Finniston Farm: really quite poor

The books! Over seven hundred of them and still counting...
Post Reply
Maggie Knows
Posts: 461
Joined: 12 Feb 2008, 20:07

Finniston Farm: really quite poor

Post by Maggie Knows »

I've just started re-reading FGTFF and it's a struggle getting started. I find the whole start of the story awkward and embarrassing. Here's why:

The Philpotts have a big farm but are a bit down on their luck (why? is Mr Philpott a bad farmer?) so they take in paying guests.

TBH It sounds like the holiday from hell: the two kids are hostile, Grandad is a grumpy old git, Mrs Philpott is tired and washed-out and Mr Philpott greets the Five with the ever so friendly line "Not more visitors!!".

If they run their farming business like they do their hospitality business, no wonder they are going bust...!!!

What's more, the Five turn up and there's nowhere for the boys to even sleep, except that they are prepared to doss down in a smelly old barn with assorted rodents. And the girls are soon deployed in doing the washing up, carrying trays up stairs and generally acting as dogsbodies. Then the twins glance them daggers for having breakfast at 8 am. What a great holiday for paying guests !

As for poor Mr Finniston behind the counter in his antique shop. He more-or-less has a nervous breakdown when Mr Henning actually wants to buy something from his shop ("I always get upset when people come to buy our beautiful things".) Hmmm, temperamentally unsuited to running an antique shop I'd say, if a paying customer sends him into a tizz...

OK, some of this criticism is a bit over the top, but you get my drift. Was there ever a less satisfactory opening to a FF story ?????
User avatar
John Pickup
Posts: 4876
Joined: 30 Oct 2013, 21:29
Favourite book/series: Barney mysteries
Favourite character: Snubby
Location: Notts

Re: Finniston Farm: really quite poor

Post by John Pickup »

This was always one of my least liked FF books, primarily because I couldn't stand that awful American kid.
Society Member
User avatar
Lenoir
Posts: 1893
Joined: 18 Jun 2005, 20:40
Favourite book/series: FFO/FF. Five run away together, Most FFO books.
Favourite character: Fatty
Location: Cape Town,South Africa

Re: Finniston Farm: really quite poor

Post by Lenoir »

Yes, the way they treat their American guests is poor. Not what one would expect when staying in rural England.
Granddad in particular has an axe to grind. Or should that be sword?

I think their farming machinery was out of date, but then I guess there wasn’t a lot of money around in the fifties when they were still recovering from the War.
User avatar
Poppy
Posts: 5725
Joined: 24 Apr 2012, 16:06
Favourite book/series: Famous Five/ Adventure Series/ Malory Towers
Favourite character: George Kirrin, Andy, Jack Trent & Diana.
Location: UK

Re: Finniston Farm: really quite poor

Post by Poppy »

Finniston Farm was always an enjoyable tale, for me. I love hearing about the Five at farms - I enjoyed the description of Olly's Farm and (there is a farm in Sea?) and I love the fact there is another book based around a farm. So there's a nice setting, a wonderful selection of unique, amusing characters - Guy and father are a good aspect of the story - very characteristic and annoying villains. I think the storyline might not have been the best in the series, but it never erased the good points for me. I will add more when I have read the book but for now I will just say - it's not my favourite book, but it is an enjoyable tale.
"Beware of young men with long hair - that's what dad says, isn't it?"
Pat, Holiday House


Poppy's Best of Books

Society Member
User avatar
Julie2owlsdene
Posts: 15244
Joined: 24 Jul 2007, 20:15
Favourite book/series: F.F. and Mystery Series - Five get into Trouble
Favourite character: Dick
Location: Cornwall

Re: Finniston Farm: really quite poor

Post by Julie2owlsdene »

When I read this book as a child, once again, I didn't really question it much, it was another Five book, and I wanted to be inside the adventure. The fact that the boys slept in the barn I didn't find a problem with. As an adult of course, and you were paying for B&B that's what you'd expect to get, a proper bed!!!

