The Castle of Adventure

It's strange to think that there's a whole series of Enid Blyton books that I haven't really read - just a couple of titles out of order. Having collected them in the UK, I never got a chance to read them then, so I'm gradually making sure of them now. Somehow they don't grab my attention like the Famous Fives, which is probably why they're less popular, but I am fascinated by the level of detail Blyton goes into with regards to Jack's interest in birds. For a Blyton book, there is a surprising amount of detail devoted to Jack's abilities and his dedication to his passion for birds.

One of the most fascinating aspects of this book for me was the description of Jack working out how to create a hide and setting up his camera, gradually show more accustoming the eagles to his presence and to the click of the camera. I found myself filled with admiration for the way in which he finally captures brilliant images of the young eagle learning to fly. All of Blyton's main characters tend to be clever and capable, but there is rarely a mention of anything that might suggest a future career or a particular skill. Even in this series, so far only Jack shows what he has in him as a person and what he might achieve. I think I shall enjoy reading this series for that aspect alone. show less

Enid Blyton's best-known series is the Famous Five but, as much as I love the Five, if we had to say what's her best series, this would probably be it. The idea is rather similar to the Famous Five (a group of children having thrilling adventures), but the danger here seems more real, the situations grittier and a bit more "realistic" (as far as a group of children getting into so many amazing adventures can be realistic), the bad guys scarier.

This second book in the Adventure series is also very entertaining thriller for children. The courage and adventurous spirit of the children, the comics relief provided by Kiki the parrot and by Philip's collection of pets, and the tension of the plot, with the children locked up by the bad guys show more in an old castle, with no way to escape, make this an excellent story for young readers. show less

The four adventurers are back in the saddle again, moving from a lonely island to a mysterious castle. The children manage to find a way in to the old, abandoned structure, and all the great elements of a Blyton adventure soon make their appearances. Tassie, the wild girl, is an interesting addition to the cast. It's not clear if she is a gypsy girl or just a local from a very poor family.

Second in the series ... very cool :-)
Since I've been reading these out of order, it's cool to now fill in what I've missed. I've been wondering how old the children are now ... the boys are older than the girls and the girls are still quite young.

Such a great little series :-)

Adrianne

1963 edition

Novels/novelettes

Match found in the German National Library.