The Boy Next Door

[Lucky Star]

I got my 1965 (I think, someone has helpfully drawn a pen line through the last two figures of the date ) edition for 20p in a car boot sale. No dustjacket though.

[Rob Houghton]

Just had a look at the Alfred Bestal illustrations: yes: a vast improvement on Dunlop's, even though the latter artist is one of my favourite Blyton illustrators.

The Bestal drawings are very much 'of an era', and very clear and more exciting somehow. I do keep expecting Rupert Bear to pop up somewhere in them though!!

[Philip Mannering]

I bought the updated edition recently...... and although wanting the originals (which sadly aren't available at all where I live ) I was still pleasantly surprised by how good it was. I especially like the character of Kit very much, the way he manages to capture his three prisoners is very amusing to read about.
Overall, this book is one of Blyton's best.

[ledzep93]

Hi guys:)

Only just got an account here but I've known about it for ages, I often come here if I need a Blyton query cleared up, you all seem pretty knowledgeable

This is just a quick shout out to Enid's one-off novel The Boy Next Door, I' just finished reading it this evening and its a cracker of a story! I'm home for the Easter hols from Uni and all my big boy books are back there, so I was left with nothing but the books I grew up reading as a child!

I've started going through my old Blyton books (of which I have many!) and I started reading TBND when I realized that one was a number of Blytons I never got round to actually reading, but I'm glad I now have!

The things sticking in my head right now about it are the lovely locations throughout the story, and Enid's perfectly simple descriptions of the river, the small island, and the house-boat, all very Wind-in-the-Willowsy for me! The last third of the story sticks out for me as well, when the adventure REALLY picks up and we find out Mr. Barton is a traitor, (sorry if I've spoiled it for people who haven't read it yet!) and how the house-boat is connected to both the goodies and baddies, and how Kit escapes from the house he's held prisoner, and how the man whom the kids thought was the original wicked uncle is really...

Oh, how I could go on! I'd love to hear what you more experienced Blyton-ytes thought of this cracking and gorgeous one-off adventure Oh, and maybe make some new friends along the way, haha!

[MJE]

Hullo, and welcome to the forum.

     I think this is one of the better single, non-series adventure stories. (There are a couple which don't quite reach that standard, in my view - but they are some others' favourite books, so it may depend more on the memories you have of particular books than on the actual quality of the story, however that be determined.)
     I wrote a fairly detailed review of this, here:

  http://www.foxall.com.au/users/mje/BoyNxDor.htm

     After the end of that, there is a link to a second page where I discuss the resolution of the plot. As such, it is full of spoilers, so don't go to the *second* page unless you've already read the book, or don't mind having it spoilt. Don't even click it: there is the one spoiler warning at that link, but none after that.
  
Regards, Michael.

[Katharine]

Welcome ledzep93. I've only skimmed your post, as I haven't read the book and didn't want to spoil the ended for myself. It's a good thing you posted though, as I bought the book a couple of weeks ago and read the first chapter or two, then somehow it got forgotten. I shall remedy this and read it as soon as possible.

[Eddie Muir]

Welcome to the forums, ledzep93!

[Anita Bensoussane]

Welcome, Ledzep93! I've merged your comments with an earlier thread on The Boy Next Door. It's a very enjoyable book, though one passage holds a certain poignancy for me. Betty exclaims when one of the characters celebrates his 42nd birthday, "Oh, aren't you old!" Being 43, those words now cut me to the quick!

[Julie2owlsdene]

Welcome to the forums, hope you enjoy the site.

Glad you've read and liked The Boy Next Door - it's one of my favourite books and I never ever tire of reading it.

[Poppy]

Welcome to the forums!

I love this book too! It's certainly one of my favourite stand alone books! Have you tried any others?

[Moonraker]

Welcome! I imagine you like Led Zeppelin too!

[ledzep93]

Thanks for the replys guys, and nice to meet you all! Its great to know I'm not the only one who loves this book

Welcome! I imagine you like Led Zeppelin too!

I do indeed haha. They were the first band I fell in love with, and I love all sorts of classic rock in general

Welcome to the forums!

I love this book too! It's certainly one of my favourite stand alone books! Have you tried any others?

Yaaay! I think this is the only full-blown one-off novel of hers I've read. I've read the short story Mischief at St Rollos, which was a fun read, and I've also read the two Adventurous Four books. Not stand-alone I know, but there's only two in the series I think and I love them tremendously x

Hullo, and welcome to the forum.

I think this is one of the better single, non-series adventure stories. (There are a couple which don't quite reach that standard, in my view - but they are some others' favourite books, so it may depend more on the memories you have of particular books than on the actual quality of the story, however that be determined.)
I wrote a fairly detailed review of this, here:

http://www.foxall.com.au/users/mje/BoyNxDor.htm

After the end of that, there is a link to a second page where I discuss the resolution of the plot. As such, it is full of spoilers, so don't go to the *second* page unless you've already read the book, or don't mind having it spoilt. Don't even click it: there is the one spoiler warning at that link, but none after that.

Regards, Michael.

Thanks Michael, I'll read that when I can.

[Fiona1986]

I've also read the two Adventurous Four books. Not stand-alone I know, but there's only two in the series I think and I love them.

There are only two full length novels but there's a short story too, called "Off With the Adventurous Four" which appears in the Enid Blyton Omnibus any possibly elsewhere, I'm not sure.

[ledzep93]

there's a short story too, called "Off With the Adventurous Four" which appears in the Enid Blyton Omnibus any possibly elsewhere, I'm not sure.

Oh awesome! Didn't know about that one, thank you! xx

[Katharine]

I've just finished reading this book, and thoroughly enjoyed it. It almost had me on the edge of my seat a couple of times, I wish I'd read it as a child as I'm sure it would have been even more thrilling.

I must admit when I first started reading it I found it a little bland and only read the first couple of chapters, then put it down for quite a while. However, once I got about half way through I found it hard to put down - dinner was a little late tonight because I just had to finish it!

Although I sussed out one of the characters, I was totally taken about by the behaviour of another of them. Towards the end, each time I thought I could predict what was going to happen next, something unexpected happened. Absolutely brilliant. How can anyone say Enid Blyton wasn't a good author? I'm constantly amazed by the variety of work she produced. This book I feel is quite different to any others she wrote, but somehow still contains that Enid brilliance.