What do you think?
Rate this book
Malory Towers #2
Second Form at Malory Towers
Librarian Note: An alternative cover edition for this book can be found here.
Darrell, Sally, Gwendoline, Mary-Lou and all the other girls from the First Term at Malory Towers are now in the second form and they are as lively as ever. Mam'zelle Dupont is still trying to be strict, Alicia plays a terrible trick with invisible chalk and Gwendoline and Daphne inevitably get into trouble.
Darrell, Sally, Gwendoline, Mary-Lou and all the other girls from the First Term at Malory Towers are now in the second form and they are as lively as ever. Mam'zelle Dupont is still trying to be strict, Alicia plays a terrible trick with invisible chalk and Gwendoline and Daphne inevitably get into trouble.
146 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1947
206 people are currently reading
2273 people want to read
About the author
Enid Blyton
5,093 books6,228 followersSee also:
Ένιντ Μπλάιτον (Greek)
Enida Blaitona (Latvian)
Энид Блайтон (Russian)
Inid Blajton (Serbian)
Інід Блайтон (Ukrainian)
Enid Mary Blyton (1897–1968) was an English author of children's books.
Born in South London, Blyton was the eldest of three children, and showed an early interest in music and reading. She was educated at St. Christopher's School, Beckenham, and - having decided not to pursue her music - at Ipswich High School, where she trained as a kindergarten teacher. She taught for five years before her 1924 marriage to editor Hugh Pollock, with whom she had two daughters. This marriage ended in divorce, and Blyton remarried in 1943, to surgeon Kenneth Fraser Darrell Waters. She died in 1968, one year after her second husband.
Blyton was a prolific author of children's books, who penned an estimated 800 books over about 40 years. Her stories were often either children's adventure and mystery stories, or fantasies involving magic. Notable series include: The Famous Five, The Secret Seven, The Five Find-Outers, Noddy, The Wishing Chair, Mallory Towers, and St. Clare's.
According to the Index Translationum, Blyton was the fifth most popular author in the world in 2007, coming after Lenin but ahead of Shakespeare.
See also her pen name Mary Pollock
Ένιντ Μπλάιτον (Greek)
Enida Blaitona (Latvian)
Энид Блайтон (Russian)
Inid Blajton (Serbian)
Інід Блайтон (Ukrainian)
Enid Mary Blyton (1897–1968) was an English author of children's books.
Born in South London, Blyton was the eldest of three children, and showed an early interest in music and reading. She was educated at St. Christopher's School, Beckenham, and - having decided not to pursue her music - at Ipswich High School, where she trained as a kindergarten teacher. She taught for five years before her 1924 marriage to editor Hugh Pollock, with whom she had two daughters. This marriage ended in divorce, and Blyton remarried in 1943, to surgeon Kenneth Fraser Darrell Waters. She died in 1968, one year after her second husband.
Blyton was a prolific author of children's books, who penned an estimated 800 books over about 40 years. Her stories were often either children's adventure and mystery stories, or fantasies involving magic. Notable series include: The Famous Five, The Secret Seven, The Five Find-Outers, Noddy, The Wishing Chair, Mallory Towers, and St. Clare's.
According to the Index Translationum, Blyton was the fifth most popular author in the world in 2007, coming after Lenin but ahead of Shakespeare.
See also her pen name Mary Pollock
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 372 reviews
August 27, 2020
Another sweet read, so many memories from when I read this as a child, over and over again. Midnight feasts, friendships and happy, sunny days at an all girls’ boarding school. These books may be old but, in fact are timeless and innocent and a very readable in this day and age. A great escape for an afternoon.
December 18, 2024
As good as ever, even though these books are dated in places but they bring back memories to me of happy times as a child, when I thought life was really going to be good all the time!!
September 10, 2021
This was another much needed trip down memory lane, and it was a positively wonderful one at that. I loved this series as child, and I used to rave about Enid Blyton to my parents, ensuring that I had every book in the series in my possession.
There are a few new girls this term, which means more mishaps, excitement and new friendships to be made. Darrell is still our main character, which is great, because I like her. She actually reminds me of myself in many ways, especially in regards to dangerous tempers.
The writing is of course rather dated, but that is what makes them so special, I think. The only quibble I have is I cannot stand the newest front covers for these books. It totally ruins the mood, otherwise, this was a lovely re-read.
There are a few new girls this term, which means more mishaps, excitement and new friendships to be made. Darrell is still our main character, which is great, because I like her. She actually reminds me of myself in many ways, especially in regards to dangerous tempers.
The writing is of course rather dated, but that is what makes them so special, I think. The only quibble I have is I cannot stand the newest front covers for these books. It totally ruins the mood, otherwise, this was a lovely re-read.
January 12, 2021
Albeit that in Enid Blyton’s The Second Form at Malory Towers there is a smooth and easy, as well as a realistic transition from main protagonist Darrell Rivers (and both her school friends and her quasi school enemies) moving on, moving from the first to the second form, I for one have also found The Second Form at Malory Towers not only (and like I was in fact expecting) rather majorly predictable and thus repetitive but sadly also monotonous and as such not really all that interesting (and yes indeed often even considerably annoying, not to mention frustrating).
