Then There Were Five (Melendy Quartet, 3)

I ran into a comment about this book and remembered reading the Melendy Family Quartet many, many years ago. I was addicted to Nancy Drew mysteries and my Mother took me to the bookstore and told me I could pick out any book as long as it wasn't Nancy Drew. I remembered loving this book and, over

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the years, have remembered many scenes from the books. So I bought them again to see if they were as good as I remembered. They were -- admittedly they're very much of their time (1940's) but the warmth and fun is there and ageless. I'd recommend these books to any child (and, frankly, any adult looking for a little innocent fun. All of the first three books are about the same in quality -- the only one that can be skipped is Spiderweb for Two -- which suffered a little from the lack of two of the four children.

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Although written 70 years ago, this story of the four Melendy siblings' summer adventures in the countryside captivated my girls. Several elements were so old fashioned that I could only describe them by hearsay (telephone operators that connected and listened in on calls, horse and carriage rides,

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war rations), but the story of the siblings embarking on summer projects, befriending a boy with an abusive cousin, and figuring out the meaning of courage and friendship was timeless. I liked the old-fashioned touches that reminded me of a more innocent era (for example, the extent of the swear words are "Jeepers!" and "Golly!"). The girls loved this so much we are now going back to the beginning of the series and listening to the rest of the books. (This review was of the audio book)

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Beautifully narrated, which is such a relief. One worries, especially when old favorites are at stake.

I love this book best of any of Enright's work, which is saying a lot. It's a perfectly splendid book, full of botany (gentians!), fauna (luna moth! bats!), the best children ever, the most

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congenial adults, and most of all, Enright's tender, lyrical, transcendent prose. Do yourself a favor- read, re-read or listen to this one right away.

"Used-to doesn't mean anything any more, Randy. The used-to-world is all cut away from us now; floating away in the distance like a balloon or a bubble. It isn't real any longer. Perhaps it's a good thing that it's gone. I hope so."

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7/11
Practically perfect, especially at the beginning of summer. I want a kitchen full of glowing canned goods, and a well full of gentians. I love, love, love this book. And we get to see Randy writing TATSINDA!

1/10
This is without a doubt my favorite Melendy book, what with all the botanizing. And

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the excitement of meeting Mark, and the evil Oren. The Melendy kids are a little more grown-up, and their world is so lovely that one wishes one could walk inside the pages and sleep in the cupola. Even the spectre of the war, which has taken Father to Washington for the duration, doesn't tarnish the magic.

Enright's writing is lyrical and almost transcendent in places. Her ability to see to the heart of a person is magical, and unlike so many new writers, she peers into good and loving hearts. She looks deeply at the people one wants to know, and more importantly, the people one wants to be.

It's because of Enright I can't look at a gentian without thinking of wells.

Some lines:

"Used-to doesn't mean anything any more, Randy. The used-to-world is all cut away from us now; floating away in the distance like a balloon or a bubble. It isn't real any longer. Perhaps it's a good thing that it's gone. I hope so."

"Floating out of the dark, knocking against the overhang, came something so beautiful, so fairylike that Oliver hardly dared to breathe. The thing was a moth, but like no other moth that he had seen. Its wings were as wide as his two hands opened out, as frail as a pair of petals, and colored a pale, pale green: a moonlit silvery green."

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The third the Melendy series after The Saturdays and The Four-Story Mistake. In the same rural WW2 home front setting as Four Story Mistake. A fifth child is adopted into the family after the death of his evil guardian, which is a bit grim for a children's book.. This is the actual copy of the book

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I read as a child which I managed to get when the library discarded it.

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Parts of this book were very powerful and/or very amusing, but the gender roles seem to be getting more strict now that the girls are getting older, and I find that a little wearing. It's extra wearing since I recognize that in our household, I tend to reinforce these gender stereotypes by doing

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most of the cooking and cleaning, not because it's my duty as a woman to cook and clean but just because people are hungry and things are messy and someone's got to do something about it. The result is the same, though, I fear.

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The Melendy family is another year older. This time Mona (15), Rush (14), Randy (12) and Oliver (almost 8) are collecting scraps to aid in the war effort. It's an interesting concept for a children's story. At each farmhouse (they still live in the country in that weird house) the children meet

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people they normally wouldn't ever encounter otherwise. At one particular house they meet Mark, a boy living in an abusive home. He becomes a fast friend...and the fifth member of the Melendy household.

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The Melendy children continue to have delightful adventures in and around their home in the country, and one of those adventures eventually results in a new addition to the family.

I’m still enjoying these books very much. I noticed in this one a few comments indicative of the period in which they

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were written — somewhat stereotypical remarks about Gypsies and Indians. Nothing as pejorative as what is found in, say, Little House on the Prairie, but enough that modern readers might want to be aware of it.

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