Posted by Peter Ceresole on August 25, 2008 at 11:37:04 user PeterC.
In Reply to: PD, ML and GN (was Great Northern? Real!) posted by Jock on August 25, 2008 at 10:56:52:
It seems to me that AR himself is telling us that GN is not to be regarded as in the same class as PD and ML!
I think that your extensive (and interesting) textual analysis isn't required to show us this- although it does explain it. Just reading the text does the job; it simply feels quite different.
Even as a small child, it was quite clear to me that PD and ML were completely different. Enjoyable, but a different kind of story altogether. More like (but also unlike) Biggles or Blyton. The highlight for me is/was the night sail down channel, which is the only bit that now attracts me in any way. GN, although also rather different, was much more 'normal', unromantic.
Interestingly (for me) I've not felt the wish read any of them for years, whereas I regularly re-read the Lakes and Broads stories, and taste every word with pleasure.