For while Enid Blyton in First Term at Malory Towers and even with her propensity for repetitiveness and an obvious tendency to be rather stereotypical (especially regarding nasty and spoiled, harsh characters such as for example Gwendoline Lacey) also and happily very much loves to focus on Darell Rivers’ joy at attending boarding school and what makes Malory Towers in particular such a great school to attend, I for one have found that far too much of the presented storyline in Second Form at Malory Towers tends to feel and to read like generally just one negative stereotype after another, with Enid Blyton concentrating rather a bit too heavily for my tastes on what makes characters such as Gwendoline, Daphne, Alicia, Ellen, Irene, Belinda and yes even Darrell (at times) into potential problems. And yes, in particular the nastiness and holier than thou textual attitudes towards Belinda and Irene as being supposedly scatterbrained, this has felt to me as someone with dyspraxia and neurological organisational issues rather like an annoyingly personal authorial attack, with Enid Blyton (especially in the form of the Malory Towers teachers) pointing an accusing and offensive finger at me and telling me that I am basically worthless (although yes, most of my reading issues with Second Form at Malory Towers are indeed and actually with the inescapable fact that there is such a seemingly deliberate focus on finding fault and on showing negatives that the positives of Second Form at Malory Towers are or at least feel rather buried, and so much so that in the end, there needs to be an extraordinary and even a bit unrealistic rescue by a nasty character in order to make said character be in any form redeemable, as without Daphne rescuing Mary Lou, Daphne would simply have been nothing but a paper thin arch villain to be cast out of Malory Towers in disgrace).
Combined with the fact that in Second Form at Malory Towers Enid Blyton also really does seem to very much relish depicting the constant and petty feuding and bickering between the two French mistresses, between Mamzelle Dupont and Mamzelle Rougier (and which I think is yet another instance of too much of an emphasis on the negative), I really cannot say that I have all that much enjoyed Second Form at Malory Towers from a potential reading pleasure point of view (but that yes, I am still rather hoping and even perhaps expecting that the other books of the Malory Towers series will be a bit less imbued with so much stereotypical negativities and nastiness).
For while Enid Blyton in First Term at Malory Towers and even with her propensity for repetitiveness and an obvious tendency to be rather stereotypical (especially regarding nasty and spoiled, harsh characters such as for example Gwendoline Lacey) also and happily very much loves to focus on Darell Rivers’ joy at attending boarding school and what makes Malory Towers in particular such a great school to attend, I for one have found that far too much of the presented storyline in Second Form at Malory Towers tends to feel and to read like generally just one negative stereotype after another, with Enid Blyton concentrating rather a bit too heavily for my tastes on what makes characters such as Gwendoline, Daphne, Alicia, Ellen, Irene, Belinda and yes even Darrell (at times) into potential problems. And yes, in particular the nastiness and holier than thou textual attitudes towards Belinda and Irene as being supposedly scatterbrained, this has felt to me as someone with dyspraxia and neurological organisational issues rather like an annoyingly personal authorial attack, with Enid Blyton (especially in the form of the Malory Towers teachers) pointing an accusing and offensive finger at me and telling me that I am basically worthless (although yes, most of my reading issues with Second Form at Malory Towers are indeed and actually with the inescapable fact that there is such a seemingly deliberate focus on finding fault and on showing negatives that the positives of Second Form at Malory Towers are or at least feel rather buried, and so much so that in the end, there needs to be an extraordinary and even a bit unrealistic rescue by a nasty character in order to make said character be in any form redeemable, as without Daphne rescuing Mary Lou, Daphne would simply have been nothing but a paper thin arch villain to be cast out of Malory Towers in disgrace).
Combined with the fact that in Second Form at Malory Towers Enid Blyton also really does seem to very much relish depicting the constant and petty feuding and bickering between the two French mistresses, between Mamzelle Dupont and Mamzelle Rougier (and which I think is yet another instance of too much of an emphasis on the negative), I really cannot say that I have all that much enjoyed Second Form at Malory Towers from a potential reading pleasure point of view (but that yes, I am still rather hoping and even perhaps expecting that the other books of the Malory Towers series will be a bit less imbued with so much stereotypical negativities and nastiness).
Read
August 28, 2018Book #2 for my Malory Towers challenge/project. In the first book that I read a couple of months ago we saw Darrell Rivers heading off to Malory Towers in Cornwall for the first time, where she is keen to make friends. But her admiration for the clever but hard Alicia John, and her own temper issues get in the way for a bit but she eventually settles down and finds a friend in Sally Hope, good-hearted and friendly, after she has got over her own issues in the first term, of sibling jealousy. In this book, the girls have spent a few terms at Malory Towers, and are now about to enter the second form with Miss Parker as their teacher. There are new girls as always, the very pretty and rich Daphne who Gwendolen and Mary Lou both admire, scholarship student Ellen who starts off her stint at Malory Towers well enough but begins to turn sullen and snappy, as the term progresses, and drawing whiz Belinda Morris, who is as scatterbrained as Irene. There are the usual school happening, lessons, a few tricks, and a concert which finds the two Mam’zelles arguing over who should be lead in their French plays. There are also some mysterious goings on with purses and valuables disappearing, and Ellen snooping somewhat strangely around the school which leads the girls to misunderstand the situation while the reader is aware from the start that Ellen, insecure about her ability to do well on tests, is beginning to consider cheating, as the pressure leads her to fall ill. Alongside, Alicia is jealous and angry as Sally Hope has been chosen head of form over her.