The American boy I didn't like, and I was glad that he was treated the way he was by George and the rest of them.

Not one of my favourite books I must add, but still a good adventure book for a child to read. :)

8)
Julian gave an exclamation and nudged George.
"See that? It's the black Bentley again. KMF 102!"

Society Member
User avatar
Moonraker
Posts: 22387
Joined: 31 Jan 2005, 19:15
Location: Wiltshire, England
Contact:

Re: Finniston Farm: really quite poor

Post by Moonraker »

I always get it muddled with ...Go Down to the Sea - another dire book including an awful kid. :|
Society Member
User avatar
Julie2owlsdene
Posts: 15244
Joined: 24 Jul 2007, 20:15
Favourite book/series: F.F. and Mystery Series - Five get into Trouble
Favourite character: Dick
Location: Cornwall

Re: Finniston Farm: really quite poor

Post by Julie2owlsdene »

The awful kid in Sea is Yak! :lol:

8)
Julian gave an exclamation and nudged George.
"See that? It's the black Bentley again. KMF 102!"

Society Member
User avatar
Carlotta King
Posts: 2828
Joined: 15 Mar 2013, 19:01
Favourite book/series: Adventure, Barney, Secret Series, Famous Five
Favourite character: Bill Smugs,Lucy-Ann,Snubby,Mr King,Diana,Kiki,Paul
Location: England

Re: Finniston Farm: really quite poor

Post by Carlotta King »

Yan? ;) ;) :P
"Fussy Gussy! Polly, Polly, Polly-gize!"

Society Member
User avatar
Julie2owlsdene
Posts: 15244
Joined: 24 Jul 2007, 20:15
Favourite book/series: F.F. and Mystery Series - Five get into Trouble
Favourite character: Dick
Location: Cornwall

Re: Finniston Farm: really quite poor

Post by Julie2owlsdene »

:lol: sorry fingers slipped! :lol:

8)
Julian gave an exclamation and nudged George.
"See that? It's the black Bentley again. KMF 102!"

Society Member
User avatar
Carlotta King
Posts: 2828
Joined: 15 Mar 2013, 19:01
Favourite book/series: Adventure, Barney, Secret Series, Famous Five
Favourite character: Bill Smugs,Lucy-Ann,Snubby,Mr King,Diana,Kiki,Paul
Location: England

Re: Finniston Farm: really quite poor

Post by Carlotta King »

I quite like this book!
Like Poppy, I like the farm atmosphere, and I enjoyed reading about how the children went round the farm on the old Land Rover and saw all the beautiful countryside.

With regard to the lack of space for the children to stay, it never really struck me as anything out of the ordinary really, when I read it; Mrs Philpott did offer for the boys to share the room with Junior but they said they would prefer to sleep out in the barn.
I suppose that the Philpotts didn't really have any choice over taking in paying guests - they were about to lose their farm, so had to make some extra money from somewhere, no matter whether they had sufficient space or not!

The girls offered to take the trays but Mrs Philpott did protest about that, she said that it wasn't right for one guest to wait on another, but the girls insisted (partly because they felt sorry for her, partly because George wanted to take Junior's tray up!!) so it doesn't seem as if they were forced into being servants round the farm, they did it because they could see how worn out Mrs Philpott was, there are several references throughout the book to Mrs Philpott looking tired, washed out, upset and stressed. Poor woman!

I must say that if ever I visit anyone I always ask to help with dishes or tidying etc, it does make you feel more at home and helpful, I hate sitting about while someone else rushes about on my behalf, cooking or washing etc - and if that person was noticably tired and stressed and I knew they were struggling, I wouldn't hesitate to pitch in and do some jobs! :)

I didn't much like the twins to start with. They just didn't seem believable in the way that they always spoke exactly together.
I can understand perhaps them saying the odd word together, such as "Yes" or "No" or something like that, as that often happens, but the long complicated statements and sentences that they came out with, exactly together, were ridiculous - no-one could possibly talk like that at exactly the same moment unless they had planned it beforehand or were scripted!!
I liked them more once they were friendly and thawed out a bit! :)

Grandad with his temper didn't bother me - we are by now used to reading about grumpy old 'grandad' characters, and I can understand how he would feel at having people coming to buy bits of the farm that he treasures and wants to hand down to his son and grandson, especially when they're as obnoxious as the Hennings!

