement tie-ins there. "Five have a wonderful time is brought to you by Cadbury's". Oh, I hope it wasn't Galaxy, chocolate for wimps.
January 12, 2023
Het elfde boek van De Vijf is een van die titels waaraan je in het Engels merkt dat Enid Blyton soms problemen had om met iets origineels én passends op de proppen te komen. Five Have a Wonderful Time?? Als je daaronder verstaat , tja, dan wel ja. Maar ik heb persoonlijk liever plezier en vertier op een andere manier...
Wat mij aan dit boek altijd heeft aangesproken, is de terugkeer van Sam, die een paar verhalen eerder, in De Vijf op Avontuur (nog zo'n superoriginele titel) haar opwachting maakte. Blyton liet zelden oude personages opnieuw opdraven in latere boeken van haar reeksen, maar van alle mensen die de Vijf op hun avonturen ontmoeten, is Sam altijd een van mijn favorieten geweest. Zij brengt altijd leven in de brouwerij en je kunt goed met haar lachen ook. Een extra voordeel van haar komst is dat de circusartiesten dan ontdooien en het de Vijf niet meer lastig maken.
Zoals altijd is ook dit boek er weer een waar we naar beter, idyllischer tijden worden teruggevoerd, naar een leven zonder zorgen waarin het leven eenvoudiger was, waarin jonge kinderen nog hele dagen alleen de hort op konden, waarin de kans om overreden te worden heel wat kleiner was, waarin je op elke boerderij kilo's eten meekreeg dat de boeren je vrijwel naar het hoofd slingerden terwijl je er nauwelijks voor moest betalen, en waarin je nog een kasteelruïne kon bezoeken aan de wel zeer democratische prijs van - hou je vast - vijf pence per persoon. Ja, dit is een oud verhaal, hoe heb je dat geraden?
De vertaling is nu van Jolien Savalle - geen idee waar Senna opeens naartoe is. Maar de Nederlandse versie is van dezelfde kwaliteit. Veel mis kan je hier ook niet doen, denk ik. Faylights en nog een paar andere namen zeggen mij niks, ik vermoed dat de huidige vertaling wat minder Engelse namen wegmoffelt tegenover de vorige. Dat draagt in elk geval bij tot de sfeer van het verhaal.
In De Verdwenen Geleerden verblijven de Vijf weer in caravans, maar het zijn er andere dan toen in Boek 5 en ik heb nooit echt begrepen waarom. Er zitten wel meer van dat soort kleine vraagjes of inconsistenties in de reeks, maar ik neem aan dat dat gewoon komt omdat Blyton zoveel boeken schreef dat ze gewoon vergat om voor dat soort dingen verklaringen te geven, weet ik het. Het verhaal op zich is weer erg goed, al kan het wat mij betreft nu niet tippen aan zijn voorganger (De Vijf op Trektocht). Ik vind die circusartiesten wel tof, met alle details over het leven in het circus en een kleine inkijk van hoe ze (althans zogezegd) hun trucs doen. En het verhaal wordt op het normale moment intrigerend en spannend, wat betekent dat er wel genoeg gebeurt.
Na elf boeken - voorlopig is dit de laatste, ik ben nu helemaal bij met de nieuwe vertaling - heb ik nog altijd niks over de nieuwe covers gezegd. Die tekeningen zijn gemaakt door Laura Ellen Anderson (geen idee wie dat is). Eerlijk gezegd ben ik er geen echte fan van. Ik was vroeger ook al geen fan van de oude covers - zoals de uitgave waar deze recensie bij staat - vooral omdat ze nogal vaag waren, meer ruw ingekleurde schetsen dan echt heldere tekeningen. Maar die covers zagen er wel iets spannender uit en de kinderen leken er de juiste leeftijd te hebben. Naast het feit dat de huidige covers wat mij betreft te kinderachtig zijn, zelfs met de doelgroep in acht genomen, vind ik ook dat ze er vaak nogal saai uitzien - en waarom wordt George in een rokje afgebeeld? Ze haat het om een meisje te zijn en meisjeskleding te dragen, zo loopt ze er echt nooit bij. Verder zijn het allemaal net Tante Sidonia's bij elkaar, en lijken ze jonger dan ze in de boeken zijn...