When I started reading this instalment, I thought I hadn’t read this before at all but about half way in I began to remember the story. This was a fairly enjoyable instalment in the series—with pretty much the ordinary happenings of school life, not only events but also personal issues like Alicia’s anger over Sally being chosen over her (in Malory Towers, it is the form mistress who chooses the head), Ellen’s insecurities, and the girls’ friendships. Ellen’s issue with her work performance is something that so many students and others face, and Blyton goes into two of the effects of this, one Ellen stressing herself out so much that she falls physically ill, and two considering turning to cheating so that she can do well, pointing out that it is only later that she stops to consider what her parents might think of what she did rather than exam results, and also the need for others (peers) to be supportive and empathetic rather than hard and needlessly (without proof) casting aspersions. It was also interesting how Blyton wove in the issue of disagreements between teachers and how that might be viewed by students. The third plot that stood out to me was the one where Mary Lou goes out to post a parcel in bad weather—here we are taken out of the school premises though not into a village or town but into part of the country with its cliffs and gales which might prove dangerous. Darrell in this one has to face her temper issues again, and finds that it isn’t as easy to keep it in check even when she’s aware of the problem. This was another instance in which Miss Grayling shows her sense and understanding, putting it across that she too sees this as something that will be achieved over time, and the fact that Darrell is trying is enough for the moment.
There were no midnight feasts in this one (I’m beginning to wonder if those only happen in St Clares) but definitely some fun tricks thanks to Betty and Alicia. Belinda’s drawing skills bring their own touch of humour to the story. Looking forward to see what happens in the next instalment.
When I started reading this instalment, I thought I hadn’t read this before at all but about half way in I began to remember the story. This was a fairly enjoyable instalment in the series—with pretty much the ordinary happenings of school life, not only events but also personal issues like Alicia’s anger over Sally being chosen over her (in Malory Towers, it is the form mistress who chooses the head), Ellen’s insecurities, and the girls’ friendships. Ellen’s issue with her work performance is something that so many students and others face, and Blyton goes into two of the effects of this, one Ellen stressing herself out so much that she falls physically ill, and two considering turning to cheating so that she can do well, pointing out that it is only later that she stops to consider what her parents might think of what she did rather than exam results, and also the need for others (peers) to be supportive and empathetic rather than hard and needlessly (without proof) casting aspersions. It was also interesting how Blyton wove in the issue of disagreements between teachers and how that might be viewed by students. The third plot that stood out to me was the one where Mary Lou goes out to post a parcel in bad weather—here we are taken out of the school premises though not into a village or town but into part of the country with its cliffs and gales which might prove dangerous. Darrell in this one has to face her temper issues again, and finds that it isn’t as easy to keep it in check even when she’s aware of the problem. This was another instance in which Miss Grayling shows her sense and understanding, putting it across that she too sees this as something that will be achieved over time, and the fact that Darrell is trying is enough for the moment.
There were no midnight feasts in this one (I’m beginning to wonder if those only happen in St Clares) but definitely some fun tricks thanks to Betty and Alicia. Belinda’s drawing skills bring their own touch of humour to the story. Looking forward to see what happens in the next instalment.
October 19, 2020
In their second year, the Malory Towers bunch get two new girls, and the main plots revolve around them. The formula for bringing something new to the table through new students is set in this book and will be followed throughout the series. This just makes this a better book than First Term at Malory Towers. There will be spoilers ahead.
One of the new girls is Ellen. She is a scholarship girl, supposed to be brilliant in studies. She is bad tempered and is unable to make friends. The girls try to be friends at first, then let her be when she refuses to respond to their overtures. But when many girls start missing money and other valuables, Alicia catches Ellen lurking around the place and accuses her of theft.
The second new girl is Daphne, rich and pretty. She is befriended by Gwendoline, who is taken by her stories of yacht parties and large mansions. She also uses Mary-Lou to help her with her French studies. However, Daphne turns out to have feet of clay.
I thought it was Alicia and Darrel who came out of this term looking really bad, the former with her maliciousness and Darrel with her hot temper. This book sees the third time Darrel assaults another person, having assaulted Sally and Gwendoline the previous year. Belinda too did not shine, and I don't know why it is all right for her to get out of chores and draw unkind pictures of people.
Blyton spins it that Gwendoline is the one who didn't come out of the year well for the sole reason that she was not happy to give Daphne a second chance. But why should she? She was the one who was made a fool of by Daphne, she was the one who lost a friend! In fact, Gwen actually showed some good qualities: she does not borrow money and she does not lie! She also had the sense to save both Daphne and Mary-Lou from certain death by informing the right authorities in time.
