Homage to Enid Blyton?

[Michael42]

Link to Book

Does that front cover look familiar to you? A friend linked me to it the other day. I started reading the sample just out of interest, and hmm, it's a BIT different from the original (to put it mildly). Definitely not for children. It seems to be touching on some pretty modern issues. Anyway, I was just wondering if you folks had noticed it or not.

[Wolfgang]

The author is an anagram of Enid Blyton which I doubt is coincidence. It wouldn't be the first author though who was inspired by Blyton or used her methods.

[Julie2owlsdene]

Obviously a self published book, poking fun at the original Blyton Books. Foul language, not my cup of tea at all!!! Doubt if a 'proper publisher' would have published it!!!

That's the trouble these days, anyone can publish their own rubbish!!

[Eddie Muir]

I agree with everything you say, Julie. A sad sign of the times.

[Carlotta King]

How pathetic.

There really should be some sort of rules about what can be self-published, someone should inspect the books first to see if they're ok!

[Fiona1986]

Read the first two chapters. Can't say I thought it was very good. I'm not one to be offended by bad language but some of it felt rather unnecessary. Fair enough if the characters swear a bit in dialogue but these three did nothing but swear, and then there was more swearing in the narrative and even in the chapter titles. Like it was trying to be as offensive as possible.

Interesting idea and I thought it had some good points, but it doesn't seem very well though out or proof read.

Jay is clearly Julian, Rick is Dick and Anya Anne. But Uncle Quentin is still Quentin, but now he's an astronomer.

I couldn't work out the relationship between the three, as they said "half brother" and "step brother" almost interchangeably but they don't mean the same thing. And there were some ugly grammar errors. Shan't be buying it even if it is only £1.23 as I don't think I'm going to like the characters at all, they are not how I imagine a grown up Five, even in modern days and considering I've written plenty of fanfic where they do swear.

[Michael42]

Oh dear, a lot of hate for it here! I wasn't sure about it at first, but I do enjoy some 'overly offensive' things. I'm not sure if I saw it as poking fun of Enid Blyton, though. At least not in a mean way. I doubt there'll be much interest in it tbh.

[John Pickup]

I think it's awful. It has no merit whatsoever. Utter drivel.

[Daisy]

I agree John. It looks awful and reading it is truly painful. A horrible travesty. I had no desire to read further than the first few paragraphs.

[Julie2owlsdene]

That's one of the down sizes to self publishing, I think. A book or kindle etc doesn't have to be any good. Where as a publisher is more fussy on what they take. Any old rubbish is published these days, as long as you are prepared to pay for it yourself!!!

[Courtenay]

Urgh... no, wouldn't call this "homage". Trying to be smart and failing spectacularly, more like.

[Moonraker]

The first sentence was enough for me. I would think Hodder might be interested in this. Michael42, you're not connected to this book are you? I see there's a 5 star review - I guess that's written by the author.

[Michael42]

I'm not connected to the book, but I *think* it was written by someone that the person who linked me to it knows. Not sure. I guess you lot just aren't the kind of people who'd be able to see past its flaws. Since I'm genderqueer/trans myself I found the central conflict therapeutic. I've actually been able to talk about it to some people recently. Oh well i will go elsewhere.