Last Term at Malory Towers

Malory Towers #6

by Enid Blyton

Brand New Deliver In 6-18 Working Days

Genres: Childrens, Fiction, Classics, Boarding School, Middle Grade, School Stories, Young Adult

170 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1967

About the author

See 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

Reviews

[C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've spent the last few days rereading my copies of Enid Blyton's Malory Towers series. Unfortunately I only have the third, fifth and sixth, but I am now determined to get my hands on the other three and read them obsessively. I love them for a few of reasons, which I shall enumerate here:

1. They bring back so many memories, primarily of the days when I actually read the damn things (when I was about six to eight years old). At the time I was living in England, where people actually did say "you'd jolly well better not do that again!", where it seemed not only possible, but likely, that fairies lived down the bottom of the garden, where an adventure and a mystery was just waiting around every corner, and where life was so full of simple wonder.

2. It's just so GOOD! Good as in everyone is good and kind and perfect, except for the people who aren't. It's totally black and white, and the baddies always either get their commeuppance or admit their faults and are reformed, the goodies are always recognised and loved, the ending is always happy and OH MY GOD I LOVE ENID BLYTON. Example:

"Sometimes hard things are good for us,' said Miss Grayling, and Miss Peters nodded. After all, the girls didn't come to Malory Towers only to learn lessons in class - they came to learn other things too - to be just and fair, generous, brave, kind. Perhaps those things were even more important than the lessons!"

3. The moment when Darrel steps out onto the stage to rapturous applause at the end of the pantomime which she wrote has remained in my subconscious for years as the ultimate image of success and happiness. I know that while Enid might have difficulty moving us to tears or making us ponder the deeper existentialist dilemmas, this is what she does brilliantly - portraying the glorious happiness that comes from the act of living life to the fullest.

This is also pretty hilarious, it has to be said. I won't deny that this has something to do with my enjoyment.

Kids these days don't read her, I've noticed. Perhaps even 'in my day' - gosh, that makes me sound old - they didn't. But I lived within miles of the house where darling Enid lived, and I was a sweet, innocent, happy child to whom the idea of gallivanting around in secret passages and tackling 'rogues' and playing lacrosse was ridiculously appealing, and for whatever reason I read and loved those books for so many years.

Then, all of a sudden, I went off them. This was because it abruptly dawned on me that the prose is crazy. Commonly used words include: 'super' as in 'oh super! Lacrosse game tomorrow!', 'rotten' as in 'rotten breakfasts they have here!', 'wizard' as in 'that's a wizard drawing, Belinda!', and many other wonderful examples that I noticed at the time but have now slipped my mind. Not to mention the overabundance of explanation marks, as evidenced by my thoughtfully chosen examples.

No matter. I am having a wonderful, nostalgic trip to the past and I am eternally grateful to Enid Blyton, because it was basically her (and Roald Dahl) who introduced me to reading, and it's really great. You should totally try it.

[Manybooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

So yes, with regard to the sixth instalment of Enid Blyton’s Malory Towers books and with Last Term at Malory Towers also being the final novel of the series that was actually penned by Enid Blyton herself (as books seven to twelve are in fact much more recent continuations by Pamela Cox and also feature Darrell Rivers’ younger sister Felicity as main protagonist, since Darrell and the other sixth formers of course and naturally leave school at the end of Last Term at Malory Towers), albeit that Last Term at Malory Towers certainly provides a decent and readable enough depiction of their last term at boarding school for Darrell, Sally, Alicia, Gwendolyne and the other sixth form girls, I do unfortunately and sadly once again find much of Enid Blyton’s narrative rather too repetitive and some of the featured scenarios more than a trifle annoying and even probably a bit unnecessary.

