The Picts and the Martyrs

Another Swallows and Amazons escapade. Nancy and Peggy are looking forward to having Dorothea and Dick visit, but then find that the Great Aunt is coming to stay, to make sure they are OK without their parents. Thus is born the great plan that Dorothea and Dick will hide in an old shed (as Picts) while Nancy and Peggy will show the Great Aunt that they are perfectly fine and their mother has done nothing wrong in going away (as Martyrs). It is lovely to see an older Nancy and Peggy trying hard to do the right thing, the D's difficulties living alone are very well drawn (ah, the rabbit skinning!) and the final resolution is very fitting.

Here Arthur Ransome rehabilitates the feared Great Aunt and Nancy shows she's growing up. The D's are staying at Beckfoot with the Amazons, who's mother is away recuperating from an illness. Nancy is resolved not to let her mother regret leaving her in charge so when the feared Great Aunt hears that her great nieces are unsupervised and arrives to take over, Nancy's plan to keep the GA happy and make sure her mother does not regret leaving them sees the Ds banished to a hut in the woods, the doctor and the postman sworn to secrecy and things rapidly threatening to spiral out of control. Less overtly adventurous than the other books in the series, but still a really interesting and enjoyable read. Older readers will appreciate the show more character development and younger readers the Ds learning to fend for themselves and the drama of the "burglary". show less

"Picts & Martyrs" had my whole family looking for an excuse to read an extra chapter. The synopsis doesn't do justice to the humor and happy suspense. This is one of our favorite Ransome books.

This was one of the first S&A books I read, being given it at the age of six. It falls well into the middle of the series, so for a long time I had no clear idea how it fitted with the others. It is one of a subseries in which a new pair of children, Dick and Dorothea (Dot) become involved with the original S&A group. In this story, Dick and Dot are expecting to stay with the original Amazons Nancy and Peggy while their parents are away, but the Amazons' very strict old-fashioned great aunt arrives, so Dick and Dot take refuge in an isolated hut and become the "Picts" while Nancy and Peggy are the "Martyrs" suffering under the tyranny of the great aunt who makes them act like respectable young ladies instead of pirates.

Growing up the Swallows and Amazons series by Arthur Ransome was one of my favorite series. When I decided to re-read it as an adult I was worried that it would not stand the test of time. I was delighted to find that in general found it just as enjoyable now as I did as a child. The characters, writing style and adventures are great and I truly enjoyed the series.

Maybe one of the best yet, I am sad to have nearly finished the series.

The Ds can't wait to go and stay with Nancy and Peggy in the Lake District during the summer holidays. But when the Amazons' dreadful Great Aunt invites herself to stay too, the summer is threatened with dullness. Staying indoors and reading poetry is not what the Amazons had in mind. To save the Ds from the same fate they organize for them to stay in the Dogs' Home, a tumble-down hut in the woods. As long as no one discovers they're there they can sail all summer long.