8/10
Wat mij aan dit boek altijd heeft aangesproken, is de terugkeer van Sam, die een paar verhalen eerder, in De Vijf op Avontuur (nog zo'n superoriginele titel) haar opwachting maakte. Blyton liet zelden oude personages opnieuw opdraven in latere boeken van haar reeksen, maar van alle mensen die de Vijf op hun avonturen ontmoeten, is Sam altijd een van mijn favorieten geweest. Zij brengt altijd leven in de brouwerij en je kunt goed met haar lachen ook. Een extra voordeel van haar komst is dat de circusartiesten dan ontdooien en het de Vijf niet meer lastig maken.
Zoals altijd is ook dit boek er weer een waar we naar beter, idyllischer tijden worden teruggevoerd, naar een leven zonder zorgen waarin het leven eenvoudiger was, waarin jonge kinderen nog hele dagen alleen de hort op konden, waarin de kans om overreden te worden heel wat kleiner was, waarin je op elke boerderij kilo's eten meekreeg dat de boeren je vrijwel naar het hoofd slingerden terwijl je er nauwelijks voor moest betalen, en waarin je nog een kasteelruïne kon bezoeken aan de wel zeer democratische prijs van - hou je vast - vijf pence per persoon. Ja, dit is een oud verhaal, hoe heb je dat geraden?
De vertaling is nu van Jolien Savalle - geen idee waar Senna opeens naartoe is. Maar de Nederlandse versie is van dezelfde kwaliteit. Veel mis kan je hier ook niet doen, denk ik. Faylights en nog een paar andere namen zeggen mij niks, ik vermoed dat de huidige vertaling wat minder Engelse namen wegmoffelt tegenover de vorige. Dat draagt in elk geval bij tot de sfeer van het verhaal.
In De Verdwenen Geleerden verblijven de Vijf weer in caravans, maar het zijn er andere dan toen in Boek 5 en ik heb nooit echt begrepen waarom. Er zitten wel meer van dat soort kleine vraagjes of inconsistenties in de reeks, maar ik neem aan dat dat gewoon komt omdat Blyton zoveel boeken schreef dat ze gewoon vergat om voor dat soort dingen verklaringen te geven, weet ik het. Het verhaal op zich is weer erg goed, al kan het wat mij betreft nu niet tippen aan zijn voorganger (De Vijf op Trektocht). Ik vind die circusartiesten wel tof, met alle details over het leven in het circus en een kleine inkijk van hoe ze (althans zogezegd) hun trucs doen. En het verhaal wordt op het normale moment intrigerend en spannend, wat betekent dat er wel genoeg gebeurt.
Na elf boeken - voorlopig is dit de laatste, ik ben nu helemaal bij met de nieuwe vertaling - heb ik nog altijd niks over de nieuwe covers gezegd. Die tekeningen zijn gemaakt door Laura Ellen Anderson (geen idee wie dat is). Eerlijk gezegd ben ik er geen echte fan van. Ik was vroeger ook al geen fan van de oude covers - zoals de uitgave waar deze recensie bij staat - vooral omdat ze nogal vaag waren, meer ruw ingekleurde schetsen dan echt heldere tekeningen. Maar die covers zagen er wel iets spannender uit en de kinderen leken er de juiste leeftijd te hebben. Naast het feit dat de huidige covers wat mij betreft te kinderachtig zijn, zelfs met de doelgroep in acht genomen, vind ik ook dat ze er vaak nogal saai uitzien - en waarom wordt George in een rokje afgebeeld? Ze haat het om een meisje te zijn en meisjeskleding te dragen, zo loopt ze er echt nooit bij. Verder zijn het allemaal net Tante Sidonia's bij elkaar, en lijken ze jonger dan ze in de boeken zijn...
8/10
December 20, 2018
... reading with my 10 year old daughter...
I've read all these books way back when I was a child and I've read them numerous times. This story was amazing. My daughter felt slightly sad that it was over. Packed with adventure!
We both can't wait for her next pick.
I've read all these books way back when I was a child and I've read them numerous times. This story was amazing. My daughter felt slightly sad that it was over. Packed with adventure!
We both can't wait for her next pick.
October 16, 2024
First published in 1942, this novel includes espionage, kidnapped scientists, a rundown castle, and 'fair folk'.