I enjoyed this year and looking forward to more! It was nice to read that the girls were perfect terrors rather than being the angels with no feelings like in the first book!
One of the new girls is Ellen. She is a scholarship girl, supposed to be brilliant in studies. She is bad tempered and is unable to make friends. The girls try to be friends at first, then let her be when she refuses to respond to their overtures. But when many girls start missing money and other valuables, Alicia catches Ellen lurking around the place and accuses her of theft.
The second new girl is Daphne, rich and pretty. She is befriended by Gwendoline, who is taken by her stories of yacht parties and large mansions. She also uses Mary-Lou to help her with her French studies. However, Daphne turns out to have feet of clay.
I thought it was Alicia and Darrel who came out of this term looking really bad, the former with her maliciousness and Darrel with her hot temper. This book sees the third time Darrel assaults another person, having assaulted Sally and Gwendoline the previous year. Belinda too did not shine, and I don't know why it is all right for her to get out of chores and draw unkind pictures of people.
Blyton spins it that Gwendoline is the one who didn't come out of the year well for the sole reason that she was not happy to give Daphne a second chance. But why should she? She was the one who was made a fool of by Daphne, she was the one who lost a friend! In fact, Gwen actually showed some good qualities: she does not borrow money and she does not lie! She also had the sense to save both Daphne and Mary-Lou from certain death by informing the right authorities in time.
I enjoyed this year and looking forward to more! It was nice to read that the girls were perfect terrors rather than being the angels with no feelings like in the first book!
February 17, 2018
Second Form at Mallory Towers in audio.
Darryl Rivers and her best friend Sally start a second year at Mallory Towers. Three new girls join the second form Ellen a scholarship girl, Daphne and Belinda who draws caricatures.
Sally is voted head of North Tower and Gwendoline makes a beeline for Daphne because she is from a well off family. However the Headmistress knows a secret about Daphne and she might not be what she seems.
Ellen is bad tempered and hard to talk to who is behind the recent thefts at school?
I enjoyed the second year at Mallory Towers, I don't know if the book has been changed because it is not particularly old fashioned as most of Enid Blytons books are.
Darryl Rivers and her best friend Sally start a second year at Mallory Towers. Three new girls join the second form Ellen a scholarship girl, Daphne and Belinda who draws caricatures.
Sally is voted head of North Tower and Gwendoline makes a beeline for Daphne because she is from a well off family. However the Headmistress knows a secret about Daphne and she might not be what she seems.
Ellen is bad tempered and hard to talk to who is behind the recent thefts at school?
I enjoyed the second year at Mallory Towers, I don't know if the book has been changed because it is not particularly old fashioned as most of Enid Blytons books are.
September 11, 2020
For my full review, visit me at https://mrsbrownsbooks.wordpress.com/...
Awarding anything less than five stars to Enid Blyton’s series remains inconceivable as I continue to read the Malory Towers series. It continues to bring back wonderful childhood memories as I share it with my young daughter.
For my full review, visit me at https://mrsbrownsbooks.wordpress.com/...
Awarding anything less than five stars to Enid Blyton’s series remains inconceivable as I continue to read the Malory Towers series. It continues to bring back wonderful childhood memories as I share it with my young daughter.
For my full review, visit me at https://mrsbrownsbooks.wordpress.com/...
March 6, 2009
At the beginning I was feeling ornery at the frequent use of the word sensible as an adjective to describe a few of the girls. While this story (the second in a series of six books) is rather formulaic, I was pleasantly surprised by its psychological mindedness, and I must say I most enjoyed the girls when they were behaving somewhat badly rather than being perfect. It took me a little while to become engaged with this one but I ended up staying up until the early hours of the morning to finish it, and I did come close to tears with emotion toward the end. I’m looking forward to the other four books in this series. While this isn’t the boarding school of my childhood dreams, I do have fun reading these; I’m sure I’d have been a huge fan if I’d read them when I was 9 or 10 or 11.
November 26, 2018
My favourite Enid Blyton series. I adore these and I’m determined to get any kids I know to read and love these.
November 19, 2024
I think I gave it only three stars because it made me a bit uneasy while reading some parts, like, the sensitive girls are bullied and called ninnies, if you're fat you're bullied.. and, well It just wasn't THAT enjoyable for me at least, I'm not saying that YOU wouldn't like it, and don't get me wrong, I loved this book, but it wasn't that AMAZING, just personal taste.
Read
May 12, 2023there is a thief at malory towers and everybody suspects the poor scholarship girl. ever one to subvert expectations enid blyton then reveals it was not the openly poor girl, but one who is SECRETLY poor**
*poor meaning lower middle class, naturally
*poor meaning lower middle class, naturally
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 23, 2022
Mam’zelle Dupont will forever be an icon
October 7, 2021
Loved it now on to the next one
February 21, 2013
A trip back to my childhood. I grew up reading every Enid Blyton that I could find. This was one of my favourite series!
