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Malory Towers #5
In the Fifth at Malory Towers
Games, lessons, quarrels and tricks all form part of a lively term, but the biggest event of all is the Fifth Form pantomime, written, acted and produced entirely by the girls. It generates a lot of fun, but also a surprising amount of trouble.
176 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1967
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1968 people want to read
About the author
Enid Blyton
5,132 books6,306 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
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December 22, 2024
This book is quite dark in a way. There is an awful lot of spite and malice doing the rounds. Darrell and the gang are now moving rapidly up the school. There are two girls staying on from the last class and these two prove very unpopular and a new girl who doesn't endear herself either. This new girl affects Gwen in ways she couldn't imagine and forces her to take a long, hard look at herself. The awful June takes part in the story again too.
The fifth have to produce the Christmas entertainment and I found the descriptions of this great fun!
Only one book left in the series!!
The fifth have to produce the Christmas entertainment and I found the descriptions of this great fun!
Only one book left in the series!!
October 26, 2019
I've been reading this series aloud to my daughter, she adores these characters. One book left to go.
May 11, 2019
Book #5 for my Malory Towers Challenge. Darrell and Felicity return to Malory Towers, where Darrell is now in the fifth form. As the girls have passed their school certificates in the previous term, the term before them is to be a light one work-wise as their form mistress, Miss James informs them. But there’s still plenty in store as Darrell finds herself appointed games captain for the form, sharing duties with Sally, and the fifth form are put in charge of the Christmas entertainment to be written and produced by them entirely. Darrell takes charge of writing the play, Irene the music, Belinda the sets, and Janet the costumes. There is one new girl Maureen, very like Gwendolen-Mary, and three others who weren’t sent up to the sixth form because of age or illness or because they weren’t prepared enough, among them Moira who is a little too hard and domineering, and Catherine, far too saintly. Maureen like Gwendolen Mary is too full of herself, but has only the latter for company as no one else wants her. Once again the different personalities clash or at least don’t get along as games are played and the pantomime is written and rehearsed. Meanwhile Alicia’s cousin, June is also being a handful, just as malicious with her tongue but not as straight as Alicia herself. There are quite a few in the fifth form and below who need to be set right, and the girls are up to the task. Looking at themselves as they are, is hard for them all, and some find it hard to face up to it until things go very wrong. But of course, amidst these more serious moments, there are many lighter ones too in the matches and scrumptious teas that follow and also the tricks which the first form now plays on poor unsuspecting Mam’zelle Dupont, the jolly French teacher. But Mam’zelle isn’t taking it all quietly this time around!
This was a much lighter instalment in the series in some senses with the fun and games taking the centre stage rather than study and exams. But as in the rest of this series, this book too acknowledges that it takes all kinds of people to make the world, which often means unpleasantness, but if one has to get things to work, and to get along with those we are meant to live our lives amidst, one has to face up to oneself, recognise our ‘good’ and ‘bad’ and try to make things run smoothly even if we can’t always change magically. Gwendolen begins to understand this a little when faced with her almost doppelgänger, Maureen and certainly makes an attempt to do so even if doesn’t bring her the reactions she hoped. Catherine too seems to understand this but is a little hurt in the process. June in the first form and Moira in the fifth find this a lot harder to do, one refusing to give in and the other interpreting it in a rather unfortunate way. But sooner or later the girls do begin to see sense, as we too must in our lives.
But aside from this unpleasantness and spite, it was fun watching the girls write and stage their pantomime. They are lucky of course to have all the talent they need—a great writer in Darrell, a musician in Irene, a singer in Mavis, artists in Belinda and Janet, and indeed also acting talents like Alicia—but I enjoyed looking at the whole process unfold which involves a great deal of work but also fun. Staging theatre productions (amateur or professional) and the work that goes into them has been something that’s been part of a lot of the books I’ve been reading lately (the Blue Doors books by Pamela Brown, and then Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild), and I had fun reading Blyton’s version.
This book also had its humorous moments in the trick that the first formers decide to play on Mam’zelle Dupont (here June takes after Alicia), and more so when Mam’zelle decides to play on them a trick of her own. Though it is a success of sorts, I’m not quite sure who the joke ended up being on!
This was another enjoyable volume in the series, and now I have only the final book left (I am only reading the six books that Blyton herself wrote) to see how things turn out for the characters as they prepare to finish school and make their way into the real world.
This was a much lighter instalment in the series in some senses with the fun and games taking the centre stage rather than study and exams. But as in the rest of this series, this book too acknowledges that it takes all kinds of people to make the world, which often means unpleasantness, but if one has to get things to work, and to get along with those we are meant to live our lives amidst, one has to face up to oneself, recognise our ‘good’ and ‘bad’ and try to make things run smoothly even if we can’t always change magically. Gwendolen begins to understand this a little when faced with her almost doppelgänger, Maureen and certainly makes an attempt to do so even if doesn’t bring her the reactions she hoped. Catherine too seems to understand this but is a little hurt in the process. June in the first form and Moira in the fifth find this a lot harder to do, one refusing to give in and the other interpreting it in a rather unfortunate way. But sooner or later the girls do begin to see sense, as we too must in our lives.
But aside from this unpleasantness and spite, it was fun watching the girls write and stage their pantomime. They are lucky of course to have all the talent they need—a great writer in Darrell, a musician in Irene, a singer in Mavis, artists in Belinda and Janet, and indeed also acting talents like Alicia—but I enjoyed looking at the whole process unfold which involves a great deal of work but also fun. Staging theatre productions (amateur or professional) and the work that goes into them has been something that’s been part of a lot of the books I’ve been reading lately (the Blue Doors books by Pamela Brown, and then Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild), and I had fun reading Blyton’s version.