For honestly, that for example Gwendolyne Lacy is basically still the same old, same old spoiled rotten little princess in Last Term At Malory Towers (even though she finally does end up somewhat changing her nasty sense of entitlement when her father becomes dangerously ill and Gwen must leave school before end of term), that Darrell Rivers is once again and far too often ready to quasi explode with her temper and that most of the new girls like usual leave and quite exaggeratedly so rather a bit to be desired, and yes indeed, that both Josephine and Amanda are really too typecast as inherently unlikeable and horrid, this certainly has lessened my reading pleasure of Last Term at Malory Towers with more than a bit of story and presented plot tedium (and not to mention that I do find the entire Josephine Jones getting expelled from Malory Towers for her ridiculous escapades and antics not really all that convincing as a subplot and not really having much at all to do with the main storyline of Darrell Rivers and her sixth form school mates not only enjoying their last term at boarding school but also realising just how much they are going to miss Malory Towers once they will be graduating and moving on).

And well, while my personal emotional reaction to Last Term At Malory Towers is probably closer to two stars, I am nevertheless going to be granting a low three stars, as even with me being both annoyed with and frustrated by a goodly part of Enid Blyton’s featured text, Blyton has in fact still successfully managed to keep me sufficiently engaged whilst reading and to also really have quite delightfully enjoyed and appreciated the last chapter of Last Term at Malory Towers, where with a sense of both happiness and sadness, Darrell and company are bidding a fond but also a somewhat bittersweet farewell to their beloved boarding school.

[Stef Rozitis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oddly readable for a shallow book full of 2-dimensional characters. It consistently makes classist gibes as well as casually plays with racism. The children in the book are quite right wing and conformist in their views; meanwhile institutionalised bullying is wholeheartedly promoted. I think it's not a fantastic thing to give to actual children to read (I know we are all supposed to see Blyton as "innocent" but look at what she is actually and oh-so-lightly saying).

Reading critically as an adult, or using it as an example with children of why they ought to read carefully and critically it at least flows well, the writing draws you into reading on. There are some immature slapstick laughs in it as well as moments of joy.

The ending is as patronising as usual in a Blyton novel, for some reason she tends to use the final sentence to smash the fourth wall (I am not sure why).

[thelastword · Rating 1 out of 5]

Malory Towers is awesome!

Unless you're french.
Or fat.
Or transferred from a better school.
Or afraid of water.
Or annoy our leads' many sensitivities.
Or are different in any way.

If you are any of that, you will be mercilessly bullied and Blyton thinks you deserve it.

This is just your average English boarding school I tell ya.

(If you're still a child and you're enjoying this series, just pretend the Fifth was the last because the Last term was a mean close.)

[Kavita · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the another great Malory Towers book. The original series ends here, though Pamela Cox wrote another six books following June and Felicity up the school. Last Term at Malory Towers is one of the few Blyton books where reality peeps in at times. For instance, Bill's brothers are said to have enlisted into the army (though the world war is by now over in 1948, Britain is still involved in conflicts all over the place). And other things happen ...

Darrell becomes the head girl while Sally gets to be the games captain. I will never understand why Darrell is chosen, but at least she does not physically assault anybody in this book. There are three new girls: Suzanne, Amanda, and Jo. The book is intertwined between the sixth and second forms so the old girls as well as Felicity, June, Susan, etc. get some character development. It is no wonder that Cox chose to continue their journey up the school as this book lays down the foundation for the second formers so well.

Suzanne does not really have a story. She is just there as a release for Blyton's racism. She is Mam'zelle Rougier's niece and is in England to learn some English. She hates games and physical activities. This is getting old real fast. I am just glad Blyton is still not writing stories today or she would be stereotyping Muslim, Polish, and Indian kids today just like she did with American and French in the past!

The stars of the story are really Amanda and June. Amanda comes from a famous sports school and is planning to go in for the Olympics. She does not really want to spend time coaching the lower forms but she finds June promising and begins to coach her. Both strong personalities, they eventually clash. Amanda also has an adventure that ends in disaster for her. It's an interesting story.

Another interesting story is that of Jo, who is in the second form. The child of parents with "new money", Jo is set aside from the beginning. Her father is rudely treated by the other parents and the teachers, while Jo receives the same treatment from the youngsters. Apparently, he drops his Hs, which is the biggest crime in Blytondom. Jo's own behaviour does not help matters and both she and her father are forced to see the error of their ways. However, unlike poor Gwen's father, Jo's actually loves her, so all will always be well for her.

