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Original poster

Has anyone ever read Malory towers?

558 replies

Orangejelly1 · 02/10/2022 00:04

I used to love the books as a child! I read them cover to cover so many times and my favourite character was Darrell. I recently found my old collection and re read parts of them just for old times sake and I was actually really disappointed to see, as an adult, how awful some of the popular characters were. I know it was a product of its time and a different era, but Darrell, Alicia and some of the most popular girls would be called nasty bullies nowadays. I also felt so sorry for Gwen, which surprised me because as a child rearing the books she was my least favourite character.

just wondered if anyone else re read the books and thought this too!

OP posts:
Arbesque · 02/10/2022 21:02

I was fascinated by the hon Angela's mother in Claudine at St Clare's. She was so rude, bad mannered and insulting. She just didn't come across as someone 'out of the top drawer'.
Angela was also quite vulgar. Boasting about her belongings, looking down on people who didn't have as much money as her and treating poorer people like dirt.

I reckon Angela's mother was a gold digger who had married into the upper classes and brought her daughter up with the same mis -placed snobby values as her own.

Flapjacker48 · 02/10/2022 21:04

@AsAnyFuleKno

It's not mentioned so much in "six cousins" but on Willow farm all the farm labourers live in the tied cottages on the farm and it is clear that the farmer is the "kind master"! (this set-up was of course pretty accurate in it's detail)

DorritLittle · 02/10/2022 21:06

Loved these books but agree OP. Upon a reread they are all pretty awful. DD loved them too though!

DorritLittle · 02/10/2022 21:09

MarieIVanArkleStinks · 02/10/2022 20:15

Margery Fenworthy of St Clare's is one of the best Blyton characters ever. Brave, fearless and doesn't give a shiny shit for anyone's good opinion - given her classmates who can blame her? The rude, sulky, rebellious ones are a lot better than the breathless, eager girls (here's looking at you, Darrell Rivers) who arrive all starry-eyed, wanting to fit in with the regime from the word go. But there are only two character arcs for those types: they are either rusticated or end up assimilated as reformed, obedient girls, doubtless the good sound women of the future ....

The decent sorts...

KimberleyClark · 02/10/2022 21:12

DorritLittle · 02/10/2022 21:09

The decent sorts...

Show quote history

She became friends with Lucy Oriell who had to be one of the most annoying girls in St Claire’s history.

Flapjacker48 · 02/10/2022 21:13

I think that the Malory Towers books were actually pretty progressive in some ways for there era (last one published 1951) - Darrell and Sally go to university, Bill and Clarissa set up their own business. Much talk of "strong and confident women" from the head.

KimberleyClark · 02/10/2022 21:13

Flapjacker48 · 02/10/2022 20:52

@KimberleyClark But she threatened to miss-treat a puppy! Shock

Yeah but I’m sure she wouldn’t really have done it…..

KimberleyClark · 02/10/2022 21:16

Arbesque · 02/10/2022 21:02

I was fascinated by the hon Angela's mother in Claudine at St Clare's. She was so rude, bad mannered and insulting. She just didn't come across as someone 'out of the top drawer'.
Angela was also quite vulgar. Boasting about her belongings, looking down on people who didn't have as much money as her and treating poorer people like dirt.

I reckon Angela's mother was a gold digger who had married into the upper classes and brought her daughter up with the same mis -placed snobby values as her own.

Yes she was probably a film starlet or something.

Arbesque · 02/10/2022 21:19

Flapjacker48 · 02/10/2022 21:13

I think that the Malory Towers books were actually pretty progressive in some ways for there era (last one published 1951) - Darrell and Sally go to university, Bill and Clarissa set up their own business. Much talk of "strong and confident women" from the head.

Yes it was interesting that most of them had career plans. Many of them came from the kind of backgrounds where, in 1951, girls would just get token jobs or stay at home helping mummy with the flowers until Mr Right came along.

Sparagmos · 02/10/2022 21:20

I have read them many times but they certainly are pretty awful for the modern world. Alicia WAS a bit of a bully, that was explicit. Darrell simply had to overcome her temper (always justified) otherwise was perfect 😇. Blyton was a simplistic writer who was heavily criticised at the time for her small vocabulary and narrow views. Also, 2 entire series about girls at school and not even an oblique reference to menstruation! 😏

Arbesque · 02/10/2022 21:20

KimberleyClark · 02/10/2022 21:16

Yes she was probably a film starlet or something.

Show quote history

Or a showgirl or model who had Mr Favourleigh down the aisle and fathering her child before he knew what was going on.
He certainly had the air of a man who was repenting at leisure.

KimberleyClark · 02/10/2022 21:21

Arbesque · 02/10/2022 21:19

Yes it was interesting that most of them had career plans. Many of them came from the kind of backgrounds where, in 1951, girls would just get token jobs or stay at home helping mummy with the flowers until Mr Right came along.

Show quote history

On the other hand they were taught to sew because “you hope to be married one day don’t you, and run your own home?”