An enjoyable read and a bit of fun.
An enjoyable read and a bit of fun.
November 18, 2011
Ah, one of my favorite Five novels! Why? Because it isn't set in Kirrin, and they get to go and stay in caravans within sight of a castle. That sounded like a load of fun, I can tell you, to a young girl who loved caravans and castles both!
I also liked that Jo made another appearance in this novel, she always makes me smile. She and Beauty used to make me giggle, thinking of the python tripping the men over in the tower together. Poor Quintin, once more having a mistaken identity and having a bad time of it all. I just wish I'd been allowed to do what these kids did, and have half the sense while doing it.
Once more the Five solve a kidnapping, and once more Uncle Quentin is involved because it is regarding a scientist he worked with. They of course, spot a clue and from there it is merely putting it all together to solve the mystery. It's nice to see them come up against the circus folk at first, because too often they are handed the easy way out because they are well mannered middle class children, lol.
Anyway, another Five book, almost finished reading them all now. A great book for kids and adults alike!
I also liked that Jo made another appearance in this novel, she always makes me smile. She and Beauty used to make me giggle, thinking of the python tripping the men over in the tower together. Poor Quintin, once more having a mistaken identity and having a bad time of it all. I just wish I'd been allowed to do what these kids did, and have half the sense while doing it.
Once more the Five solve a kidnapping, and once more Uncle Quentin is involved because it is regarding a scientist he worked with. They of course, spot a clue and from there it is merely putting it all together to solve the mystery. It's nice to see them come up against the circus folk at first, because too often they are handed the easy way out because they are well mannered middle class children, lol.
Anyway, another Five book, almost finished reading them all now. A great book for kids and adults alike!
May 25, 2017
I haven't reread this volume in the series I think. I did not remember much about this mystery. Usually when I start a Famous Five book, I already am aware of how it would end. So looks like I read this book again after 20+ years this time probably. Love it as always.
November 29, 2010
Jess, my 7-year old little girl, gives it 4 stars.
April 17, 2025
(Of this series, I've read and reviewed , , , , , , , and )
The Famous Five are off on their hols again! Ah, those halcyon pre-Minecraft days...
Things start off rather frosty - George has a cold so is late to the planned holiday her three cousins have arranged, then when she arrives, our gang are turfed out of their holiday camp by a travelling circus troupe for no real reason other than They Don't Like Outsiders. As they admit defeat, Jo (remember her?) arrives in a blaze of messy hair and glomps in the nick of time. Jo herself doesn't have quite as much fire as her introductory novel, but she still has enough pluck to sort things out between the warring factions. George's tsundere nature towards her is still well and truly present, even if it has mellowed - whether you see it as endearing or immature is up to you.
Turns out Jo is related to Alfredo the Fire-Eater, so the Five are immediately accepted into the fold to the point where I wondered if Blyton was deliberately throwing a red herring. Turns out not, they're unrelated to the mystery and are thoroughly involved in the kids' inevitable rescue. Blyton does ease off somewhat on disparaging the Travellers as they're (mostly) the goodies, plus they're integrated into the plot far better than did. We also get another animal companion in the form of Beauty the python, who takes a liking to Jo and has his own hand (tail?) in the capture of the baddies.
The 'mystery' - involving a scientist friend of Quentin's - didn't quite reach the mark somehow, but then again it's the third 'kidnapping victim held in a creepy castle' in as many books. A half-arsed failed abduction of one of the kids (Dick, not even Anne or Julian) is thrown in there, although a frantic Quentin is mistaken for the bad bloke at one point and also gets a makeshift imprisoning from the circus troupe. More emphasis is placed on the Five's wonderful time, so maybe Blyton intended this to be a bit of a breather. As usual, food shopping hauls, bunks and campfires are described in loving detail.
On a slightly less plot-related note, I enjoy that the Five actually get to attend some type of show this time (still no official setup in a big top, it's more a demonstration, but I'll take what I can get) after a distinct lack of circus attendance in Five Go Off In A Caravan. Perhaps a lot of disappointed 40s kids had written in and Blyton felt the need to fix it!
Meh, a 3 all 'round - I liked it well enough. I'm personally still waiting on my library delivery of , but it's quite fitting I ended up reading this one first.
