Least favorite Enid Blyton book

[Philip Mannering]

I really can't choose a single least favourite - the last SS, the last FF, the last FFO? And the Caravan Family series were quite weak too, in terms of plot - but delightful books (some, like Queen Elizabeth and Saucy Jane) in their own right. It's easier to say which are my favourites!

The Adventure series was my least favourite series by a long chalk when I was 9, 10, 11 - but now I find it to be one of the better ones!

Even when I was 10, I loved the Adventure series best. Difference of opinion I suppose.

I must say, some of the Famous Fives were really poor. Secret Trail and Billycock Hill, Adventuring Again and Have a Mystery to Solve, Go Down to Sea and Finniston Farm (the last not really bad, but I was too bored by it) are my least favourites. Together Again should get special mention...?

I cannot remember the last Seven - but I remember that when I first read it, I thought it was a really weak story, not properly plotted. But then, I'm not really a fan of them.

Mountain of the Adventure series does get a lot of criticism - but I found it strangely entertaining. It was the first of the Adventure books I read, and one of the only ones I can actually remember the first read. At 1am late night. It was thrilling. True, it does have a absurd plot - but when the story really took off, I was hooked. Ship was rather the same. I loved all the detective work and the voyage part - but the actual adventure part was extremely weak to me. And oh, the villains really weren't my favourites. But the main thing that threw me off was the oh-so-convenient situation in the chapter "Things Begin to Happen!". Phew, what a load of coincidences!! It was really contrived, and I found it hard to get into the story after that.

In the Find-Outers, no need to explain. Banshee Towers was quite entertaining in places - but I couldn't get into the story. For other least favourites in this series, Vanished Prince deserves a mention - it was the first FFO I read so I did have a liking for it at one time - but the whole Bongawee nonsense doesn't seem to ring true.

In the Secret series, The Secret of Spiggy Holes is my least favourite. Oh-so-original.

In the Barney "R" Mysteries series, The Rat-a-Tat Mystery is the weakest for me, followed by Ragamuffin. The other four titles are superb, in my opinion.

I was really irritated by the girls' stories when I first read them - that maybe because I am not mad on Girly Books - but they were really boring at times. Some were good of course, but I must say that, had the Seven not been there, these would have probably been my least favourites.

That's all for now!

[Anita Bensoussane]

I cannot remember the last Seven - but I remember that when I first read it, I thought it was a really weak story, not properly plotted. But then, I'm not really a fan of them.

Yes, the last Secret Seven is certainly a contender for my least-liked Enid Blyton book. A rambling, confusing plot, lacking sparkle. Number 14 doesn't make a lot of sense to me either.

Anita

[hobbes]

I think I went stright into the FF and then when I tried the SS, they just seemed silly and too short.

I haven't ever gone back to reread the fairy stories and the Brer Rabbit books etc although I haver my old hardbacks of them all.

So yes have to agree - of her none nursery books the Secret Seven are the poorest.

[Lenoir]

You should try the SS again now, maybe you'll see them in a new light.

My least favourite books are probably some of the farm books. Nothing very exciting happens it seems.

[Philip Mannering]

Which farm books do you mean? The 'Cherry Tree; Willow Farm' books? I haven't read them yet.

[Ming]

Those are rather dull, especially as they deal with British wildlife or farming and as there is absolutely no relation with my own surroundings here I somehow can't find much interest in them.

[Philip Mannering]

These negative comments are making me think that I shouldn't buy those books! They're not available anyway, same with so much of Blytons.

[Anita Bensoussane]

The Cherry Tree/Willow Farm books don't have much of a plot and appear to have been written mainly with the aim of teaching children about British wildlife and farming. More Adventures on Willow Farm contains more of a plot than the other two although even that is rather episodic. Having said all that, I find the three books enjoyable. The eagerness and enthusiasm of the characters appeals to me and I like Enid Blyton's lively, informative descriptions of nature. Willow Farm sounds very warm and cosy and there is always something new happening on the farm from month to month.

Anita

[Rob Houghton]

The Cherry Tree/Willow Farm books don't have much of a plot and appear to have been written mainly with the aim of teaching children about British wildlife and farming. More Adventures on Willow Farm contains more of a plot than the other two although even that is rather episodic. Having said all that, I find the three books enjoyable. The eagerness and enthusiasm of the characters appeals to me and I like Enid Blyton's lively, informative descriptions of nature. Willow Farm sounds very warm and cosy and there is always something new happening on the farm from month to month.

Anita

I've never been a real fan of Cherry tree farm or Willow farm, but 'More Adventures on Willow Farm' has the distinction of being the only Blyton book (indeed, the only book written by anyone! ) that I read in one sitting, when I was about 9.

[Philip Mannering]

Gosh, and I remember that in my first reads I read nearly all the books in one sitting!

[booklover]

Are we looking through child eyes, or adult eyes?

As a child, one was always limited by the books available. Did anyone really read all or most Blyton books? If so, well done! Of those that were available, I'd have to say Bimbo and Topsy. That book just didn't do anything for me. And Noddy. Sorry, no interest in him - and he was an unfortunate blight on Blyton's reputation too. I didn't have much time for Mr Twiddle, Amelia Jane or Mr Meddle either (although note - they were all read!).

On the other hand, I loved the debonair do-gooding Mr Pink-Whistle. He seemed quite the English gentleman. And Elizabeth Allen and Mr Galliano were fascinating in their different ways. And I quite unashamedly loved all the adventure stories.

As an adult, you are hopefully more discerning - and can cast a more critical eye over the adventure stories that were so exciting as a child. Now I would have to say that I really don't like Five on a Secret Trail - the story is too short, the twist is too obvious and the crime is too silly.

For what it's worth, I quite enjoyed the much-maligned Banshee Towers - the crime is clever, and its manner of detection equally as clever. Blyton could still produce glimpses of her brilliant story-telling ability, even at the end of her career.

[Philip Mannering]

I agree with you, booklover (how strange that here where I live there should be a bookshop of that name!) - 'Secret Trail' is a remarkably poor story, undoubtedly one of the worst of the 'Fives', along with others such as 'Billycock Hill' and 'Together Again.' The later 'Five's' were nearly all very poor, with the exception of 'Fix'.

[Anita Bensoussane]

And Noddy. Sorry, no interest in him - and he was an unfortunate blight on Blyton's reputation too.

Couldn't agree more, Booklover!

I didn't have much time for Mr Twiddle, Amelia Jane or Mr Meddle either (although note - they were all read!).

On the other hand, I loved the debonair do-gooding Mr Pink-Whistle. He seemed quite the English gentleman.

I loved Mr. Pink-Whistle and Meddle too. Twiddle didn't have quite the same attraction for me, perhaps because magic spells and powers didn't feature in his world. However, on re-reading the Twiddle stories as an adult - and becoming acquainted with some I'd never read as a youngster - I found myself warming to him partly because he was so human. I liked the nursery world of the Amelia Jane books when I was about five or six but the stories didn't stand up well to a re-reading when I was older.

Now I would have to say that I really don't like Five on a Secret Trail - the story is too short, the twist is too obvious and the crime is too silly.

That was the first Famous Five book I ever read, aged about seven, and it nearly put me off reading the rest of the series!

Anita

[Moonraker]

And Noddy. Sorry, no interest in him - and he was an unfortunate blight on Blyton's reputation too.

Was that intentional? Full marks if it was!!!

[Philip Mannering]

"Blight on Blyton" - excellent, booklover!!!

Anita, Five On a Secret Trail nearly put you off the Famous series? Now, I am beginning to wonder what would have happened if I had read Five are Together Again first.