Gwen's dad, having said "cutting" things to her for years has now taken it into his head to refuse to send her to a finishing school. But when the fifteen year old girl (let's bring that into perspective here!) insists, he gives in and goes around looking sad and forlorn trying to make everyone upset. While her father may have the right ideas and getting a job would have given Gwen a head start in life, his behaviour sounds abusive. Gwen's own comment that it is impossible to know whether her father is really ill or just sulking is quite revealing. He also fails to work on his own marriage. However, when he really falls ill, Gwen picks up the responsibility and shows the stuff she is made of.

The Last Term in Malory Towers does not really follow the lives of the usual bunch but we see what plans the girls have for the future. It is very interesting to note that most plan to have jobs! Well done, Blyton!

[Lady Clementina ffinch-ffarowmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

The final Malory Towers book, and thus the final part of my revisit of these books, which I ended up picking up many months after I’d read book 5. In this one Darrell and Sally, and the rest of their form are returning to Malory Towers for their last term. Darrell and Sally and also Alicia and Betty are headed after that to college—St Andrews in Scotland, while Irene will go on to study music and Belinda art. Bill (Wilhemina) and Clarissa also have plans of their own to the others’ surprise. Being their last term, Sally and Darrell want to savour every moment and Darrell, now the head-girl, takes in the new students to Miss Grayling to hear once more the wise words she says to every new student. Being in the sixth form, they don’t think there will be any new students but there are in fact two—the domineering Amanda, a genius at sport who has come to Malory Towers because her own school Treningan Towers was destroyed in a fire, and is inclined to turn up her nose at the fact that Malory Towers isn’t as focused on sport as her old school was. And there is Suzanne, a French girl, Mam’zelle Rougier’s nice who speaks as all EB’s French characters too—with an exaggerated style but is still likeable and good fun. The term is as usual a mix of work and play, with some conflict thrown in.

Now that the sixth formers’ time at Malory is coming to an end, the only question before them is what they have made of their time at the school. While some like Darrell and Sally have learnt to overcome their flaws or at least be more in control of them, others like Alicia continue to be as they are but perhaps in a milder form. But of all of them, it is Gwen (Gwendolen Mary Lacy) who has gained absolutely nothing from her time there—and continues to be as she always was, no longer even listening to her governess Miss Winter who seems to be talking some sense rather than simply pandering to her now. Amanda too is difficult and clashes with the equally headstrong Moira, but when she decides to coach June, Alicia’s cousin, in tennis and swimming, as she sees a lot of potential in her, the project turns out to be good for them both. But there is also the inevitable clash of two rather strong personalities. Among the younger ones, the spoiled Jo Jones is a misfit, encouraged by her brash father to do just as she likes, and she ends up not just putting off her fellow students but taking steps from which there can be no return. And on a lighter note, since the sixth formers are now no longer in a position to play tricks, this too falls to the younger ones with the Mam’zelles once again being at the receiving end.

This was an enjoyable close to the series with both light moments as well as grave ones. Many of the girls have their certificate exams to take though Darrell and Sally don’t find it as hard since they have been putting in work consistently. But academic issues apart, there are plenty of dilemmas and crises in some of their lives. Gwen for one refuses to see sense, even though Miss Grayling charges Darrell to try one last time, and continues to pursue her own path. But lessons must be learnt in life and poor Gwen has to end up learning the hard way. Amanda too has to learn hers when she thinks certain advice is inapplicable to her. Among the younger ones too, this is the case for some of them. But whether the hard way or on their own, most of them at the end learn to face up to their flaws and perhaps try to work at being better. Of course (while not defending all of the characters), EB does have certain preconceptions or fixed ideas of how children should be to be ‘good’ or ‘appreciated’ as against being looked down upon which sometimes may be isn’t so accepting of difference; at the same time, I like the fact that even her main characters like Darrell and Sally are not without their flaws, and realistically, these don’t magically vanish or are magically overcome either but must be faced again and again, and dealt with.

