Second Form at Malory Towers (by Enid Blyton)

(Amazon UK link)

Having just finished Enid Blyton’s ‘First Term at Malory Towers’, which I hadn’t read for about thirty years, I liked it so much I picked up its first sequel ‘Second Form at Malory Towers’ to read immediately afterwards. It’s probably thirty years since I last read that, too. These books were some of my favourites in my teenage years, and I re-read them almost yearly; I hadn’t forgotten the main characters, but with a thirty-year break, I had not remembered many of the subplots.

Over a year has passed since ‘First Term…’. Darrell and her friends are due to move into the second form, at last. There’s no explanation as to why they spent so long in the first form, or why one or two of their former classmates have already progressed to the third form. Perhaps it was age, perhaps academic achievement. In any case, this is the September term, and Darrell is firm friends with Sally, who travels down to the school (in Cornwall) with her.

Sally is made head of the second form, due to her wisdom, kindness and common sense, but others in the form are not happy about this. There are three new girls in their class and dorm. The most likeable is Belinda, who is good at art and excellent at caricatures, but as absent-minded as the musical Irene. The second new girl is Ellen, who has won a scholarship to the school so she’s evidently bright - but she seems to be constantly stressed, and doesn’t respond to anyone’s friendship.

Then there’s Daphne, who is very pretty and nicely spoken, who continually boasts about her wealthy parents with their huge mansion and yacht. The fluffy, shallow Gwendoline befriends Daphne, hoping for an invitation to her luxurious home.

Most of the action takes place in the classroom: tricks are played on the French ‘Mam’zelle’, and one of them, intended for her, goes rather horribly wrong. Then things start going missing, so many that it’s evidently not carelessness, but someone stealing. An accusation is made… I had remembered the outcome of this (or perhaps sufficient hints were dropped that I figured it out) and the climax of the story, involving a courageous girl and a dangerous rescue, is surprisingly moving.

Overall I didn’t like the book as much as the first in the series, and don’t plan to read any more right now. There’s a tad too much author commentary in this book, describing the girls and their characteristics rather than always showing them. And while there are certainly lessons to be learned about courage, integrity and kindness, which are shown in the book, the girls (other than Darrell and Sally) feel rather too caricatured.

But I’m glad I re-read these first two, which reminded me just why I liked them so much as a teenager, and I’d recommend them to anyone aged about eight or nine and up who likes this kind of book. I’m sure I’ll re-read the others at some point and am pleased to note that they have all been re-published regularly as well as being widely available second-hand.

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