This book also had its humorous moments in the trick that the first formers decide to play on Mam’zelle Dupont (here June takes after Alicia), and more so when Mam’zelle decides to play on them a trick of her own. Though it is a success of sorts, I’m not quite sure who the joke ended up being on!
This was another enjoyable volume in the series, and now I have only the final book left (I am only reading the six books that Blyton herself wrote) to see how things turn out for the characters as they prepare to finish school and make their way into the real world.
February 3, 2021
Well, when I started reading Enid Blyton’s fifth Malory Towers book, I was (I freely and readily admit) most definitely feeling rather massively annoyed and also quite bored with how much constant repetition and typecasting I had been encountering in the series as a whole (and from page one of First Term at Malory Towers, in fact). And yes, the beginning chapters of In the Fifth at Malory Towers also and equally do not really ever manage to in any way tickle my reading fancy so to speak, being in my humble opinion just a total carbon copy of the frustrating same old, same old student and even teacher stereotyping as before, and with main character Darrell Rivers once again like in Upper Fourth at Malory Towers trying to actively control her younger sister Felicity’s friendships (for yes, while I do not at all like and appreciate rebellious and totally obstinate first former June as a character, as a person, I enjoy it even less that Darrell seems to think that she should somehow be totally in charge of Felicity with regard to whom of her classmates her younger sister is permitted to befriend), and not to mention that the entire Gwendolyn and Maureen scenario in In the Fifth at Malory Towers and the constant and tedious remarks by Enid Blyton about how similarly horrible and spoiled they both are, this all does tend to get very lame and frustrating really really quickly.
However and the above having been all been said, once the actual rehearsals for the Christmas Pantomime in fact begin, the narrative of In the Fifth at Malory Tower in my opinion not only and happily rather calms down a bit with regard to its level of repetition, many of the featured characters also do become considerably more nuanced and less one-sided. Yes, Malory Towers students, teachers etc. are still rather obviously typecast to a point, of course, but also experiencing scenarios where actual and original personality traits do tend to emerge and where especially Darrell, Felicity, June and Alicia experience actual growth and are not just carbon copies of their previous selves anymore, and yes, where most appreciatively, Darrell also and especially not once really loses her temper but is acting much more balanced and much more reasonable than in earlier Malory Towers novels and is also (glory be) starting to finally leave her sister Felicity more and more alone, so she can make her own both school based and life decisions.
Combined with the fact that I also totally adore that one chapter in In the Fifth at Malory Towers where one of the French Mistresses does a trick of her own (with hilarious and fang like false teeth) and that I also really have majorly enjoyed as well as appreciated how the character of Maureen actually realises by herself just how unreasonable and dictatorial she has been in particular with regard to her leadership producing the Christmas Pantomime and then decides to change her behaviour on her own accord (and not just because she is being mandated and forced to do so by either her schoolmates or the instructors), while I do think that In the Fifth at Malory Towers starts rather if not even majorly weakly, it has certainly ended much more strongly and with successful and delightful conclusions, with enough positives for me to rank In the Fifth at Malory Towers with a solid three stars.
However and the above having been all been said, once the actual rehearsals for the Christmas Pantomime in fact begin, the narrative of In the Fifth at Malory Tower in my opinion not only and happily rather calms down a bit with regard to its level of repetition, many of the featured characters also do become considerably more nuanced and less one-sided. Yes, Malory Towers students, teachers etc. are still rather obviously typecast to a point, of course, but also experiencing scenarios where actual and original personality traits do tend to emerge and where especially Darrell, Felicity, June and Alicia experience actual growth and are not just carbon copies of their previous selves anymore, and yes, where most appreciatively, Darrell also and especially not once really loses her temper but is acting much more balanced and much more reasonable than in earlier Malory Towers novels and is also (glory be) starting to finally leave her sister Felicity more and more alone, so she can make her own both school based and life decisions.
Combined with the fact that I also totally adore that one chapter in In the Fifth at Malory Towers where one of the French Mistresses does a trick of her own (with hilarious and fang like false teeth) and that I also really have majorly enjoyed as well as appreciated how the character of Maureen actually realises by herself just how unreasonable and dictatorial she has been in particular with regard to her leadership producing the Christmas Pantomime and then decides to change her behaviour on her own accord (and not just because she is being mandated and forced to do so by either her schoolmates or the instructors), while I do think that In the Fifth at Malory Towers starts rather if not even majorly weakly, it has certainly ended much more strongly and with successful and delightful conclusions, with enough positives for me to rank In the Fifth at Malory Towers with a solid three stars.
February 20, 2018
After passing their school certificate last term Darrell and the girls are given the task of organising the school pantomime. Darrell is chosen to write the script for Cinderella and shows she has a gift for writing. Gwendolyn and new girl Maureen are both desperate to be cast as Cinderella and are shocked when quiet, timid Mary-Lou is given the role instead.
Meanwhile older girls Moira and Catherine have to retake the fifth form again. Moira is given the role of Director and is very overzealous. Moira has a row with Alicia who is the King Demon. Alicia who does not like to be bossed around resigns from the play.
The girls showed a nasty side towards Maureen. Maureen is boastful and rather a lot like Gwendoline. To teach Maureen a lesson the girls ask her to design a costume and learn a speech. Maureen does this diligently and they laugh at her efforts. Moira is sent a series of poison pen letters, she has upset so many people it is difficult to find the culprit.
As this is Enid Blyton the play is a success, the poison pen writer is nearly expelled but Moira talks to the head and asks her not to. The writer is thoroughly chastised and learns her lesson.
As Darrell and her friends head for their last year, happy hols.
Meanwhile older girls Moira and Catherine have to retake the fifth form again. Moira is given the role of Director and is very overzealous. Moira has a row with Alicia who is the King Demon. Alicia who does not like to be bossed around resigns from the play.
