Secret Seven Continuation Books by Pamela Butchart

[Rob Houghton]

Its a shame that all the most popular writers now are telling irreverent stories, like those told by David Walliams, or Captain Underpants or Grandmother is An Alien etc etc.

I find it ironic that these types of books are aimed at young children aged around 6 and 7 etc, but The Secret Seven are looked upon as 'too young' and by the time kids get to the age of 9 or 10 other Enid Blyton books are 'too young' and they have gone onto teenage books or else have stopped reading altogether - probably because they can't read any more Captain Underpants books once they reach 10 or 11.

So there seems to be no gap for Enid Blyton these days. Younger children rarely seem to read anything as complicated as Blyton, and then by the time they are old enough they've stopped reading or they are reading Vampire books...!!

[Anita Bensoussane]

I haven't read anything by David Walliams (or Dav Pilkey or Pamela Butchart) but I have seen television adaptations of several of David Walliams books and some of the stories were unexpectedly thoughtful (I'd assumed they'd be completely zany) and really quite moving at times, especially Mr. Stink and Grandpa's Great Escape.

At the junior school where I work, I'm pleased that books by older authors (Enid Blyton, Astrid Lindgren, Arthur Ransome, E. Nesbit, C. S. Lewis, Noel Streatfeild, etc.) are available in the library and in classrooms alongside books by more modern authors (Charlie Higson, J. K. Rowling, Caroline Lawrence, Eoin Colfer, Jenny Nimmo, Michael Morpurgo, etc.)

[Rob Houghton]

At the junior school where I work, I'm pleased that books by older authors (Enid Blyton, Astrid Lindgren, Arthur Ransome, E. Nesbit, C. S. Lewis, Noel Streatfeild, etc.) are available in the library and in classrooms alongside books by more modern authors (Charlie Higson, J. K. Rowling, Caroline Lawrence, Eoin Colfer, Jenny Nimmo, Michael Morpurgo, etc.)

I agree - a mix like that is preferable to all 'classics' or all older authors, or all newer ones! Our school library was very much like that even in the 1970's - although the emphasis seemed to be on modern books set in the 1970's, which have now completely disappeared!

I admit I have an impression of David Walliams' books being 'zany' - even the TV adaptations tend to show zany clips, so I have never watched the full adaptation, as the trailers generally put me off. There are many good childrens authors around today of course - Michael Morpurgo is a great example...but there doesn't really seem to be anything (like ENid Blyton) between the 'dead serious' and the 'manic'. It seems there are either books like Captain Underpants or books like Jacqueline Wilson, and no 'light but fairly true-to-life escapism' in between.

[Nick]

I had a mail from Amazon yesterday, the paperback is die to be released in about a week.

It seems to have received some positive reviews so far and I have to admit, I'm looking forward to reading it.

[Nick]

My copy arrived a few days ago and I’ve only managed to skim through the first few chapters but my initial impressions are positive. Characterisation seems to be consistent with the original books, poor Peter is still a tyrant and Binki and Susie make an early appearance. The writing style is a little more modern. Jack gets “freaked” out and something is described as being “well weird” but somehow it seems to work.

[Rob Houghton]

those are the very things that wouldn't work for me. Instantly put off I'm afraid. If someone is engaged to write a continuation book to a series then they should keep to the style and language of the original, or else what's the point.

[Avinash Machado]

The first two chapters can be read online for free.


https://www.enidblyton.co.uk/the-secret ... l-extract/

[Rob Houghton]

thanks for the link! I'm actually quite impressed, as the style is very similar to Enid's - which makes me wonder why 'freaked out' has been used, as it sticks out like a sore thumb! So does the word 'armpit' which is jokingly used as a password. I'm sure Enid would never have mentioned anything as vulgar as an armpit!!

All in all, going by the three pages I've read, its not bad.

[Nick]

Trust me, it goes down hill. Fast.

[Rob Houghton]

I was half thinking it might!!

[Nick]

The issue for me is that it seems the author was mindful that she was writing a Secret Seven continuation novel for about the first 20 pages before giving up and writing her own tale that just so happens to feature Peter, Colin, George, Jack, Janet, Pam, Barbara & scamper (whom is totally forgotten until the end). I appreciate the need to give the girls bigger roles and that is something that Evelyn Lallemande achieves well, making it feel very natural and true to the original novels but this just seems forced and, at times, farcical.

I’m sure kids will enjoy it but purists and collectors will be mortified.

[Rob Houghton]

yes, sounds about right. When I've written mine (and I'm by no means saying they are perfect - far from it, but its the only personal experience I have of writing in the style of Enid) I do attempt to give the writing a Blyton flavour. I also attempted to give the girls equal time with the boys in my Five Go Off In A Narrowboat book - several chapters just featured George and Anne - but I still tried to remain faithful to Enid's style, because in my opinion that's the whole point of writing a continuation novel. I always approach it with the idea that it should be able to be placed in a folder and discovered years later and be instantly mistaken for a genuine lost EB manuscript!

Its actually (in my opinion) extremely difficult to write in the style of another author though - and as seems to be the case with this Secret Seven continuation novel, its often easier to do so in the opening chapters, but once your plot takes hold the style often goes out the window. Sounds like that's what has happened here, which is a shame - but its also what comes of using an author who is already established and published and has their own style.

[Julie2owlsdene]

I've bought this book and am reading it, but I have to say that the style is nothing like Enid's at all. Far too 'modern' and very much Pamela Butchart not Blyton.

The only Secret Seven thing about the book is the names of the Seven, and that's where it ends. There is no Secret Seven feel to this book whatsoever. I will continue reading to the end, but it's like reading any author's book not an Enid book. Also the title isn't even true to the Secret Seven titles which Enid produced.

I can see the youngsters buying this book, but because it's by Pamela Butchart, and it's in her modern style.

I believe the second book is out next year, but I can't see that book being any different to this one personally.

[Rob Houghton]

Thanks for the mini review, Julie - it sounds about how I thought it might be - nothing like Enid Blyton except the characters names! It puts me off buying it, but I can't say I'm surprised, as its what I expected. It will be interesting to see how popular these follow-on books are - and whether its simply because children are fans of the author, rather than of The Secret Seven.

[Julie2owlsdene]

I just want to add that I've given up on reading this book. It's dreadful. It gets worse and worse as you read on. Nothing Blyton or S.S about it at all. It's just a 'jazzy' Pamela Butchart book, for youngsters, full stop!

I can't help feeling that if Enid read this, and see what has been done to her S.S. she wouldn't be too happy at all!