What a pity that some descriptive lines and incidental scenes have been removed from the Collins editions.
Little details like that add to the atmosphere, help us get to know the characters and contribute to the natural flow and rhythm of Enid Blyton's writing style. No wonder I had a feeling that something was missing when I read those two curiously curt sentences about Brock, Peter and Pam being disappointed that they couldn't go to the castle as Brock's mother had planned a picnic for them.
Liam wrote:The beginning of Cliff Castle slipped by without me noticing. That was strange since this is a new book for me. so I can agree that there was something unmemorable about the first two chapters or so. Looking back now I think I may have been spoiled by Smuggler Ben which started with tension and conflict. But after the start of Cliff Castle, I felt the story was thrilling and suspenseful, a real page-turner, even more so than Smuggler Ben. It seems these are two very different styles in Enid’s writing. Smuggler Ben centered around relationships. Cliff Castle focused on narrative flow. It reminded me of the two Adventurous Four books where the plot sequence overshadows the relationships between the characters.
Courtenay wrote:Overall, although I enjoyed both stories and they're great examples of Enid "trying out" various elements of adventure stories before she got underway with most of her better known works, Smuggler Ben gets my vote for the more satisfying one on the whole.
I thought both adventures were exciting once they got going but the plots lacked complexity and the thrills and danger didn't last long enough for me. Like Courtenay, I found
Smuggler Ben more satisfying overall and I think that's because of the greater tension and conflict that you mentioned, Liam, and the focus on relationships.
Smuggler Ben had me intrigued right from the beginning, whereas
Cliff Castle took longer to draw me in. I felt the same as Rob - that it was like a "younger", scaled down
Castle of Adventure in some respects.
Liam wrote:...One thing that stood out for me in Cliff Castle was the risks Brock took, for example going up to the tower room even though the men’s footprints were seen to lead there. I know Enid gave the reason, that he is fearless. But it didn’t seem realistic to me. Of course there would be no adventure without risks.
shadow wrote:I agree about the risks that Brock took. He stated at the beginning that he was scared to go to the castle alone and then suddenly he's involving everyone in dangerous exploits.
GloomyGraham wrote:I thought it was rather strange that Brock had never been to Cliff Castle before. Even if he thought the place 'wicked', I found it hard to believe he had not at least been taken there by his parents for a walk or picnic nearby. His mother seemed to know there was a little shop in the neighbourhood. But yeah - Brock suddenly got very interested in - and fearless about - the nearby castle he'd ignored for a decade..
I agree with all three of you. Fancy Brock never having been to the castle because of it having "rather a wicked look"! It doesn't fit with what Blyton says about him when he goes to the castle alone at night-time:
Brock saw the moon coming up slowly. It lighted up the castle on the hill, and made it look silvery and unreal.
"It's like a castle out of some old story," thought the boy. "It will be fun to get inside at night-time!"
Brock was quite fearless. He enjoyed this kind of adventure, and was quite glad to be on his own, without the others to bother about.
An adventurous, independent boy like that couldn't possibly have spent years ignoring a mysterious castle that he could see every day from his bedroom window!
GloomyGraham wrote:All illustrations of the castle from Brock's house seem to show it as being far too close. I estimated at least an hour's walk from Blyton's description of the children's first trip there. Illustrations made it look more like 10 minutes away.
You're right. I was thinking about the walk to the castle when I was sitting up in bed one night reading Chapter 8. Brock got out of bed at half-past ten to go to the castle by himself in the dark. I looked at my own clock and it was 10.27 pm, so I was only three minutes behind Brock. Could I possibly have got dressed and gone out to a mysterious castle some distance from my house at that time of night? I had to admit the answer was no! I was too tired and the air felt cold, and all I wanted to do was read for a little longer and then go to sleep! Oh dear - maybe I was growing up at last!
Nicko wrote:The ending with the electric car was pretty ludicrous, but it is still more believable than the ending to Smuggler Ben.
Rob Houghton wrote:I'm afraid I have to totally disagree with that! My feelings were that the electric car was 'ludicrous' as there was no real reason for it. It was just a random gift to the children, given by the princess (I always hate stories that involve princesses jewels, lol!) whilst the motorboat given to the children at the end of Smuggler Ben had already featured in the plot, and didn't coat anyone anything. No one had to pay for it, or get it shipped over, or anything. So actually the boat is much more realistic a gift in my opinion. It would probably just have been scrapped or destroyed if the children hadn't been given it.
In fact - it really wasn't that much of a 'gift' when you think of it - a second-hand boat used by the baddies which had probably already travelled many miles all around the coat and across the channel etc!
I agree with you, Rob, about the reward of the motor boat in
Smuggler Ben arising naturally from the events of the narrative. As an adult I can't help thinking that it wouldn't be safe for children to go out in a motor boat alone and that they'd have difficulty getting fuel anyway during the war - and that maintaining the boat in the long term could be expensive. However, none of that occurred to me when I read the book as a child. I just thought it was a wonderful present that would give the children even greater freedom to go off by themselves and explore.
The visit from the princess and the gift of the electric car in
Cliff Castle sounded rather more far-fetched to me even when I was a youngster. It was as though we'd suddenly gone into a fairy-tale! The children seemed too old to drive a toy car along the pavement or round the garden, and surely they wouldn't be allowed to drive on the road! Recharging the battery and maintaining the car would cost a lot - but that didn't occur to me as a child. The title "Princess of Larreeanah" reminded me of the silly "royal" names in
The Mystery of the Vanished Prince - Kim-Pippy-Tok and Kim-Larriana-Tik, based on the names Pip and Larry - though of course
Vanished Prince was written a lot later than
Cliff Castle.
Wolfgang wrote:Well, in the German edition the children's parents are given a savings book for each of the children with a high sum on it, and the children additionally get the electric car.
I don't think the idea of savings books sounds very Blytonian at all. They would be looked after by the children's parents and the money would be kept for the future. Rewards in Blyton books are usually things that the children can use, enjoy or display. As well as boats and cars we hear of old swords or pieces of jewellery, fireworks, circus tickets or a day's holiday from school so that all the pupils can go to the fair.