The girls showed a nasty side towards Maureen. Maureen is boastful and rather a lot like Gwendoline. To teach Maureen a lesson the girls ask her to design a costume and learn a speech. Maureen does this diligently and they laugh at her efforts. Moira is sent a series of poison pen letters, she has upset so many people it is difficult to find the culprit.
As this is Enid Blyton the play is a success, the poison pen writer is nearly expelled but Moira talks to the head and asks her not to. The writer is thoroughly chastised and learns her lesson.
As Darrell and her friends head for their last year, happy hols.
December 3, 2020
This is my favourite book among all of Enid Blyton's school stories. The girls we have followed up from the first form are now teenagers who will soon be passing out of school. For better or for worse, their characters are now established. The fifth form offers us readers an opportunity to see the girls bloom, but amid lots of drama and fun! It's also quite different from other books since there is little by way of classes and friction with the teachers in this one.
There are the mandatory new girls: Moira and Catherine have been left behind in the fifth form. Moira is a hard and obstinate girl, who is made the head girl. She has an important plot and I found her the most interesting character in Malory Towers yet. Catherine appears to have a deep-rooted insecurity which makes her slave for all the girls and be a people-pleaser in general, which the girls hate and end up bullying her. This could have been addressed better but kudos for making up this character.
The third girl is Maureen, who is "silly" and conceited. Maureen thinks that the school is too strict and she keeps moaning about her old school until everyone is tired of her. Despite Gwen being a reformed character in this book, she is shunted off to be stuck with Maureen. The poor girl never gets a chance! One only hopes that she blossoms out after school. I really would like to see a rewritten version of Malory Towers from Gwen's point of view!
One of the main plots is the organisation of a Christmas pantomime by the fifth formers. With such a collection of talent, they manage to do well - until there is a massive blowout between Moira and Alicia that puts the entire show in danger. Another plot is Moira getting nasty anonymous letters. Who can it possibly be?
Great fun to read!
There are the mandatory new girls: Moira and Catherine have been left behind in the fifth form. Moira is a hard and obstinate girl, who is made the head girl. She has an important plot and I found her the most interesting character in Malory Towers yet. Catherine appears to have a deep-rooted insecurity which makes her slave for all the girls and be a people-pleaser in general, which the girls hate and end up bullying her. This could have been addressed better but kudos for making up this character.
The third girl is Maureen, who is "silly" and conceited. Maureen thinks that the school is too strict and she keeps moaning about her old school until everyone is tired of her. Despite Gwen being a reformed character in this book, she is shunted off to be stuck with Maureen. The poor girl never gets a chance! One only hopes that she blossoms out after school. I really would like to see a rewritten version of Malory Towers from Gwen's point of view!
One of the main plots is the organisation of a Christmas pantomime by the fifth formers. With such a collection of talent, they manage to do well - until there is a massive blowout between Moira and Alicia that puts the entire show in danger. Another plot is Moira getting nasty anonymous letters. Who can it possibly be?
Great fun to read!
July 14, 2021
Another dip into an era of midnight feasts, lacrosse games and friendships. This one is interesting as the girls are older and are more responsible, they have to produce a pantomime. I shall be sorry to finish this lovely series I’ll just have to start the St. Clair’s series next.!!!
April 8, 2016
It's Christmas. I'm at the family home with an infant who doesn't really do sleeping. Time to off her to Granny and Grandad as I hide somewhere with a cup of tea and fiction from my childhood.
Oh Enid Blyton, you've got a lot to answer for.
School was not like Malory Towers or St. Clare's. It was shit.
The wood next door to us was entirely devoid of the following: gnomes, pixies, brownies, elves, witches, wizards, small magical creatures, large magical creatures, magical flora and fauna, general magic and whimsy.
No magical creatures have a cosy home in a tree. We looked. Our probing of a hopeful tree led to the finding of twenty Silk Cut in a plastic bag hidden by local teenagers. We were horrified: smoking,yuck!
Suburbia is not full of mysteries solved by children instead of the local constabulary.
Running away is not a great adventure. I had many books to carry and I got cold and hungry.
Nobody had a smuggler-ridden island they would let me camp on or a spare boat I could row.
The hardest reality to accept was that the world is not always a just place. Wrong is not always punished and good is not always recognised and rewarded. Let us take a brief break to hear all the violins.
In Blyton schools there is a moral code. If you are decent and truthful you are a Brick and a Good Sort and you get all the friends and goals at lacrosse and sweets from the tuck box tins and usually a position such as Form Captain, Games Captain, or Organising Jolly Nature Rambles Captain.
If you are not a good bricky sort you are a fraud, a cheat and a beast who will suffer a variety of punishments, from being Sent to Coventry, Expulsion, plus attack from your Newly Awakened Conscience which you can't help but have because you are surrounded by Bricks and Good Sorts who you realise, too late!, could have been your friends if you weren't so rubbish.
Now that they are almost Grown-Ups heading for The Real World, the girls are given the task of writing, producing and staging an entire flippin' panto! They choose Cinderella with the top Bricks and incidental Bricks getting the good parts and positions.
Gwendoline Mary's weak heart nearly bursts with jealous rage as timid Mary-Lou is given the starring role. Gwen is distracted by new girl Maureen who becomes her friend by default. No-one else wants to hang out with Gwendoline because she is weak, silly and vain. Despite being at Malory Towers for years she still hasn't Learned Her Lesson.
There are two wild cards for the Bricks to contend with: Catherine and Moira, who have been kept back in the fifth form. Moira is most often described as dictatorial. She is disliked by everyone except Catherine, who is nicknamed Saint Catherine as she believes it is her job on earth to be good and kind to all. Most people find her annoying.