March 16, 2019
Individuality killer
August 19, 2021
Oh, another goodie. Darrell loses it again, resulting in some very unladylike scrapping on the floor, and Mary-Lou nearly comes a cropper. Darrell is of course well settled in by now, so the first focus of this book is the new girls. Belinda is the typical Enid Blyton mad artist character—scatty and forgetful but naturally a genius. She pairs up with Irene from the first book, who is just as mad and scatty and just as much of a genius (maths and music are Irene's forte). Like Darrell before her, Belinda settles in and is quickly popular.
Daphne is very rich, has a picture of wonderfully good-looking parents on her beside table, and is immediately latched on to by Gwendoline. Mary-Lou, surprisingly, latches on to her as well, although at first Daphne only uses her to get help with her tres terrible French.
Ellen is a 'scholarship girl', very grumpy and unpopular. The girls do not know she is worried about not being able to pass the exams at the end of term.
The green-eyed monster raises its ugly head again, not in Sally this time, but in Alicia. Alicia is furious that Sally has been appointed head girl, and she and best friend Betty try to goad Darrell about it. Darrell doesn't bite, yet, but something's got to give...
And give it does. The girls have been missing various things—a brooch by Emily, some money by Gwendoline—and Alicia starts to suspect Ellen. Ellen has decided to cheat in the end of term exams and is caught by Alicia a few times rummaging around desks in the form room. Alicia tells the rest to the girls that it is Ellen who has been stealing, but Sally says they can't do anything without proof.
Alicia, still annoyed at Sally for being head girl, ignores her and accuses Ellen to her face. Ellen had actually all but decided not to cheat after all, but being called a thief angers her so much she decides she will go downstairs that night and look for the exam papers. If they call me bad, I'll be bad, Ellen decides, in an early example of labelling theory.
She has just found the papers when she hears a noise outside, and she quickly hides in a cupboard. Enter Darrell, who had been woken up when Ellen left the dormitory. She finds Ellen, sees the exam papers and wrestles her to the floor to retrieve them.
And the next day...Ellen is gone. The girls think she has been expelled for stealing, so they do not ask about her. But Ellen is in the San., after 'one of her headaches' became so bad she could hardly think. Darrell frets about what to do, and finally decides not to say anything about the cheating—if Ellen was expelled for stealing, what's the point?
Gwendoline and Mary-Lou, meanwhile, have another spat. Daphne has wanted a parcel posted and Mary-Lou decides to take it to the post office for her. It is dark and stormy, and Gwendoline tries to persuade her not to go. When kindness fails, Gwendoline goes for the kill, telling Mary-Lou that Daphne doesn't like her anyway and only pretends to be friends with her to get help with her French. Mary-Lou, rather pathetically, says that regardless, she is still Daphne's friend, and she takes the parcel (have some dignity, Mary-Lou! Darrell would have decked her in the face!). But she doesn't come back.
Gwendoline, in a rare flash of sense, tells Daphne the full story. Daphne is horrified and rushes out to look for Mary-Lou (telling Gwen first that she was wrong and that Mary-Lou is a much better friend than she is). She goes along the cliffs, hears a cry, and there is Mary-Lou, blown over the cliff and hanging on to a small bush.
Ingenius use of mackintosh and tunic belts have Mary-Lou and Daphne hanging on to each other, but for how long? Luckily, Gwen has yet another flash of sense (two in one day!) and finally tells Authority what has happened. Daphne and Mary-Lou are found and Rescued.
But the tale doesn't end there...the next day the storm has stopped, and Sally, Darrell and a few others decide to go and look for the Very Important Parcel. The paper has come off it so they take the contents out. And there are the missing things.
This is a matter for Miss Grayling, so Sally goes to see her. Miss Grayling is astonished to hear that the girls think Ellen has been expelled. She says that she is sure Daphne is the thief. When she talks to Daphne, it turned out that Daphne has been expelled from two other schools for this, and that if she is expelled from Malory Towers her grandmother will stop paying for her education. It also transpires that she lied about being rich and that the photos on her bedside table are not of her parents. A liar as well as a thief!
Miss Grayling gives her a grim choice—she can stay at Malory Towers if she tells the girls the whole story, and if they agree that she can stay. The bricks of the second form (except our Gwendoline!) agree that she can. Daphne and Mary-Lou become Friends (the capital F kind), and Gwendoline is once more left out in the cold.
And on we go...
Daphne is very rich, has a picture of wonderfully good-looking parents on her beside table, and is immediately latched on to by Gwendoline. Mary-Lou, surprisingly, latches on to her as well, although at first Daphne only uses her to get help with her tres terrible French.
Ellen is a 'scholarship girl', very grumpy and unpopular. The girls do not know she is worried about not being able to pass the exams at the end of term.
The green-eyed monster raises its ugly head again, not in Sally this time, but in Alicia. Alicia is furious that Sally has been appointed head girl, and she and best friend Betty try to goad Darrell about it. Darrell doesn't bite, yet, but something's got to give...
And give it does. The girls have been missing various things—a brooch by Emily, some money by Gwendoline—and Alicia starts to suspect Ellen. Ellen has decided to cheat in the end of term exams and is caught by Alicia a few times rummaging around desks in the form room. Alicia tells the rest to the girls that it is Ellen who has been stealing, but Sally says they can't do anything without proof.