The Famous Five are off on their hols again! Ah, those halcyon pre-Minecraft days...
Things start off rather frosty - George has a cold so is late to the planned holiday her three cousins have arranged, then when she arrives, our gang are turfed out of their holiday camp by a travelling circus troupe for no real reason other than They Don't Like Outsiders. As they admit defeat, Jo (remember her?) arrives in a blaze of messy hair and glomps in the nick of time. Jo herself doesn't have quite as much fire as her introductory novel, but she still has enough pluck to sort things out between the warring factions. George's tsundere nature towards her is still well and truly present, even if it has mellowed - whether you see it as endearing or immature is up to you.
Turns out Jo is related to Alfredo the Fire-Eater, so the Five are immediately accepted into the fold to the point where I wondered if Blyton was deliberately throwing a red herring. Turns out not, they're unrelated to the mystery and are thoroughly involved in the kids' inevitable rescue. Blyton does ease off somewhat on disparaging the Travellers as they're (mostly) the goodies, plus they're integrated into the plot far better than did. We also get another animal companion in the form of Beauty the python, who takes a liking to Jo and has his own hand (tail?) in the capture of the baddies.
The 'mystery' - involving a scientist friend of Quentin's - didn't quite reach the mark somehow, but then again it's the third 'kidnapping victim held in a creepy castle' in as many books. A half-arsed failed abduction of one of the kids (Dick, not even Anne or Julian) is thrown in there, although a frantic Quentin is mistaken for the bad bloke at one point and also gets a makeshift imprisoning from the circus troupe. More emphasis is placed on the Five's wonderful time, so maybe Blyton intended this to be a bit of a breather. As usual, food shopping hauls, bunks and campfires are described in loving detail.
On a slightly less plot-related note, I enjoy that the Five actually get to attend some type of show this time (still no official setup in a big top, it's more a demonstration, but I'll take what I can get) after a distinct lack of circus attendance in Five Go Off In A Caravan. Perhaps a lot of disappointed 40s kids had written in and Blyton felt the need to fix it!
Meh, a 3 all 'round - I liked it well enough. I'm personally still waiting on my library delivery of , but it's quite fitting I ended up reading this one first.
December 27, 2024
I think my copy is an original text. I have several famous five books in multiple editions, old and new, and often there are changes in the modern ones, like they wear jeans and jumpers instead of shorts and blazers. And in the old editions, everything is always 'queer', whereas they change that to words like 'odd' in the newer editions. Anyway, although this edition was printed in 1984, it seems to be the original text with a whole lot of queers in it.
And as a further example, in this one the kids go off in caravans. And when George sees them she says, and I quote, "Oh! Are those our caravans? Aren't they gay? They're just like the caravans the gypsies use - only these look cleaner and gayer."
Funny thing, at the start George is sick at home while the others have gone off in the caravans and she posts a card to the others and expects it to get to them the following day. I have no idea how she would address it. Two caravans on a hill outside village x?
Anyway, this one has gypsies, kidnapped scientists, castles and tunnels!
The first use of lashings is not in the context of ginger beer! Rather there’s a snake handler and Dick is scared of there being a caravan near theirs with lashings of poisonous snakes crawling around! In fact, there's no ginger beer in the whole book! Ripped off.
The gender roles are very firm, with the expectation that George will help with the cooking but not the boys, although Dick does help by frying the sausages!
There's lots of food as usual. I figured out Chapter 16 is the first chapter with no food mentioned!
Funny thing, a couple of times the kids use the phrase “Never say die!� It must have been a popular thing when Blyton was writing this.
Yes there is some ridiculous incompetence on behalf of the baddy adults.
Although in one sense unrealistic, the books are very realistic in the way the kids talk to each other and try to deal with grown-ups. Also the descriptions of places and action are very clear. I know they need to be for a kids book but so often kids books are a bit too cartoon like and these don’t suffer from that, no matter how unbelievable the circumstances of the plot.
And as a further example, in this one the kids go off in caravans. And when George sees them she says, and I quote, "Oh! Are those our caravans? Aren't they gay? They're just like the caravans the gypsies use - only these look cleaner and gayer."
Funny thing, at the start George is sick at home while the others have gone off in the caravans and she posts a card to the others and expects it to get to them the following day. I have no idea how she would address it. Two caravans on a hill outside village x?