But of course all is not as grave and bleak as I may have made it sound, there are plenty of fun moments too—no plays or performances but there are tricks, this time played by the younger ones—Felicity and June’s form—one involving a magnet and the Mam’zelles’ hairpins, which turns out so much fun that they decide to give the sixth formers a chance to enjoy themselves as well, finding excuses to play it in their form too, not once but twice, and with something further added on. Suzanne, the French girl, is like Claudine from St Clare’s, with ‘piggyhoolear’ English, and an outlook much like EB’s notion of ‘foreigners’ (and why she faces criticism) adds a further touch of humour.

I liked how the series wrapped up with us being told what lies ahead for all the students, even ones who’ve left, though overall, it was perhaps on a graver note than the rest of the books.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

These characters became very dear to both me and my daughter. She loves when I read some of the older books. Ones written around the times my grandmother (here great) was born or young.

Two quotes from my daughter "I can't wait to read these all again" "Too bad there wasn't another series that had the younger forums in it" Little does she know another author picked up where Enid Blyton left off. I was pleasantly surprised to see that someone had myself. But then again these are wonderful books and it really shouldn't have come to a surprise that another wanted more as well.

So it isn't good bye Malory Towers is so long for now.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

For my full review, visit me at https://mrsbrownsbooks.wordpress.com/...

The older I get, the sadder I become when I finish this last book of the original series. I can’t help myself but feel sad at the end as Darrell and her friends finish their time at Malory Towers. Whilst some girls have intentions of going to university, others will be finding employment or even starting their own business. As you would expect from Blyton’s stories, this concludes on a note of optimism which I think is so important.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always loved this series and reading it as an adult it still stands up for me. It was written back when everything wasn't so PC and over the top, so you have to ignore certain things and enjoy it as a story.
I actually went to school with some of the girls described here, especially the nasty ones.
A great read.

Enjoyed it yet again! Nice ending.

[Srishti · Rating 1 out of 5]

When I picked up the first book in this series a couple of weeks ago, I didn't expect to finish the entire series (the original one, that is) in such a short period of time. Nonetheless, I just finished reading the last book and I have so much to say.

The good things first. I go through long periods of reading block, and that's a terrible thing for a literature grad student. Blyton's books are useful in this regard; they are easy to read and can get you through this slump. That's it, that's the only good thing.

Perhaps there would have been more good things to say if I read these books in middle school. I adored Blyton at that age, having obsessively read her Five-Find-Outers and Secret Seven series. Having studied at an all-girls school, undoubtedly Malory Towers would have been my favourite series. The idea of going to such a picturesque school, with the most scenic views, delicious midnight feasts, living in a dorm with friends and staying away from home seemed like a dreamy escapade.

But reading these books as an adult is an exercise in not only going past nostalgia and re-examining role models from the past, but also questioning the value of Blyton's books in present times, knowing very well how her works are rife with xenophobia, sexism, racism and classism. Malory Towers is perfect only for girls like Darrell Rivers, who is perfect at games, studies, is an extrovert, has "values" and not scared of anything. God forbid you're French, American (I can't get past how Darell just decided to dislike Zerelda simply because of her nationality lmao), fat, scared of swimming, not fond of games, proud of your achievements, an introvert, sentimental, easily scared, not good at studies, beautiful, ugly (the list can go on honestly)...Malory Towers will be your biggest nightmare then. It is very easy to get away with institutionalised bullying under the guise of 'fun' and 'learning'. While I'm neither French nor American, I'm pretty sure I have all the makings of a Gwendoline Mary replacement in the series. XDD

I will never, ever recommend Enid Blyton to any kid in the future. I wish Indian schools and academics introduce kids to better literature (hello L.M Montgomery?), it is poisonous to read Blyton at an impressionable age. I'm glad I got out unscathed.