Darrell writes the panto and Moira directs. She directs Alicia one too many times and Alicia quits after a Huge Row that makes Mary-Lou cry. Alicia's friend Betty quits in solidarity and Sally comforts Darrell in her anguish over the creative differences that threaten to Ruin The Whole Play.
Plenty of other stuff going on. Darrell's younger sister Felicity proves herself to be jolly brickish by shooting the winning goal in a lacrosse match-with a broken ankle!
Alicia's cousin June decides to provide the LOLs with an inflating balloon trick. She is also up to something which isn't so LOL but she gets found out, as cheats and frauds and beasts always do, and she undergoes a fundamental character change that makes her a Proper Brick.
Mam'zelle gets in on the trick action with some false teeth. The students approve of her foray into Jokes and Pranks, but the staff feel she has been childish and undignified. They let it go because she is French and not aware of how to conduct herself, despite living in England for many years and teaching English girls at an English boarding school.
There are things I didn't like about this book, but I have given it five stars because of what the Enid Blyton books symbolised for me. Plus, I always get sentimental around this time. Merry Christmas!
Oh Enid Blyton, you've got a lot to answer for.
School was not like Malory Towers or St. Clare's. It was shit.
The wood next door to us was entirely devoid of the following: gnomes, pixies, brownies, elves, witches, wizards, small magical creatures, large magical creatures, magical flora and fauna, general magic and whimsy.
No magical creatures have a cosy home in a tree. We looked. Our probing of a hopeful tree led to the finding of twenty Silk Cut in a plastic bag hidden by local teenagers. We were horrified: smoking,yuck!
Suburbia is not full of mysteries solved by children instead of the local constabulary.
Running away is not a great adventure. I had many books to carry and I got cold and hungry.
Nobody had a smuggler-ridden island they would let me camp on or a spare boat I could row.
The hardest reality to accept was that the world is not always a just place. Wrong is not always punished and good is not always recognised and rewarded. Let us take a brief break to hear all the violins.
In Blyton schools there is a moral code. If you are decent and truthful you are a Brick and a Good Sort and you get all the friends and goals at lacrosse and sweets from the tuck box tins and usually a position such as Form Captain, Games Captain, or Organising Jolly Nature Rambles Captain.
If you are not a good bricky sort you are a fraud, a cheat and a beast who will suffer a variety of punishments, from being Sent to Coventry, Expulsion, plus attack from your Newly Awakened Conscience which you can't help but have because you are surrounded by Bricks and Good Sorts who you realise, too late!, could have been your friends if you weren't so rubbish.
Now that they are almost Grown-Ups heading for The Real World, the girls are given the task of writing, producing and staging an entire flippin' panto! They choose Cinderella with the top Bricks and incidental Bricks getting the good parts and positions.
Gwendoline Mary's weak heart nearly bursts with jealous rage as timid Mary-Lou is given the starring role. Gwen is distracted by new girl Maureen who becomes her friend by default. No-one else wants to hang out with Gwendoline because she is weak, silly and vain. Despite being at Malory Towers for years she still hasn't Learned Her Lesson.
There are two wild cards for the Bricks to contend with: Catherine and Moira, who have been kept back in the fifth form. Moira is most often described as dictatorial. She is disliked by everyone except Catherine, who is nicknamed Saint Catherine as she believes it is her job on earth to be good and kind to all. Most people find her annoying.
Darrell writes the panto and Moira directs. She directs Alicia one too many times and Alicia quits after a Huge Row that makes Mary-Lou cry. Alicia's friend Betty quits in solidarity and Sally comforts Darrell in her anguish over the creative differences that threaten to Ruin The Whole Play.
Plenty of other stuff going on. Darrell's younger sister Felicity proves herself to be jolly brickish by shooting the winning goal in a lacrosse match-with a broken ankle!
Alicia's cousin June decides to provide the LOLs with an inflating balloon trick. She is also up to something which isn't so LOL but she gets found out, as cheats and frauds and beasts always do, and she undergoes a fundamental character change that makes her a Proper Brick.
Mam'zelle gets in on the trick action with some false teeth. The students approve of her foray into Jokes and Pranks, but the staff feel she has been childish and undignified. They let it go because she is French and not aware of how to conduct herself, despite living in England for many years and teaching English girls at an English boarding school.
There are things I didn't like about this book, but I have given it five stars because of what the Enid Blyton books symbolised for me. Plus, I always get sentimental around this time. Merry Christmas!
May 5, 2021
Book 5 in the original Malory Towers series. After the hard work of the previous term the fifth formers can look forward to some light relief - in the form of creating and producing the year’s performance. They vote for Cinderella and to Darrell’s delight she is chosen as the producer!
But as is usually the case at Malory Towers, there are also feathers which get ruffled. It doesn’t help that two former fifth formers - Moira and Catherine - have stayed back a year so have both automatically been given the role of Form Head. With Moira’s rude and abrasive attitude and Catherine’s pious and overbearing tone, this won’t be a success. Then there’s Maureen, golden haired and full of the tales from her previous school, Mazeley Manor. She’s so like Gwen - could Gwen have found her real friend at last? And let’s not forget the poison pen letters - surely not in the fifth form?
Read again with my 10yo daughter, just an excuse to read this book for about the tenth time. And as good as ever. Filled with subtle messages emphasising how goodness always prevails, highlighting the bonds of friendship and also showing how these Malory Towers girls are growing up; gaining confidence and finding their talents, it’s a joy to read as usual. I particularly enjoyed this one when the fantastic Mamzelle DuPont played the most brilliant ‘treek’ on the girls, what an amazing character she is.
Oh, and my daughter loved it too!