I liked the plot of the book, it was very exciting to think that there might be Norman treasure hidden under the castle ruins!

It's not one of my absolute favourites but I do really like it! :)
Last edited by Carlotta King on 18 Feb 2014, 18:52, edited 1 time in total.
"Fussy Gussy! Polly, Polly, Polly-gize!"

Society Member
User avatar
Fiona1986
Posts: 10527
Joined: 01 Dec 2007, 15:35
Favourite book/series: Five Go to Smuggler's Top
Favourite character: Julian Kirrin
Location: Dundee, Scotland
Contact:

Re: Finniston Farm: really quite poor

Post by Fiona1986 »

I like Finniston Farm too. I've never had a problem with any of the elements pointed out, but then unless I'm reading for a readathon or review I read them as I did as a child!
"It's the ash! It's falling!" yelled Julian, almost startling Dick out of his wits...
"Listen to its terrible groans and creaks!" yelled Julian, almost beside himself with impatience.


World of Blyton Blog

Society Member
Maggie Knows
Posts: 461
Joined: 12 Feb 2008, 20:07

Re: Finniston Farm: really quite poor

Post by Maggie Knows »

Last night I got to the bit where Great-Granddad is talking about the old cartwheel, how its more than 200 years old, and how his Great-grand-dad made it and made him promise never to sell it etc.

Now, we know GGD is 90 years old, and supposing he was say 5 when he was told about it by his GGD, then that information was passed on 85 years before the time of the story.

Assuming his GGD was about 20 when he made the wheel (it's a big wheel, I cant see how anyone younger would have the skills or strength to make such a thing) then unless his GGD was at least 135 years old at the time of telling the story to his great-grandson, the numbers don't seem to add up...
User avatar
Moonraker
Posts: 22387
Joined: 31 Jan 2005, 19:15
Location: Wiltshire, England
Contact:

Re: Finniston Farm: really quite poor

Post by Moonraker »

Methinks you delve too deeply! :wink:
Society Member
User avatar
Nick
Posts: 1418
Joined: 05 Feb 2009, 19:00
Favourite book/series: Five on a Hike Together/Secret Seven
Favourite character: Dick & Susie
Location: Retford

Re: Finniston Farm: really quite poor

Post by Nick »

Like others I quite like Finnistone Farm. I think the location of Finnistone is an interesting one. We get a tour of the farm, and a good feel for the village. I always liked Mr Finnistone, the antiques dealer and the ending has a really nice feel good factor to it.

Not the best story for sure, but not the worst. :D
Society Member
User avatar
Carlotta King
Posts: 2828
Joined: 15 Mar 2013, 19:01
Favourite book/series: Adventure, Barney, Secret Series, Famous Five
Favourite character: Bill Smugs,Lucy-Ann,Snubby,Mr King,Diana,Kiki,Paul
Location: England

Re: Finniston Farm: really quite poor

Post by Carlotta King »

A thing occurred to me while having a quick re-read of this yesterday.

When the children decide to look for the underground passage from the chapel to the castle cellars, in an attempt to get to the cellars before Mr Henning's men get there, they take their spades and start walking about between the chapel and the castle site, looking for grass of a different colour or any other sign that there might be a tunnel underground, and I have never thought of this until yesterday - why didn't they just go to the chapel and hunt for the entrance to the tunnel there rather than trying to dig down into it? Yes it might be a challenge to find in the chapel but surely it wouldn't be any more difficult than searching hundreds of yards of random grass on the offchance? ;)
At least in the chapel they could look for trapdoors or movable flagstones and all the other places that might hide a tunnel entrance - hunting round a field seems almost impossible! ;)
"Fussy Gussy! Polly, Polly, Polly-gize!"

Society Member
Post Reply