Alicia, still annoyed at Sally for being head girl, ignores her and accuses Ellen to her face. Ellen had actually all but decided not to cheat after all, but being called a thief angers her so much she decides she will go downstairs that night and look for the exam papers. If they call me bad, I'll be bad, Ellen decides, in an early example of labelling theory.
She has just found the papers when she hears a noise outside, and she quickly hides in a cupboard. Enter Darrell, who had been woken up when Ellen left the dormitory. She finds Ellen, sees the exam papers and wrestles her to the floor to retrieve them.
And the next day...Ellen is gone. The girls think she has been expelled for stealing, so they do not ask about her. But Ellen is in the San., after 'one of her headaches' became so bad she could hardly think. Darrell frets about what to do, and finally decides not to say anything about the cheating—if Ellen was expelled for stealing, what's the point?
Gwendoline and Mary-Lou, meanwhile, have another spat. Daphne has wanted a parcel posted and Mary-Lou decides to take it to the post office for her. It is dark and stormy, and Gwendoline tries to persuade her not to go. When kindness fails, Gwendoline goes for the kill, telling Mary-Lou that Daphne doesn't like her anyway and only pretends to be friends with her to get help with her French. Mary-Lou, rather pathetically, says that regardless, she is still Daphne's friend, and she takes the parcel (have some dignity, Mary-Lou! Darrell would have decked her in the face!). But she doesn't come back.
Gwendoline, in a rare flash of sense, tells Daphne the full story. Daphne is horrified and rushes out to look for Mary-Lou (telling Gwen first that she was wrong and that Mary-Lou is a much better friend than she is). She goes along the cliffs, hears a cry, and there is Mary-Lou, blown over the cliff and hanging on to a small bush.
Ingenius use of mackintosh and tunic belts have Mary-Lou and Daphne hanging on to each other, but for how long? Luckily, Gwen has yet another flash of sense (two in one day!) and finally tells Authority what has happened. Daphne and Mary-Lou are found and Rescued.
But the tale doesn't end there...the next day the storm has stopped, and Sally, Darrell and a few others decide to go and look for the Very Important Parcel. The paper has come off it so they take the contents out. And there are the missing things.
This is a matter for Miss Grayling, so Sally goes to see her. Miss Grayling is astonished to hear that the girls think Ellen has been expelled. She says that she is sure Daphne is the thief. When she talks to Daphne, it turned out that Daphne has been expelled from two other schools for this, and that if she is expelled from Malory Towers her grandmother will stop paying for her education. It also transpires that she lied about being rich and that the photos on her bedside table are not of her parents. A liar as well as a thief!
Miss Grayling gives her a grim choice—she can stay at Malory Towers if she tells the girls the whole story, and if they agree that she can stay. The bricks of the second form (except our Gwendoline!) agree that she can. Daphne and Mary-Lou become Friends (the capital F kind), and Gwendoline is once more left out in the cold.
And on we go...
July 25, 2021
Once again we join Darrell Rivers on her way to Malory Towers down in Cornwall. The second journey however we are treated to the company of Sally Hope as Darrell’s best friend. The two girls are seen to be very close, a complete change from the first book. This gives us some insight to the past year of the girls’ lives at Malory Towers, but mostly in regards to Darrell’s famous temper.
Almost immediately we are treated to a different Sally – happy, carefree and such a lovely change from the first novel. Instantly she is seen to be a very good friend for Darrell and in her way a very charming character. Second Form at Malory Towers is not so much Darrell’s book as it is Sally’s. We get to see Sally as head girl of the second form, promoted over older girls because of her sensible and caring nature. Alicia Johns takes great offence to this.
The second book is where my dislike for Alicia’s character really grips me. In Blyton’s books the message that’s always relayed is that nasty people receive a comeuppance but Alicia’s always seem slight and never quite achieves the required effect on her. From the moment Sally is made head girl of the second form on the second day of term, Alicia decides that she will not follow Sally’s rules – beginning as an almost quiet protest. She calls Sally “such a bore” which seems unfair. Head girls are chosen for their qualities – good work and a calm nature – not for playing tricks on the mistresses! Alicia almost seems a little immature in the second form for her outbursts continue – culminating in an explosive confrontation with another girl in the form.
Three new girls grace the pages of Second Form: Belinda Morris, a scatter brained artist who draws caricatures like a political cartoonist for a newspaper, Ellen Wilson, a rather moody scholarship girl and Daphne Turner, a not-all-she-seems pretty girl who is instantly Gwendoline Lacey’s favourite.
The first fun of the term starts when Alicia and her friend Betty Hill are restless and decide to play a trick on their unsuspecting music master. The trick itself is genius, simple and quite a hoot. When I was little I always wanted to get my hands on some “invisible chalk”. It was clearly one of the safest tricks that is played in the Malory Tower’s series.
The first time the trick is played it comes off perfectly, with hilarious results, however when the trick is played a second time it’s not quite as successful. You’ll have to read the book to find out more specifically – but as a result Alicia becomes very cold towards Darrell, trying to wind up our heroine and make her lose her temper.