But as is usually the case at Malory Towers, there are also feathers which get ruffled. It doesn’t help that two former fifth formers - Moira and Catherine - have stayed back a year so have both automatically been given the role of Form Head. With Moira’s rude and abrasive attitude and Catherine’s pious and overbearing tone, this won’t be a success. Then there’s Maureen, golden haired and full of the tales from her previous school, Mazeley Manor. She’s so like Gwen - could Gwen have found her real friend at last? And let’s not forget the poison pen letters - surely not in the fifth form?
Read again with my 10yo daughter, just an excuse to read this book for about the tenth time. And as good as ever. Filled with subtle messages emphasising how goodness always prevails, highlighting the bonds of friendship and also showing how these Malory Towers girls are growing up; gaining confidence and finding their talents, it’s a joy to read as usual. I particularly enjoyed this one when the fantastic Mamzelle DuPont played the most brilliant ‘treek’ on the girls, what an amazing character she is.
Oh, and my daughter loved it too!
June 29, 2020
Always enjoyed this one as a kid as writing and plays was something I could see the appeal of much more than lacrosse.
However, there's a mean streak throughout a lot of these books and it's never more apparent than here. Bullying seems to be perfectly acceptable at Malory Towers if it's "character forming", with poor Catherine in particular committing the dreadful sin of trying to be nice to people and being chastised for it.
However, there's a mean streak throughout a lot of these books and it's never more apparent than here. Bullying seems to be perfectly acceptable at Malory Towers if it's "character forming", with poor Catherine in particular committing the dreadful sin of trying to be nice to people and being chastised for it.
May 3, 2021
For my full review, visit me at https://mrsbrownsbooks.wordpress.com/...
Undoubtedly, the books in this series grow more interesting as the girls get older. This time, in the fifth form, the focus is on the girls creating the Christmas entertainment. Can they pull together and create the best show that Malory Towers has ever seen?
Undoubtedly, the books in this series grow more interesting as the girls get older. This time, in the fifth form, the focus is on the girls creating the Christmas entertainment. Can they pull together and create the best show that Malory Towers has ever seen?
October 11, 2017
I enjoyed this book. The play was a very good idea and showed how the characters we love are developing.
November 15, 2012
Finally Darrell discovers her 'gift'- a gift for writing. The Fifth are putting on a play for the end of term festivities, and Darrell is asked to do the writing. Irene is doing the music, Mavis is helping with the singing, Belinda with design, and Alicia has a major part. Both Gwen and a new girl Maureen fancy themselves as Cinderella- but who will the Fifth pick to fill the role? Someone's sending spiteful letters to the Fifth's head girl Moira, but she's made so many enemies that no one knows who is sending them! All of this combines into a fun, rollicking story with twists and revelations. The second to last story in the series, it has such a happy ending it almost feels like the last!
July 9, 2018
Love these books - I read the series over and over again
April 30, 2016
When you asks someone their favourite Enid Blyton school story, two times out of three they will name In the Fifth at Malory Towers (1950). There's a magic to it, even coming right near the end of a popular series.
The girls are putting on a school pantomime, and there is drama offstage more than off. Vain competition for the role of Cinderella between the fluffy Gwendoline Mary and her even more ghastly mirror image Maureen; clashes of power between the uncooperative but brilliant Alicia and the hard, domineering Head of Form Moira; and protagonist Darrell desperately trying to hold things together and make a success of the play she and the musical Irene have created.
And then there are the anonymous hate letters Moira keeps receiving...
It all comes together beautifully. Moira, with her twisted relationship with her younger sister, and her clinging, self-sacrificing yet vaguely scary friend Catherine, are wonderful addictions to the crew. The intensity is high, the atmosphere vicious and suspicious, and only meek Mary Lou and tomboyish Bill really seem completely apart from all the spite and power playing.
Glorious, glorious stuff. And the knowledge that Darrell will triumph beautifully in teh name of friendship and hard work keeps it all from being too dark.
And of course, darling Mam'zelle Dupont plays the most marvellous trick on her bad, bad girls.
Hold it Darrell, while we slip away. It is your own great moment. There'll never be another quite like it
The girls are putting on a school pantomime, and there is drama offstage more than off. Vain competition for the role of Cinderella between the fluffy Gwendoline Mary and her even more ghastly mirror image Maureen; clashes of power between the uncooperative but brilliant Alicia and the hard, domineering Head of Form Moira; and protagonist Darrell desperately trying to hold things together and make a success of the play she and the musical Irene have created.
And then there are the anonymous hate letters Moira keeps receiving...
It all comes together beautifully. Moira, with her twisted relationship with her younger sister, and her clinging, self-sacrificing yet vaguely scary friend Catherine, are wonderful addictions to the crew. The intensity is high, the atmosphere vicious and suspicious, and only meek Mary Lou and tomboyish Bill really seem completely apart from all the spite and power playing.
Glorious, glorious stuff. And the knowledge that Darrell will triumph beautifully in teh name of friendship and hard work keeps it all from being too dark.
And of course, darling Mam'zelle Dupont plays the most marvellous trick on her bad, bad girls.
Hold it Darrell, while we slip away. It is your own great moment. There'll never be another quite like it
June 24, 2021
In the Fifth, otherwise known as Bullying at Malory Towers. I found this book disappointingly unpleasant. The nasty attitude and treatment of some of the girls isn't questioned (although towards the end Darrell starts to feel uncomfortable with the quarrelling), and is in fact justified as being for people's "own good".
"Better get over being sensitive then," said Darrell, shortly. In her experience people who went round saying that they were sensitive wanted a good shaking up, and, if they were lower school, needed to be laughed out of it."
Introducing two new girls with similar names (Moira & Maureen) was a confusing choice. The lacrosse and the pantomime were the highlights for me. I'm glad Sally and Darrell's friendship is so strong, but wish we saw more of them. Sally is a cardboard cut-out of herself, merely there to compliment Darrell. Darrell's obvious, and often charming, weaknesses have disappeared to be replaced with sly and accepted callous comments. They've both faded into the background, as new and less developed characters take the spotlight. The earlier books are certainly stronger, in entertainment and morality.
