While both island and river are words you might associate with Enid Blyton I never thought I’d be writing about a collaboration between the high street store River Island and Enid Blyton.

Stef sent me a link a week ago and I honestly thought it was fake, and was double-checking that it wasn’t April first. It’s real though! My first response to Stef was that I need them all, but there are definitely some I’d like more than others. Truthfully, I never use any of these styles of bag anymore – I use a backpack if I’ve got a lot of stuff or anything heavy and a small cross body bag if I’ve just got a few things. I’m also very rarely in a situation where a clutch would be needed. But they’re so lovely I want them anyway.

All but one are currently sold out, but fingers crossed they restock as they have obviously been really popular. It’s pretty amazing to see Blyton going viral and selling out in a high street store.

Here they are in order of my least to most wanted.

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In last place is the Five Have a Mystery to Solve tote. It’s one of my less favourite books to start with. I often appreciate what you might call tactful or classy options when it comes to fandom items and I can see how this might appeal to people as it’s a bit more grown-up. I don’t think it has the same visual appeal as some of the others, and I know it’d be filthy within about five minutes of me using it.

Five Have a Mystery to Solve tote £44

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Up next is the other classy option (what does that say about me?) the Magic Faraway Tree shopper. Although the navy wouldn’t show dirty marks, I didn’t read the Faraway Tree books until I was an adult, so this doesn’t give me the same nostalgic kick the others do. The whimsical stitching is very fitting for the book, and I prefer that to the cutesy bows.

Magic Faraway Tree  shopper £46

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It gets harder from here to put them in order but next is the Five Go Off to Camp shopper. it wins points for the Eileen Soper cover image – and I even like the moorland flowers bursting out around the edges, but it loses points for the impractical colour. (Obviously if you don’t put your bag on the ground at the park all the time and/or always seems to spill things/pick up mysterious smudges from nowhere, you’d be all right.)

Five Go Off to Camp shopper £46

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Also in the not so practical colour of white is the Five Go Off in a Caravan clutch. However I think clutches are generally there to look nice and not be all that practical as they a) barely hold anything and b) are often heavily embellished. This is the only one with text on it and I really like how bookish that makes it feel.

Five Go Off in a Caravan clutch £39

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Blue is more practical but wouldn’t be my top choice for a bag – but this is so quintessentially Blyton. The blue is actually the perfect colour for the Five On a Treasure Island tote as it’s the colour of the sky on the book cover.

I happen to have bought this for Stef’s birthday (she knows so it’s OK for me to post this!) and she was generous enough to say I could unwrap it and take some pictures before I post it to her. I’ll do a proper review of it shortly.

Five On a Treasure Island tote £44

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And of course in the top spot is the Five Go to Smuggler’s Top clutch. My most favourite of all Blyton’s books and they’ve even used the second edition dust jacket image which is the one I had as a child. Poor Anne is hidden amongst the flowers but I think they are a nice touch that elevate it beyond simply printing the cover on a rectangular bag.

Stef has ordered this for my birthday already, even though it isn’t for another nine months. Just as well seeing how fast they sold out! I’d have been gutted if I missed out.

Five Go to Smuggler’s Top clutch £39

I think there have been mixed reactions to the bags – at least in the groups I’m in. Some folk loved them, others didn’t like the addition of the flowers etc. Other thought they were far too expensive.

Having seen one up close I’d say they were good quality and the images/text are all embroidered on not just printed so the price is justified.

I would say that there’s not a lot of variety, and I’m surprised that the Magic Faraway Tree doesn’t feature more prominently given that the film comes out in a few days. I suppose they thought the Famous Five was guaranteed to sell, though. I’m already dreaming of a second collection with some Tresilian Adventure Series bags…

What do you think? Did you manage to snag one or are you hoping the come back in stock?