After the tricks, things really start to kick off for the second formers. Belinda’s artistic flare gets the better of her and she captures a feud between the two Mam’zelles. The fight is over the casting of the lead characters in the two French play that the girls will be doing. Mam’zelle Dupont wants Daphne – her current favourite – to take the parts while Mam’zelle Rougier would like anyone but Daphne to take the parts. Needless to say that the mistresses come to blows, and the situation only comes to a close with the ‘help’ of Belinda’s drawings.
Once the problems with the Mam’zelles have been sorted out the term starts to move by quite quickly and as a reader you start getting more into the action and wondering what the girls will be up to next. Now is when the focus is brought back to one of our new girls, Ellen Wilson, who isn’t doing very well academically even though she should be as a scholarship girl. Problems arise and Sally asks Jean (the shrewd Scot’s girl) to befriend her in the hope that it will make Ellen less snappy.
Along the way we start to discover that girls’ personal belongings – money and jewellery – have gone missing. Oh golly – there’s a thief in the second form. Everyone begins to suspect Ellen, and Alicia even confronts her about it against Sally’s wishes. Poor Ellen. I do feel for her as a character – not at first maybe but certainly later on. I relate to her work wise as well. Ellen says quite a few times that she has to slog really hard to achieve her fine results: I too have to work hard to get good results in my work.
Without giving too much more away, I shall tell you that there is a twist to the plot in this story and it’s handled very well.
There is a point in the book where the headmistress, Miss Grayling, is talking about good and bad and one quote really stands out for me, so I thought I would share it.
“We all have good and bad in us, and we have to strive all the time to make the good cancel out the bad. We can never be perfect – we all of us do mean or wrong things at times – but we can at least make amends by trying to cancel out the wrong by doing something worthy later on.”
This statement really gets me as it talks about how everyone has a choice, how you can be whatever you want to be and that people can change. I think it’s an incredibly important lesson for us all to take on board.
It is a very readable book (aren’t they all?) and there is a darkness to this story, almost like a cloud that hangs over the plot, creating atmosphere. It really is a thrilling read. I love the way the characters interact and Sally come more to the forefront of the book than she has previously and ever will do again really. This is one thing that grieves me about Malory Towers is that Sally (particularly) starts off with the potential to be such an interesting character and all her flare is gone by the end of book two it feels.
This a book to get your teeth into and enjoy! So I suggest you pick it up and give it a go, you won’t be disappointed!
Almost immediately we are treated to a different Sally – happy, carefree and such a lovely change from the first novel. Instantly she is seen to be a very good friend for Darrell and in her way a very charming character. Second Form at Malory Towers is not so much Darrell’s book as it is Sally’s. We get to see Sally as head girl of the second form, promoted over older girls because of her sensible and caring nature. Alicia Johns takes great offence to this.
The second book is where my dislike for Alicia’s character really grips me. In Blyton’s books the message that’s always relayed is that nasty people receive a comeuppance but Alicia’s always seem slight and never quite achieves the required effect on her. From the moment Sally is made head girl of the second form on the second day of term, Alicia decides that she will not follow Sally’s rules – beginning as an almost quiet protest. She calls Sally “such a bore” which seems unfair. Head girls are chosen for their qualities – good work and a calm nature – not for playing tricks on the mistresses! Alicia almost seems a little immature in the second form for her outbursts continue – culminating in an explosive confrontation with another girl in the form.
Three new girls grace the pages of Second Form: Belinda Morris, a scatter brained artist who draws caricatures like a political cartoonist for a newspaper, Ellen Wilson, a rather moody scholarship girl and Daphne Turner, a not-all-she-seems pretty girl who is instantly Gwendoline Lacey’s favourite.
The first fun of the term starts when Alicia and her friend Betty Hill are restless and decide to play a trick on their unsuspecting music master. The trick itself is genius, simple and quite a hoot. When I was little I always wanted to get my hands on some “invisible chalk”. It was clearly one of the safest tricks that is played in the Malory Tower’s series.
The first time the trick is played it comes off perfectly, with hilarious results, however when the trick is played a second time it’s not quite as successful. You’ll have to read the book to find out more specifically – but as a result Alicia becomes very cold towards Darrell, trying to wind up our heroine and make her lose her temper.
After the tricks, things really start to kick off for the second formers. Belinda’s artistic flare gets the better of her and she captures a feud between the two Mam’zelles. The fight is over the casting of the lead characters in the two French play that the girls will be doing. Mam’zelle Dupont wants Daphne – her current favourite – to take the parts while Mam’zelle Rougier would like anyone but Daphne to take the parts. Needless to say that the mistresses come to blows, and the situation only comes to a close with the ‘help’ of Belinda’s drawings.
Once the problems with the Mam’zelles have been sorted out the term starts to move by quite quickly and as a reader you start getting more into the action and wondering what the girls will be up to next. Now is when the focus is brought back to one of our new girls, Ellen Wilson, who isn’t doing very well academically even though she should be as a scholarship girl. Problems arise and Sally asks Jean (the shrewd Scot’s girl) to befriend her in the hope that it will make Ellen less snappy.