"Better get over being sensitive then," said Darrell, shortly. In her experience people who went round saying that they were sensitive wanted a good shaking up, and, if they were lower school, needed to be laughed out of it."
Introducing two new girls with similar names (Moira & Maureen) was a confusing choice. The lacrosse and the pantomime were the highlights for me. I'm glad Sally and Darrell's friendship is so strong, but wish we saw more of them. Sally is a cardboard cut-out of herself, merely there to compliment Darrell. Darrell's obvious, and often charming, weaknesses have disappeared to be replaced with sly and accepted callous comments. They've both faded into the background, as new and less developed characters take the spotlight. The earlier books are certainly stronger, in entertainment and morality.
March 2, 2020
Enid Blyton has been a childhood favourite. I'm 30 now and obviously wasn't expecting anything more than just a nostalgic walk down memory lane. Malory Towers has to be probably one of my favourite books of Enid. I think I secretly wanted to go to boarding school because of the world she created. Many years later, I still found the writing so delightful and simple. Enid has a way of sketching out such a clear picture in your mind through her words. I cannot say anything further apart from Enid - your books are a gift not only to children but to adults too who sometimes need a break from this world and its routines.
Happy Reading!
Happy Reading!
March 6, 2019
It is with a twinge of sadness that I finish the second last of the " Original " Malory Towers Books...
What a way these characters have come! And Good Old Madamoiselle Dupont! You show them...
And, could there even be hope for Gwendoline Mary Lacey? I hope so...
And what marvelous changes in Mary Lou - does a heart good...
I do think that these books do still have a place in childrens reading today, as they show how to be fair and caring, generally decent. Yes, the odd line can seem a bit twee and goody goody but I do feel there is a balance.
Off to pick up the last...
What a way these characters have come! And Good Old Madamoiselle Dupont! You show them...
And, could there even be hope for Gwendoline Mary Lacey? I hope so...
And what marvelous changes in Mary Lou - does a heart good...
I do think that these books do still have a place in childrens reading today, as they show how to be fair and caring, generally decent. Yes, the odd line can seem a bit twee and goody goody but I do feel there is a balance.
Off to pick up the last...
May 14, 2017
Won this one in a writing competition, and the first time I read this, I found it very good. But the second time, it kind of bothered me how the girls seemed to bully and single out this other girl of their class. That was my main issue with this book. Other than that, it was nice and kind of interesting, though it did got a little boring from time to time.
March 6, 2017
Mais um ano divertido no Colégio das Quatro Torres... A Diana anda atarefadissima e a Alice está cada vez melhor nos seus truques e a Madmoiselle decide pregar uma partida ás alunas (que acaba por ser uma catastrofe)... A Benedita finalmente percebe o que realmente é com a ajuda da sua própria mãe e da sua inimiga mortal... Mais iram descobrir se lerem este livro!!!
January 16, 2018
A lot of bullying and unkindness in this one but Darrell always makes me cry at the end.
July 26, 2021
There is something about this book, perhaps the characters’ development, the revelation of Darrell’s talent, the mire of problems that the girls face and some well-developed new characters for us to enjoy.
We dive straight into the action with this book, starting with Darrell and Felicity on the last leg of their journey to Malory Towers. After that we’re almost immediately plunged into the world of Malory Towers with Darrell. In this book you can feel a shift in the reader’s perception – In the Fifth offers more of an insight into Felicity River’s time at Malory Towers than the last book. This shift is almost to prepare the reader for the next book, where there is more focus on Felicity and her friends.
But for this book, we are safe and sound with Darrell and the gang.
Immediately we are back in the swing of things, girls everywhere and it’s not long before we’re up in the girls’ new form room taking in the view, discussing what the term will bring and the new girls. As Fifth Form at Malory Towers actually follows on from the end of the Upper Fourth at Malory Towers, we have some fluidity in the transition from Fourth Formers to Fifth Formers and the girls do talk about those members of their class that they have left behind or failed their school certificate. Very pointedly we’re told that Alicia is allowed to go up to the Fifth Form with the others because Miss Grayling wrote to Ms Johns (Alicia’s Mother) and, as Alicia puts it, said “I could pass the school cert. on my head any time I liked” and that she was to work for it on the side.
Once all the girls are back, and settled – with Bill and Clarissa who played significant parts in the last book “whinnying” away together about horses and Ruth Batton without her twin Connie – we’re introduced to the new girl. Maureen Little who, believe it or not, is worse than Gwendoline. A Gwendoline Mary 2.0 if you will as she’s basically Gwen without half as many corners knocked off.
The girls know instantly that they will have to do something about Maureen!
We technically have three new girls this term, as two have been left down from the old Fifth Form, Catherine Grey and Moira Linton. Neither are a great favourite with our old friends. Moira – who is made head of the Fifth – is domineering and bossy while Catherine is described as a doormat, self-sacrificing, martyr-like and over-helpful.
The first big surprise of the Fifth Form is that Darrell is made head of Fifth Form games, which means that she gets to help pick teams for the younger school, and helps train them. She immediately imagines her first class lacrosse team that includes her sister Felicity. And as it turns on Felicity does make it onto a match team on Moira’s insistence. The match teams which she has put together so far have won their matches, but the match we are treated to is one where her little sister Felicity plays – much to the disgust of Alicia’s little cousin June, who accuses Darrell of favouritism.
The next big surprise is that the Fifth Form are allowed to produce the school’s Christmas entertainment. This sends the girls into a frenzy of delight until the dominating Moira takes control, organizing meetings and so forth.