[maidenofrohan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sometimes nostalgia is best left alone

[Alayne Emmett · Rating 5 out of 5]

The last book in this original series. I loved it and it was so lovely to re-live my childhood memories. So sad it finish this series but, I can always read them all over again.

[Jo_Scho_Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

The final book in the Malory Towers series. Darrell is almost eighteen and her six years at school are coming to an end as she embarks upon her final term. It’s a term filled with reflection and nostalgia, Darrell is Head Girl, she and the rest of the sixth formers are all grown up and mature, all those tricks and midnight feasts are a thing of the past.

But there is still fun ahead in this final term. As futures are planned out and discussed, two new girls, Amanda and Jo, create a bit of drama, and the second formers are definitely not mature enough to resist playing tricks on poor Mam’zelle, oh yes it may be the last term but it won’t be a dull one.

Meeting up with Darrell and Sally and Alicia and Gwen and Irene and Mary Lou genuinely feels like meeting up with old friends. I have known these girls at least forty years and they are a crucial part of my history of reading. I LOVED Malory Towers, I still do. I wonder how many times I will revisit these stories in my life and find them comforting and reassuring.

This time I read this book with my daughter who has slowly worked her way through the whole set of books (sadly the lure of Tiktok and YouTube beats regular reading for her which kills me & I wonder what Enid would make of these modern day distractions?) and finally reached the end and she loved it too. She got to know and love the characters nearly as much as I do.

What I really appreciate these days is that, despite these books being published over seventy years ago, they’re still relevant now and there are hugely important lessons in humility and kindness and generosity all through these books. The kind and steadfast characters always come good, the weak and selfish characters always get their comeuppance. I still remember being moved by Miss Grayling’s welcoming speech in that very first book and to hear it repeated here in the final story warmed my heart:

‘I do not count as our successes those who have won scholarships and passed exams, though these are good things to do. I count as our successes, those who learn to be good hearted and kind, sensible and trustable, good sound women, the world can lean on. Our failures are those who do not learn these things in the years they are here.’

Such very wise words. Darrell et al, it’s been so lovely reliving those wonderful schooldays. I’m sure we will meet again.

[Anusha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hits different when you finish your own school journey :’)
Still wish there was more focus on the main characters rather than the new girls.

[Clare · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listened to in audio format.

Darrell and her friends were now in the sixth form and then off to pastures new. Darrell, Sally and Alicia were going to St Andrews University. Mary Lou would be going into nursing and Bill and Clarissa would start a riding school.

Gwendolyn was due to start a finishing school but her father had a heart attack which nearly killed him. Gwendolyn had to leave school early to look after her father, he would never work again so Gwendolyn would have to get a job.

More humble Gwendolyn wrote to Darrell to apologise and said she had changed her ways.

I enjoyed this final book but I thought the characters deserved a better sending off.

In the words of Darrell, Bye Malory Towers see you soon.

[Zarish Fatima · Rating 4 out of 5]

End of an Era for me. I seriously doubt i would be reading anymore of Enid Blyton any more. But i have read quiet a number of books by her and so far have not been disappointed.
Enid does not just write but she tries to teach the best she could. To respect ones parents, to care, to compromise, to listen, to share, to be humble, to be courageous, to learn, to grow.

Malory Towers was a beautiful series, a handful of teenage girls who live together, learn together and become better people together.

They are about to graduate and they are taking away number of valuable lessons which they have learned in last six years of schooling and leaving behind number of memories and their juniors to whom they have taught and learned from many small things.
there is this thing writer states through two different narratives
"From what you have told me you've made the nice father of yours miserable. You've got what you want at the expanse of someone else's peace of mind"...
"I have to stand on my own feet haven't i?"... "Not if you stamp on someones else's toes to do it." Something we all need to remember before making unreasonable demands of our parents and peers.

Many character flaws we see in our society are mistakes and miscalculations of our parents. People really need to get their priorities straight.
How important parents are!....Really, I think somebody should start a School for Parents too!

