The Ship of Adventure

A return to form in the Adventure series after a slight misstep in the weird Mountain of Adventure. This book was better, but I wouldn't place it among the very best in the series.

The story has two parts. In the first one, the children are on a cruise ship with Philip and Dinah's mother. It's quite a novel setting for an Enid Blyton book, which is a good thing. However, it also means that they are never on their own, which deprives us from a very enjoyable component of these adventures.

During a visit to a Greek island, the children buy a ship in a bottle and find a treasure map inside it, and the adventure is on. Their antics while trying to get the map translated were enjoyable, although the children were not at their best, letting the show more awful Mr. Eppy (great villain, by the way) get his hands on two of the four pieces of the map.

Then, for the second part of the book, Mrs. Mannering has to go back to England to look after one of those relatives who are always getting sick when Blyton needs to get rid of an adult. However, instead of the children being on their own, Bill flies to Greece to look after them. By another convenient coincidence, the ship's engines are broken, so Bill and the children are free to look for the treasure, in direct competition with Mr. Eppy.

And that's the story. Quite an enjoyable adventure, but I missed the children being on their own. I like Bill, but I prefer him arriving at the last moment to save the day. With him along for the ride, the children have less decisions to make and less risks to take. In the first part of the book, the children had more autonomy, since Mrs. Mannering was not really involved with the efforts to translate the map.

I also felt sorry for poor Lucien. I did not like how the children treated him. Lucien is clearly used to being bullied and, although the children did not bully him, they often treated him with disdain, because he's naive and not tough and brave like Jack and Philip.

Apparently Enid Blyton intended this to be the last book in the series, and it ends with Mrs. Mannering and Bill getting engaged. True, it was not the most romantic way to get engaged, but whatever. Now the children will have and mother and a father figure. show less

"The Ship of Adventure" has been the first one of Enid Blyton's books I read and has easily kept me interested in the other ones as well when I've still been a little child reading about adventures and great mysteries leading to happy-ends. I know this series will always have a special place in my heart, as it is the first one I ever started to read, but this book seems kind of outstanding in comparison to the other novels. The cruise was used to create an interesting atmosphere, and I remember I caught myself falling in love with young monkey Mickey and his special bond to Philip. The greek island landscape has included a wonderful setting Enid Blyton could not have chosen better to let the story culminate in its turning point. The show more book is still written for children, which is why the language is kept comparatively simple. The characters of the four children are only allowed to.have some major attributes rather than being more full-layered, but they are still very likeable, and the book absolutely succeeds in its attempt to create an intriguing story. show less

This is probably my favorite in the Adventure series - but I'm a sucker for anything involving travel! Loved this story set partly on a cruise ship, partly in Mediterranean islands - a great vacation read for any age.

It is years since I have read any of these books but I am having a big sort out at home and decided to reminisce a little - i was an Enid Blyton-aholic when I was younger. I don't believe the distinction between children's books and adult books, they are all books, in fact children's books have the best stories.

This particular book was first published in 1950 with this addition published in 1975. I assume therefore that most of it is the original text before the PC-brigade have made changes. And indeed it is true that some of the passages and attitudes do make you blush.

The four kids (and their parrot) are taken on a cruise to keep them away from any adventures during the summer holidays. Of course events conspire to create one after show more the 'fortunate' coincidences of meeting a child on board who knew about an ancient story of missing treasure, Mrs Mannering being called away and the cruise ship having engine trouble. A Ship in a Bottle leads to a treasure map, danger and adventure.

Did not really like the introduction of Phillip's latest monkey pet though of course it provided an important plot device later on.

Lots of stretching of incredulity but a swash buckling adventure, excitement, treasure maps and danger in the Mediterranean. A romantic setting for the tale. I still have plenty of old EB books on my shelf and will gradually read through them.

Having read other reviews it appears this was meant to be the sixth and last installment of this series, which was surely one of the best series by Enid Blyton. It seemingly ends with Bill and Mrs Mannering agreeing to get married and Bill agreeing to adopt the children as his own. show less

Novels/novelettes

Match found in the German National Library.

De nuevo, los cuatro amigos están de vacaciones y la señora Mannering, reserva para estos un crucero por el que pasarán por Lisboa, el sur de España, el Marruecos francés y las islas griegas del mar Egeo. En estas últimas descubren un mapa antiguo escondido en un barco que parece indicar un tesoro escondido.