The most depressing Famous Five book?

[pete9012S]

When I first read Five on Kirrin Island Again, it was the last book. Imagine the delight when
Five Go off to Camp started being serialised in Sunny Stories!

Yes!
I can't think of a better antidote to the sadness of book six ending - another Famous Five book!

[Wolfgang]

Correct, Wolfgang!

I know

[IceMaiden]

Agreed with you Boodi. 'Enid Blyton' and 'depressing' are words I could never put or even think of being in the same sentence. When I think of something as depressing Eastenders or another equal misery fest doom and gloom show comes to mind and none of Enid's books are anything like that! I am astounded that anyone whose read them can think the Famous Five are depressing .

[Boatbuilder]

Personally, I think the topic title using the words 'most depressing' is the wrong choice of words. Maybe using the words 'least appealing' instead would have been a more apt title for it.

[Hannah]

I'm not sure that's the same but it probably depends on what you understand by "the most depressing book". The one you like least? One that has an atmosphere that's a bit "darker" than others (that's what I associated with the title)?

[Moonraker]

I'm not sure that's the same but it probably depends on what you understand by "the most depressing book". The one you like least? One that has an atmosphere that's a bit "darker" than others (that's what I associated with the title)?

That is exactly the point that I was trying to make in my repky to Bertie, earlier!

Well, yeah, maybe the word 'depressing' is the wrong choice in the title as the OP is pretty much just saying which FF book is their least favourite.

I took the word 'depressing' to refer to the reader's feelings after reading the book, not the actual story.

[Lucky Star]

I took it to mean the book with the most sombre or downbeat atmosphere. I've never felt depressed after reading an FF book and I don't think any of them really are depressing in the way that a tragic play or story is depressing.

[John Pickup]

There's no such thing as a depressing Famous Five book, either through reading one or the atmosphere within. If there is one with a sombre theme, I've yet to read it.

[Nair Snehalatha]

The word 'depressing' does not exist in Enid blyton's vocabulary.No book of hers is depressing as you say.Enid Blyton is so vibrant with vibrant ideas -- blue skies, sunny hills, green woods etc-- They make you ecstactic -- ceratinly not depressed.Very surprising -- whoever used the word --depressing.

[Bertie]

Personally, I think the topic title using the words 'most depressing' is the wrong choice of words. Maybe using the words 'least appealing' instead would have been a more apt title for it.

That's pretty much how I interpreted the thread, Boatbuilder.

It's a 16 year old thread and I see there's already been posts early in it as to whether 'depressing' is the correct term.

Personally, I used 'depressing' (in keeping with the title) to describe the gloomy / sombre / atmospheric settings in one or two of the books that I'm least fond of in the series. And there's also some animal scenes that I'm less fond of - such as the cruelty towards Pongo and Barker in 'Caravan', (S)Tinker's scared, sad life in 'Run Away Together', etc - that I could describe as 'depressing' in terms of being a bit downbeat or upsetting as an animal lover.

But, yeah, as others have pointed out about the thread title, there's no real 'depressing' Enid book. But there's certainly books or scenes that are the 'least appealing', or that are 'less enjoyable' than others, and that's how I was interpreting the thread.

[Moonraker]

I think Stephen's original post on this thread sums up what he meant by 'depressing'. As he is the originator of this topic, maybe we should follow his reasoning.

[pete9012S]

Yes, I totally agree Nigel.
I re-read the original post from Stephen just the other day.

What would you you say is the most depressing Famous Five book? We've just had a recent debate on Adventuring Again which involved everybody apparently being against George which I thought was rather upsetting. I also had issues with Kirrin Island Again which had George and Dick squabbling. On a more personal level, Down to the Sea was set in Cornwall where my grandparents lived - and I used to imagine how awful it would be if my grandmother suddenly exploded with rage and boxed my ears because I had accused my grandfather of being a wrecker! As far as I was concerned, little old ladies from Cornwall didn't behave like that!

There were some stories that I didn't find depressing even if they seemed that way. Run Away Together was instead hilariously funny, and Treasure Island, Caravan, Camp and Mystery Moor were more "sinisterly exciting" than actually depressing, as were the two where George was kidnapped - Fall into Adventure and Plenty of Fun.

Anyway, these are just my musings. What do you think?

Just for my own personal reasons, I avoided re-reading Mystery Moor again for many years as I could not take to Henrietta in any way. Yes, I found the book depressing.
I found Henrietta to be completely odious, and was aghast when the others chose her company over George's after tricking the boys.

It seemed so against the run of play to me, as usually, the Kirrins didn't seem to make friends that easily (unless Dick had punched them in the jaw first).

Now however, although I still intensely dislike Henrietta's character, the book is fresher than all the others to me as I have re-read it so few times.



Henrietta by ANY illustrator - Uugh!!!

[Bertie]

Deleted.

[IceMaiden]

I'm not sure that's the same but it probably depends on what you understand by "the most depressing book". The one you like least? One that has an atmosphere that's a bit "darker" than others (that's what I associated with the title)?

My view of depressing is something full of abject misery, relentlessly despondent and maudling and leaves the reader/watcher feeling thoroughly gloomy and low spirited afterwards. Never in a million years could that be used or thought of to describe the Famous Five. Gosh I feel bad just thinking of the two in the same train of thought .

[Boatbuilder]

I think you have summed 'depressing' up nicely, IceMaiden.