Anyway, this one has gypsies, kidnapped scientists, castles and tunnels!
The first use of lashings is not in the context of ginger beer! Rather there’s a snake handler and Dick is scared of there being a caravan near theirs with lashings of poisonous snakes crawling around! In fact, there's no ginger beer in the whole book! Ripped off.
The gender roles are very firm, with the expectation that George will help with the cooking but not the boys, although Dick does help by frying the sausages!
There's lots of food as usual. I figured out Chapter 16 is the first chapter with no food mentioned!
Funny thing, a couple of times the kids use the phrase “Never say die!� It must have been a popular thing when Blyton was writing this.
Yes there is some ridiculous incompetence on behalf of the baddy adults.
Although in one sense unrealistic, the books are very realistic in the way the kids talk to each other and try to deal with grown-ups. Also the descriptions of places and action are very clear. I know they need to be for a kids book but so often kids books are a bit too cartoon like and these don’t suffer from that, no matter how unbelievable the circumstances of the plot.
September 13, 2021
Memilih untuk membaca buku ini karena ingin bernostalgia dengan buku-buku yang sudah menemani sedari kecil. Karena buku-bukunya enid blyton tersedia di perpustakaan sekolah, saya beberapa kali meminjam buku-bukunya enid blyton terutama seri petualangan lima sekawan.
Tanpa berekspektasi di awal, novel ini bisa dibilang cukup bagus. Saya bisa bilang bahwa diri saya pada umur 8 tahun akan sangat menikmati petualangan dari 5 sekawan ini. Buku petualangan dengan karakter anak-anak dengan segala pola pikirnya yang sederhana dan polos membuat hati saya jadi hangat membacanya. Enid blyton juga pintar memasukkan sedikit humor ke dalam cerita.
Namun sangat disayangkan bahwa novel ini baru terasa seru setelah menamatkan setengah novelnya. Bisa dibilang alurnya sangat lambat. Karena sudah mulai berekspektasi bahwa akan ada petualangan untuk mengungkap hilangnya sarjana secara misterius, saya jadi merasa bahwa misterinya harus cepat diungkapkan. Namun dari awal cerita sampai 5 sekawan menemukan clue terhadap misteri hilangnya sarjana, membutuhkan kurang lebih 150an halaman terlebih dahulu. Sebagai pembaca jujur saya merasa agak bosan di sini. "Kapan nih membahas sarjana misteriusnya?"
Buku ini berhasil membangunkan memori semasa SD saat saya meminjam buku 5 sekawan dan selalu tidak sempat menyelesaikannya karena selalu harus sudah dikembalikan sebelum saya mampu menyelesaikan petualangan mereka.
Oh iya! Saya suka karakter George dengan sense of humor yang mengundang gelak tawa, hahahaha 🤣
Tanpa berekspektasi di awal, novel ini bisa dibilang cukup bagus. Saya bisa bilang bahwa diri saya pada umur 8 tahun akan sangat menikmati petualangan dari 5 sekawan ini. Buku petualangan dengan karakter anak-anak dengan segala pola pikirnya yang sederhana dan polos membuat hati saya jadi hangat membacanya. Enid blyton juga pintar memasukkan sedikit humor ke dalam cerita.
Namun sangat disayangkan bahwa novel ini baru terasa seru setelah menamatkan setengah novelnya. Bisa dibilang alurnya sangat lambat. Karena sudah mulai berekspektasi bahwa akan ada petualangan untuk mengungkap hilangnya sarjana secara misterius, saya jadi merasa bahwa misterinya harus cepat diungkapkan. Namun dari awal cerita sampai 5 sekawan menemukan clue terhadap misteri hilangnya sarjana, membutuhkan kurang lebih 150an halaman terlebih dahulu. Sebagai pembaca jujur saya merasa agak bosan di sini. "Kapan nih membahas sarjana misteriusnya?"
Buku ini berhasil membangunkan memori semasa SD saat saya meminjam buku 5 sekawan dan selalu tidak sempat menyelesaikannya karena selalu harus sudah dikembalikan sebelum saya mampu menyelesaikan petualangan mereka.