ReneBumsWombats · 02/10/2022 21:27

Arbesque · 02/10/2022 21:02

I was fascinated by the hon Angela's mother in Claudine at St Clare's. She was so rude, bad mannered and insulting. She just didn't come across as someone 'out of the top drawer'.
Angela was also quite vulgar. Boasting about her belongings, looking down on people who didn't have as much money as her and treating poorer people like dirt.

I reckon Angela's mother was a gold digger who had married into the upper classes and brought her daughter up with the same mis -placed snobby values as her own.

That's why Claudine jumped into the swimming pool to soak her. I was always impressed that she managed to work it so that nobody else got wet. That's one well-placed splash.

Comedycook · 02/10/2022 21:30

At the end when Bill and Clarissa set up their business...I always assumed that they were in a relationship and EB was hinting at that?

AsAnyFuleKno · 02/10/2022 21:33

Arbesque · 02/10/2022 21:20

Or a showgirl or model who had Mr Favourleigh down the aisle and fathering her child before he knew what was going on.
He certainly had the air of a man who was repenting at leisure.

Show quote history

Similar to Mr Lacey - a 'good' father married to a 'bad' mother.

EB seldom does a bad father - Mr 'Cheeky Charlie' Jones (Jo's father), in MT, is a rare example. As an adult, reading about him blundering about with a red face, barging into conversations, sweating, talking loudly and driving erratically, it's fairly obvious he's drunk.

Spicycurry · 02/10/2022 21:33

KimberleyClark · 02/10/2022 21:12

She became friends with Lucy Oriell who had to be one of the most annoying girls in St Claire’s history.

Show quote history

It’s so funny how we take different things - I love that character. Lucy is my favourite girls name for that reason!

ReneBumsWombats · 02/10/2022 21:41

Comedycook · 02/10/2022 21:30

At the end when Bill and Clarissa set up their business...I always assumed that they were in a relationship and EB was hinting at that?

I love the idea but I think Blyton was much too conservative for that to be true. Just like I don't buy that George from the Famous Five was trans, not that there'd be anything wrong with that, but I just can't see it being on Blyton's radar. She was just another Bill or Bobbie. A tomboy who hated her gender stereotypes. (Bill and Bobbie liked having boys' names and were tomboys but they were completely comfortable in girls' schools and being called girls.)

Foldingchair · 02/10/2022 21:41

Did anyone read the books about Pip, the fairy? That was all about nature too. Stayed with me for years.

Flapjacker48 · 02/10/2022 21:42

@AsAnyFuleKno The only other examples of "bad fathers" I can think of are gypsy fathers of Jo in five fall into an adventure and Sniffer's father in five on mystery moor.

Also "Good" fathers with weaknesses like Mr Taggtery in "those dreadful children" - who is to free and easy on his kids!

Flapjacker48 · 02/10/2022 21:44

EB of course idolised her Father and was distraught when her parents separated. However, she promised her first husband that he would see their daughters as normal if he agreed to a divorce and then never let them see him again.

emmetgirl · 02/10/2022 21:52

I read them as a kid and absolute loved them!

LostInTheColonies · 02/10/2022 22:00

@MurderAtTheBeautyPageant pleased to see that someone has mentioned the Cherry Tree / Willow Tree Farm books. LOVED them. Kids went to school on their own donkeys, and the consumption of 6 slices of toast for breakfast was seen as impressive, rather than excessive 🤣 Benjy had a pet squirrel I think? And Tamylan (sp). Was he a hermit or a tramp? Certainly taught the children all about wildlife.

I also had an EB book called "Birds of our Gardens" - 2 kids staying with an aunt or something, and learning about wildlife and making bird seed cake. No idea about the rest of the plot though (if there was one). I hid behind curtains with binoculars to recreate various scenes 😂🐔

Arbesque · 02/10/2022 22:12

AsAnyFuleKno · 02/10/2022 21:33

Similar to Mr Lacey - a 'good' father married to a 'bad' mother.

EB seldom does a bad father - Mr 'Cheeky Charlie' Jones (Jo's father), in MT, is a rare example. As an adult, reading about him blundering about with a red face, barging into conversations, sweating, talking loudly and driving erratically, it's fairly obvious he's drunk.

Show quote history

Mrs Lacey sounded like a twit but not a particularly unpleasant, calculating or spiteful woman.

Angela's mother, on the other hand, sounded like a nasty piece of work. She was rude, dismissive and overbearing. She also seemed to lack any kind of class while looking down on everyone else.

Angela seemed to be the only person who couldn't see through her. Her husband was embarrassed by her, the other parents wanted nothing to do with her and Angela's classmates were less than impressed by her ignorant behaviour.

ReeDeeHee · 02/10/2022 22:15

The most awful one in all the books was Janet in St. Clares. Didn't she bully someone for being lower class and said she spoke like her day maid, or something? Horrible character.

AsAnyFuleKno · 02/10/2022 22:18

Mrs Lacey sounded like a twit but not a particularly unpleasant, calculating or spiteful woman.

I think she was calculating - she backed Gwen up against her father 'using all the means in her power' over the Swiss finishing school business and it seems to be from her mother that Gwen got her obsession with making 'nice' - i.e. rich, titled or destined-for-greatness friends. I agree she was mainly silly rather than unpleasant.