Aww ... Julian and Anne are coming across a lot better now, nicer and kinder. I can see that both families are going to end up rather liking each other - a very Blytonesque message!
I didn't know how this was going to turn out but you're right, it's definitely more Blyton than Forest, possibly because we're on Blyton territory and there has to be a respect for the characters you're playing with. I like Julian more now than I did at the beginning and somehow George, who I've always liked the best, is coming across as far more surly and unpleasant than I intended!
Yes, I must admit I'm not warming to your George (not the writing, the character). It's so long since I've read Blyton that I'm not sure if I would like her now as I did when I read them; her constant Timmy talk would drive anyone nuts. Julian and Anne, who were fairly blah to me then, are definitely seeming nicer now than at the beginning of your story.
I think George was a brilliant role model for all those tomboys (I was one myself) who came up against the 'girls can't do that' rule but this only worked while she and the reader weren't older than twelve or so (these days much younger). Any older and it becomes faintly ridiculous. Or she has real gender identity problems!
Incidentally, when I was a child there were many tomboys around but they seem almost extinct these days.
Yes, although I'm not absolutely sure it wasn't made unusable in some other adventure. But it's the kind of continuity issue EB wouldn't have worried about for one moment ...
Hee - I'm fairly sure it was only used in the one book and then never mentioned again. But it's been years since I did more than glance at a single Famous Five book so I can't be sure. For that same reason, I could be wrong, but wasn't Saucy Jane used as a clue in another adventure? Two trees, Saucy Jane and maybe a couple of other things? It's been bugging me, can you tell?
Yes, I think you're right. Saucy Jane rings a bell now you mention it. A few years ago I started to rebuild my childhood collection but that's one I haven't got yet although I seem to remember it's one of the 'darker' (!) ones. The one that really scared me, though, was the one with a train with no driver that went through tunnels at dead of night.
Thanks so much for verifying this. It's easy to think you're going mad when you find such differences within the books!
Re the ages there's a bit in the EB link colne dsr sent me http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/ where someone has worked out the FF's complete ages for each of the books. There are some very entertaining bits on the site.
And I have a feeling even I could navigate those rocks if the occasion warranted it.
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Nice work.
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Incidentally, when I was a child there were many tomboys around but they seem almost extinct these days.
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For that same reason, I could be wrong, but wasn't Saucy Jane used as a clue in another adventure? Two trees, Saucy Jane and maybe a couple of other things? It's been bugging me, can you tell?
Reply
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Re the ages there's a bit in the EB link colne dsr sent me http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/ where someone has worked out the FF's complete ages for each of the books. There are some very entertaining bits on the site.
And I have a feeling even I could navigate those rocks if the occasion warranted it.
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