Oh iya! Saya suka karakter George dengan sense of humor yang mengundang gelak tawa, hahahaha 🤣
March 19, 2019
Five Have a Wonderful Time has been the “fun-est� of the Famous Five series yet. We have the usual criminal bad guy to be apprehended, dark, musty, secret passageways to be navigated and towering, crumbling castles with secret rooms to be explored. Moreover, in this book, we have delightful interaction with the traveling fair-folks and The Five as they go caravan camping side-by-side. Rather enjoyable. I recommend for the young readers.
February 2, 2022
No 11/21 Reliving my childhood.
This one was a little disappointing. Not circus people but Fair-Folk with the return of Jo who the five had 'rescued' from the circus previously. Fair-folk don't like people, especially Police, very much and almost have super human powers including the ability to control large snakes, who seem very intelligent and can follow orders. I thought this book was a little tedious and nowhere as good as the previous ten I have read thus far.
This one was a little disappointing. Not circus people but Fair-Folk with the return of Jo who the five had 'rescued' from the circus previously. Fair-folk don't like people, especially Police, very much and almost have super human powers including the ability to control large snakes, who seem very intelligent and can follow orders. I thought this book was a little tedious and nowhere as good as the previous ten I have read thus far.
July 23, 2018
It’s a very nice mystery book.
The book is based upon a conspiracy against terry Kane, the scientist, conspired by his rival James Pottersham.
In the beginning the fair folks were not good to the five, but when jo, Alfredo’s niece, came and introduced them to the folk people, they quite regretted their bad behavior towards them and since then the five’s days becam more enjoyable.
The end is the most humorous part of the whole book.
The book is based upon a conspiracy against terry Kane, the scientist, conspired by his rival James Pottersham.
In the beginning the fair folks were not good to the five, but when jo, Alfredo’s niece, came and introduced them to the folk people, they quite regretted their bad behavior towards them and since then the five’s days becam more enjoyable.
The end is the most humorous part of the whole book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 8, 2022
แค่ไปพักแรมกันในคาราวาȨ็เกิึϹรื่องให้ต้องผจญภัย
เล่มนี้ก็อ่านง่าย สนุก เป็นชีวิตที่เด็กฝันอยากทำเลย ทั้งเดินเล่นผจญภัยในชนบ� ตั้งแคมป์กันเอง หาอาหารกินเอง ไปซื้อของสดๆ จากไร่ เหนื่ยก็งีบหลับ ตื่นมาก็เล่นน้ำในลำธา� ส่วนการผจญภัยที่เจอเล่มนี้สนุกดี ลุ้น� อยู่เหมือนกัน เด็กๆ ห้าสหายก็ไม่ได้เก่งจนเว่อร� ก็มีอะไรที่ทำไม่ได้ต้องให้ผู้ใหญ่ช่วยเช่นเดียวกั�
เล่มนี้ก็อ่านง่าย สนุก เป็นชีวิตที่เด็กฝันอยากทำเลย ทั้งเดินเล่นผจญภัยในชนบ� ตั้งแคมป์กันเอง หาอาหารกินเอง ไปซื้อของสดๆ จากไร่ เหนื่ยก็งีบหลับ ตื่นมาก็เล่นน้ำในลำธา� ส่วนการผจญภัยที่เจอเล่มนี้สนุกดี ลุ้น� อยู่เหมือนกัน เด็กๆ ห้าสหายก็ไม่ได้เก่งจนเว่อร� ก็มีอะไรที่ทำไม่ได้ต้องให้ผู้ใหญ่ช่วยเช่นเดียวกั�
September 10, 2021
História muito simples, mas bem conseguida dentro do género.
September 26, 2021
เกิดเรื่องขึ้นอีกแล้ว รอบนี้ไม่ได้ผจญภัยหนักหน่วงเหมือนครั้งก่อน� อ่านได้เพลิน�
March 11, 2022
I loved it because it was funny and scary. We were so desperate to find out what happened next we couldn't put it down. She dropped clues in along the way so we enjoyed trying to figure out what was going to happen next. - AH (Age 7)
May 27, 2024
De er nogen søde børn. En hyggelig historie.
August 22, 2024
J'ai vraiment beaucoup aimé cette aventure du club des 5, mais les innombrables clichés racistes concernant les gens du voyage sont très difficiles à lire en 2024 d'où une note plus basse que d'habitude.
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