Along the way we start to discover that girls’ personal belongings – money and jewellery – have gone missing. Oh golly – there’s a thief in the second form. Everyone begins to suspect Ellen, and Alicia even confronts her about it against Sally’s wishes. Poor Ellen. I do feel for her as a character – not at first maybe but certainly later on. I relate to her work wise as well. Ellen says quite a few times that she has to slog really hard to achieve her fine results: I too have to work hard to get good results in my work.
Without giving too much more away, I shall tell you that there is a twist to the plot in this story and it’s handled very well.
There is a point in the book where the headmistress, Miss Grayling, is talking about good and bad and one quote really stands out for me, so I thought I would share it.
“We all have good and bad in us, and we have to strive all the time to make the good cancel out the bad. We can never be perfect – we all of us do mean or wrong things at times – but we can at least make amends by trying to cancel out the wrong by doing something worthy later on.”
This statement really gets me as it talks about how everyone has a choice, how you can be whatever you want to be and that people can change. I think it’s an incredibly important lesson for us all to take on board.
It is a very readable book (aren’t they all?) and there is a darkness to this story, almost like a cloud that hangs over the plot, creating atmosphere. It really is a thrilling read. I love the way the characters interact and Sally come more to the forefront of the book than she has previously and ever will do again really. This is one thing that grieves me about Malory Towers is that Sally (particularly) starts off with the potential to be such an interesting character and all her flare is gone by the end of book two it feels.
This a book to get your teeth into and enjoy! So I suggest you pick it up and give it a go, you won’t be disappointed!
March 29, 2022
A weekend of packing and cleaning meant I absolutely blitzed through this one on audio and I was pleased that it lived up to my childhood memories.
The girls are back for their second year at the prestigious boarding school, Malory Towers. There are plenty of familiar faces (Darryl, Sally, and dear old Gwendoline) as well as some new starters who soon get caught up in the girls' lively jaunts and jokes. It was lovely to reminisce and even better listening on audio which created a new perspective (after countless years of reading the books cover to cover).
Some parts have aged, as expected, but overall the books are a nostalgic throwback that I will never tire of reading.
Rating breakdown
Plot/narrative - 4.1
Writing style/readability - 3.8
Characters - 4.2
Diverse themes - 3.5
Ending - 4
Overall - 3.9
The girls are back for their second year at the prestigious boarding school, Malory Towers. There are plenty of familiar faces (Darryl, Sally, and dear old Gwendoline) as well as some new starters who soon get caught up in the girls' lively jaunts and jokes. It was lovely to reminisce and even better listening on audio which created a new perspective (after countless years of reading the books cover to cover).
Some parts have aged, as expected, but overall the books are a nostalgic throwback that I will never tire of reading.
Rating breakdown
Plot/narrative - 4.1
Writing style/readability - 3.8
Characters - 4.2
Diverse themes - 3.5
Ending - 4
Overall - 3.9
November 12, 2023
So many memories from when I first read this as a child, I always wanted to go to boarding school because of this series and also I don't think it's too late for this but a midnight feast is a must experience!!!
February 23, 2020
3.5 stars!! I'm obviously not this books' target audience but I think it's a lovely children's series!
January 13, 2023
The shenanigans were so wacky and dramatic and for what? Absolute childhood gold.
February 12, 2023
As the best Malory towers book by far
October 8, 2017
I really love all the characters in this book, from timid little Mary Lou to conceited Gwendalyn. I also enjoy Darrell's character development.
December 29, 2018
Aaahhh... finally finished my reading challenge...
Бага байхад энэ бас байдаг байсан ч гэсэн эхний номыг бодул арай цөөхөн уншсан болохоор хагасыг нь лав санахгүй байна шүү... Зааа дараа жил бас challenge-аа дуусгаж чадахгүй болул үлдсэнийг нь уншийдаа 😝😝😝
Бага байхад энэ бас байдаг байсан ч гэсэн эхний номыг бодул арай цөөхөн уншсан болохоор хагасыг нь лав санахгүй байна шүү... Зааа дараа жил бас challenge-аа дуусгаж чадахгүй болул үлдсэнийг нь уншийдаа 😝😝😝
October 6, 2020
5 stars & 5/10 hearts. This book is not as funny as the first one, but it’s still quiet humorous. Belinda and Irene are hilarious! xD I love how Blyton weaves excellent humour, good morals, and interesting stories in this series. I don’t agree with everything, and there’s a bit more language than the first book (still mild—gosh, golly, blow) but it’s very good too.
April 22, 2022
It’s impossible not to love anything Enid Blyton, this book was such a comfort read as always ❤️ Only problem: I’ve never seen my name in a book before until Malory Towers, and the character Alicia is so rude!
October 8, 2024
I just love these books so much.
February 13, 2017
Hmmm - looks like Goodreads have done an update - star rating not showing!
5 stars for a childhood favourite - loved it.
5 stars for a childhood favourite - loved it.
February 8, 2017
Foi uma boa leitura, adorei as novas personagens e as interações entre elas.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 372 reviews