The Borrowers Avenged
Encyclopedia
The Borrowers Avenged is a children's fantasy novel by Mary Norton
, published in 1982. It is the final book in the five part The Borrowers
series. The Borrowers Avenged was written more than 20 years after the previous book, The Borrowers Aloft
(1961) and is also longer than the others in the series at nearly 300 pages. The book received a positive reception from critics. New York
magazine called it a "well-drawn portrait...wittily told" while Country Life
called it "a modern classic in the making".
The Clocks settle in comfortably and Arrietty is allowed to go outside and do all of the borrowing for the two borrower families. She discovers that her human friend Miss Menzies goes to the church to arrange flowers, but she is forbidden to speak to her. The Platters, having severely damaged the model village in their hunt for the borrowers, decide to use one of Homily's old aprons to help the local "finder" Lady Mullings locate the borrowers. Miss Menzies recognizes the apron and becomes suspicious. Meanwhile, the Platters spot Timmus in the church and break in after hours to catch him, but they accidentally ring the church bells and are caught by the humans in suspicious circumstances.
The Big People
Mary Norton
Mary Norton may refer to:* Mary Teresa Norton, one of the first United States Congresswomen* Mary Norton , British author of The Borrowers* Mary Beth Norton, American historian* Andre Norton, American author, born Alice Mary Norton...
, published in 1982. It is the final book in the five part The Borrowers
The Borrowers
The Borrowers, published in 1952, is the first in a series of children's fantasy novels by English author Mary Norton. The novel and its sequels are about tiny people who live in people's homes and "borrow" things to survive while keeping their existence unknown...
series. The Borrowers Avenged was written more than 20 years after the previous book, The Borrowers Aloft
The Borrowers Aloft
The Borrowers Aloft is a children's fantasy novel by Mary Norton, published in 1961. It is the fourth book in the five part The Borrowers series, preceded by The Borrowers , The Borrowers Afield and The Borrowers Afloat...
(1961) and is also longer than the others in the series at nearly 300 pages. The book received a positive reception from critics. New York
New York (magazine)
New York is a weekly magazine principally concerned with the life, culture, politics, and style of New York City. Founded by Milton Glaser and Clay Felker in 1968 as a competitor to The New Yorker, it was brasher and less polite than that magazine, and established itself as a cradle of New...
magazine called it a "well-drawn portrait...wittily told" while Country Life
Country Life (magazine)
Country Life is a British weekly magazine, based in London at 110 Southwark Street, and owned by IPC Media, a Time Warner subsidiary.- Topics :The magazine covers the pleasures and joys of rural life, as well as the concerns of rural people...
called it "a modern classic in the making".
Plot
The Borrowers Avenged details the events following the escape of the tiny Clock family from the attic of the scheming humans Mr. and Mrs. Platter and their search for a new home. After returning to the Little Fordham model village, the Clocks set out in Spiller's boat for their new home, the rectory of the local church. They make a night journey down the river, barely missing the Platters who are looking for them. When they arrive at the rectory they discover that their relatives Lupy, Hendreary and Timmus are living in the church next door. Arrietty also meets another borrower named Peagreen Overmantel who shows them a place to live under a window seat.The Clocks settle in comfortably and Arrietty is allowed to go outside and do all of the borrowing for the two borrower families. She discovers that her human friend Miss Menzies goes to the church to arrange flowers, but she is forbidden to speak to her. The Platters, having severely damaged the model village in their hunt for the borrowers, decide to use one of Homily's old aprons to help the local "finder" Lady Mullings locate the borrowers. Miss Menzies recognizes the apron and becomes suspicious. Meanwhile, the Platters spot Timmus in the church and break in after hours to catch him, but they accidentally ring the church bells and are caught by the humans in suspicious circumstances.
Characters
The Borrowers- Arrietty Clock - An independent young borrower who loves the outdoors and has a penchant for talking to humans.
- Pod Clock - A shoemaker and a skilled borrower.
- Homily Clock - His wife who is less adventurous than her family members.
- Hendreary - Homily's brother who suffers from gout.
- Lupy - Hendreary's wife who has become religious from living in the church.
- Timmus - An adventurous little boy who likes to climb around in the church.
- Peagreen Overmantel - A poetic, artistic borrower who became lame after he fell off the mantel. Peagreen has lived in the rectory all of his life.
- Spiller - A taciturn outdoors borrower who is somewhat of a loner.
The Big People
- Mr Platter - A greedy builder/undertaker who is determined to make a fortune exhibiting the Clocks.
- Mrs Platter - His wife, who worries about being caught by the police.
- Miss Menzies - Arrietty's kindly human friend.
- Lady Mullings - The village "finder", who claims she can find lost people or objects through a sixth sense.