In the end Darrell is asked to write the script for a pantomime of Cinderella. This at first stuns our heroine until she gets going. At one point she asks Sally “do you think I might possibly have a gift?” to which Sally’s reply is that she thinks Darrell does.
We have an interesting term as the pantomime progresses, we have tricks from Alicia’s cousin June – in the first form – but none from the Fifth Form as they feel that they are too old to play tricks on the mistresses now.
It’s a fascinating trick that consists of a balloon arrangement under June’s clothes, she inflates the balloons by pulling a string, and tricks Mam’zelle into thinking she’s getting fat. I shan’t spoil it for you, but nothing goes as planned, with hilarious consequences.
With the build up to the pantomime, Darrell’s drafting and being head of games, she’s very busy.
Now we move to the main focus of the book – the pantomime, which Darrell has completed writing, Irene has finished composing and all the other bits and pieces are half way through being completed. The only things left are to cast the pantomime and then rehearse.
Gwendoline and Maureen immediately see themselves as Cinderella, but after some cutting remarks from Moira, and the girls trying to take Maureen down a peg in a particularly viscous scheme, they realise that they won’t get to be Cinderella at all, but still hold out hopes for being another main park in the show. Both girls are self-centred enough to believe that they stand a chance of getting a good part.
In the end, Mary Lou is cast as Cinderella, to much delight. It’s a perfect piece of casting because even though she will be scared, she’s perfect for Cinderella.
From the casting, things pick up quickly, mostly because we haven’t got many pages left. We are ‘treeked’ by Mam’zelle, rather terrifically, Alicia and Moira have an explosive row, and then a big plot point of the book comes around, the sending of anonymous letters to Moira.
It’s a quick finish with someone learning a very sharp lesson and getting a good talking to, but soon all is glossed over as the pantomime is ready to start.
The parents are settled, and the orchestra is in place. We stand backstage with Darrell as she gazes solemnly out on to the stage worrying whether the pantomime will ever be a success…
I think I’ll have to let you read on to find out for yourselves.
Overall, In the Fifth: Book 5 is one of my favourite books, lots of things to keep you busy, and interesting plot twists and the pantomime adds an extra dimension to Darrell’s character. So a brilliant read with one of our favourite heroines. Definitely worth picking up if you haven’t before!
We dive straight into the action with this book, starting with Darrell and Felicity on the last leg of their journey to Malory Towers. After that we’re almost immediately plunged into the world of Malory Towers with Darrell. In this book you can feel a shift in the reader’s perception – In the Fifth offers more of an insight into Felicity River’s time at Malory Towers than the last book. This shift is almost to prepare the reader for the next book, where there is more focus on Felicity and her friends.
But for this book, we are safe and sound with Darrell and the gang.
Immediately we are back in the swing of things, girls everywhere and it’s not long before we’re up in the girls’ new form room taking in the view, discussing what the term will bring and the new girls. As Fifth Form at Malory Towers actually follows on from the end of the Upper Fourth at Malory Towers, we have some fluidity in the transition from Fourth Formers to Fifth Formers and the girls do talk about those members of their class that they have left behind or failed their school certificate. Very pointedly we’re told that Alicia is allowed to go up to the Fifth Form with the others because Miss Grayling wrote to Ms Johns (Alicia’s Mother) and, as Alicia puts it, said “I could pass the school cert. on my head any time I liked” and that she was to work for it on the side.
Once all the girls are back, and settled – with Bill and Clarissa who played significant parts in the last book “whinnying” away together about horses and Ruth Batton without her twin Connie – we’re introduced to the new girl. Maureen Little who, believe it or not, is worse than Gwendoline. A Gwendoline Mary 2.0 if you will as she’s basically Gwen without half as many corners knocked off.
The girls know instantly that they will have to do something about Maureen!
We technically have three new girls this term, as two have been left down from the old Fifth Form, Catherine Grey and Moira Linton. Neither are a great favourite with our old friends. Moira – who is made head of the Fifth – is domineering and bossy while Catherine is described as a doormat, self-sacrificing, martyr-like and over-helpful.
The first big surprise of the Fifth Form is that Darrell is made head of Fifth Form games, which means that she gets to help pick teams for the younger school, and helps train them. She immediately imagines her first class lacrosse team that includes her sister Felicity. And as it turns on Felicity does make it onto a match team on Moira’s insistence. The match teams which she has put together so far have won their matches, but the match we are treated to is one where her little sister Felicity plays – much to the disgust of Alicia’s little cousin June, who accuses Darrell of favouritism.
The next big surprise is that the Fifth Form are allowed to produce the school’s Christmas entertainment. This sends the girls into a frenzy of delight until the dominating Moira takes control, organizing meetings and so forth.
In the end Darrell is asked to write the script for a pantomime of Cinderella. This at first stuns our heroine until she gets going. At one point she asks Sally “do you think I might possibly have a gift?” to which Sally’s reply is that she thinks Darrell does.
We have an interesting term as the pantomime progresses, we have tricks from Alicia’s cousin June – in the first form – but none from the Fifth Form as they feel that they are too old to play tricks on the mistresses now.
It’s a fascinating trick that consists of a balloon arrangement under June’s clothes, she inflates the balloons by pulling a string, and tricks Mam’zelle into thinking she’s getting fat. I shan’t spoil it for you, but nothing goes as planned, with hilarious consequences.
With the build up to the pantomime, Darrell’s drafting and being head of games, she’s very busy.
Now we move to the main focus of the book – the pantomime, which Darrell has completed writing, Irene has finished composing and all the other bits and pieces are half way through being completed. The only things left are to cast the pantomime and then rehearse.
Gwendoline and Maureen immediately see themselves as Cinderella, but after some cutting remarks from Moira, and the girls trying to take Maureen down a peg in a particularly viscous scheme, they realise that they won’t get to be Cinderella at all, but still hold out hopes for being another main park in the show. Both girls are self-centred enough to believe that they stand a chance of getting a good part.
In the end, Mary Lou is cast as Cinderella, to much delight. It’s a perfect piece of casting because even though she will be scared, she’s perfect for Cinderella.
From the casting, things pick up quickly, mostly because we haven’t got many pages left. We are ‘treeked’ by Mam’zelle, rather terrifically, Alicia and Moira have an explosive row, and then a big plot point of the book comes around, the sending of anonymous letters to Moira.
It’s a quick finish with someone learning a very sharp lesson and getting a good talking to, but soon all is glossed over as the pantomime is ready to start.
The parents are settled, and the orchestra is in place. We stand backstage with Darrell as she gazes solemnly out on to the stage worrying whether the pantomime will ever be a success…
I think I’ll have to let you read on to find out for yourselves.
Overall, In the Fifth: Book 5 is one of my favourite books, lots of things to keep you busy, and interesting plot twists and the pantomime adds an extra dimension to Darrell’s character. So a brilliant read with one of our favourite heroines. Definitely worth picking up if you haven’t before!
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October 12, 2020I loved how the storyline went in this book! I can't BELIVE that Darrel wrote a whole play!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 12, 2021
My least favourite so far. The ending was so abrupt, I was waiting for the last day of term goodbyes, but they didn’t come. Nothing much happened in this one, apart from the pages long lacrosse game. Who even wants to read about lacrosse??
Enid Blyton is so harsh she’s hilarious. There were so many times I had to stop reading just to read a section out loud to prove how ridiculous it was. But it’s all good fun, and this series is so nostalgic to me.
I think I’ve only read the last book once, when I was about 10, so I’m looking forward to seeing what that’s like. I’m sure it’ll equally infuriate and delight me!
Also Moira barely learned her lesson, since her issues were overshadowed by someone else being punished for being mean to her.
Enid Blyton is so harsh she’s hilarious. There were so many times I had to stop reading just to read a section out loud to prove how ridiculous it was. But it’s all good fun, and this series is so nostalgic to me.
I think I’ve only read the last book once, when I was about 10, so I’m looking forward to seeing what that’s like. I’m sure it’ll equally infuriate and delight me!
Also Moira barely learned her lesson, since her issues were overshadowed by someone else being punished for being mean to her.
February 4, 2023
Oh my god, I thought the girls were horrible before but everyone has turned into absolute tossers. There's a new girl to the story who constantly tries to help others so they make fun of her for the entire book, a new girl to the school who tries to fit in at the start so they shun her so she learns her place (using the magic of mind reading obviously because no-one explains to her why she is being shunned) and they're all basically horrible to everyone else too.
The two saving graces are that the story is pretty decent this time, and Mam'zelle gets to play a trick on everyone.
I don't remember reading this when I was young, but I hope I didn't take it as a model of being a good youngster. What a bunch of entitled cows.
The two saving graces are that the story is pretty decent this time, and Mam'zelle gets to play a trick on everyone.
I don't remember reading this when I was young, but I hope I didn't take it as a model of being a good youngster. What a bunch of entitled cows.
June 13, 2020
This fifth book centres around the Christmas pantomime that the fifth-year girls have to prepare. The girls discuss who will direct it, who will write the script and of course, who will play Cinderella. Gwen finds herself to be in contact with a new girl, Maureen, who disturbingly reminds her of herself. I found it confusing that Darrell's sister, Felicity is in the first form in this book, when she had already started school in the previous book. Moira, the head girl of the fifth form is not well-liked due to her authoritative ways but the plot is set to thicken as anonymous spiteful letters are left around.
April 14, 2021
Reread 25/3/2021
Out of all of the Malory Towers books (which is my favourite Enid Blyton series of ALL time, and one which I reread CONSTANTLY), this book is definitely my favourite because I love how it focuses on the play and gives you an insight into the process behind these girls creating/writing/producing and acting out their own theatre production.
The world of Malory Towers is incredibly immersive and whilst growing up, I was thoroughly convinced that it was a real place and was disappointed to find out that, alas, it was not.
Out of all of the Malory Towers books (which is my favourite Enid Blyton series of ALL time, and one which I reread CONSTANTLY), this book is definitely my favourite because I love how it focuses on the play and gives you an insight into the process behind these girls creating/writing/producing and acting out their own theatre production.
The world of Malory Towers is incredibly immersive and whilst growing up, I was thoroughly convinced that it was a real place and was disappointed to find out that, alas, it was not.
June 20, 2019
At first the series was dated but sweet in its way - a reminder of the books I loved as a child, albeit with an outdated message. But, after feeling the need for a comfort read, I'm regretting this as a choice. Oh, the bullying. The unpleasantness. The "putting the new girl in her place". It's too much now. I'm finding myself finishing the series out of habit (similarly, I suspect, to Blyton) and it'd got to the point where I won't miss them when I've finished...
September 6, 2020
Reading through the whole series now, the 5th one is not hugely different from the others. There are difficult girls, there are character-building moments, there’s the usual moralising and preaching about what makes a good child and a good adult! But putting all the aside as society has changes, I still found this quite entertaining to read! Rating for nostalgia purposes; I wouldn't recommend it for today's children really!
October 15, 2011
I remember the pantomime, in this book! ...But nothing else about it, not even any of the problems they had with it.
I really don't think I could stand to reread these books. I was always vaguely planning to, to write proper reviews, but, no.
I wonder when Enid Blyton will fade out of popularity. Surely she's outdated already, but still going strong. The power of nostalgia, I guess.
I really don't think I could stand to reread these books. I was always vaguely planning to, to write proper reviews, but, no.
I wonder when Enid Blyton will fade out of popularity. Surely she's outdated already, but still going strong. The power of nostalgia, I guess.
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