I am kind off crying inside. The horrible feeling of an end :(

[mariam ˚⋅˖* ⊱❀⊰ *˖⋅˚ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished re-reading my childhood favourite series! And although I loved them all, this book in particular I liked the least. However, this time round I enjoyed it the most!

My views on the characters haven’t changed much though (aside from the fact that Sally isn’t as boring as I remembered) I still feel sorry for Gwen and even sorta like her. Always have, always will.

Thinking of re-reading St Clare’s next.

[Noora Alsuwaidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

All in all the books of this series are fun, but I have some reservations.
There is always this feeling that the girls, even the good ones, are mean to each other.
There is unkindness going around.
Even though Enid Blyton is one of my favorite authors, this series is one that I like and dislike at the same time, I wish the author took a more good upbringing approach to teach the young readers.

[Nancy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Even in the context of its times, maiming a girl for life, expelling a girl for class issues and making the parent of a snob a hopeless invalid all in the guise of teaching a lesson is entirely repugnant.

[Maryam ღ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I so sad to be finished the last book of Malory Towers. My favourite character is Darrell. I think she's so friendly and sensible. This book was so enjoyable to read. I love how friendships grow. I also liked how different all the girls jobs would be, or if they'll go collage. I definitely recommend this book to those who are eight and over.

[Alison C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note: This review covers all six Malory Towers books.

I think many child readers who grew up in the UK 40 or 50 years ago had a yen to go to boarding school, based on the numerous series that were popular in the UK at that time. I happened to discover Enid Blyton's Malory Towers series, written between 1947 and 1951, when I was around 7 or 8, and I loved them from the beginning. Partly this was due to the setting - a castle-like building complex on a stormy coastal hilltop in Cornwall, the southernmost region of the British Isles, where I lived for a time and the Celtic land that has been my family's homeland for many centuries. Aside from my personal investment in the country in which it was set, the Towers themselves were terribly romantic looking, in that wind-swept, storm-off-the-shores kind of way! Part of my fondness for Blyton's series was simply the idea of boarding school as a place where young girls not only learned, but bonded and grew and developed a strong character, healthy body, creative mind and compassion for others - at least, that's how the stories in these books always seemed to turn out.

As is standard with this genre, there is a core of recurrent characters - Darrell, our straightforward but somewhat tempestuous heroine, Sally her steady best friend, Alicia the smart but sometimes callous one, and so on. Each year brings a certain number of new characters into the school, some of whom stay on into the later books and some who do not. There's always at least one transgressor who Learns A Lesson, and there's always at least one moral drawn for all the girls from that experience. There's a certain amount of social consciousness in the sense that some girls at the school are poor, some are not, and that class difference is shown to be not a "real" difference at all (pretty heady stuff in late 1940s Britain's children's fiction!), but most of the dilemmas have to do with the sin of "disobeying the rules of the school," with dire consequences, although not too dire. It's all very innocent and the children are all quite "improved" by their stay (except for Gwendolyn, and even she is redeemed in the end!).

Enid Blyton is known for several other series that she wrote, including other school series, but this is the one that reached my heart as a young child, and it's still the series that, at 48 years old and counting, I turn to whenever I have a cold and need something to cheer me up. I believe these books are all long out of print now, but if you enjoy boarding school fiction from a time before Harry Potter, this is worth a search in the more obscure realms of the Internet library!

[Evelyn Hail · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am so glad I came upon these Enid Blyton’s books :) It really was a pleasant sort of time machine that took me to the past, when I used to devour all Famous Five instalments, and live their adventures alongside them and their incredibly intelligent dog Timmy :)
Books are not too long, 160 pages each, or 90 pages on your tablet screen :) The protagonist of these books are Darrell Rivers (1-6) and her younger sister Felicity (7-12)-written by Pamela Cox ( I don’t know if this is pseudonym or a group of writers), who has made a modern sequel (I will leave it on the side for now). It’s a great book to get young 10-11 year old girls to start reading, and even I enjoyed them a lot as a childish adult that I am :)
The atmosphere of the books will make you feel a lot like Hogwarts, it’s just that all students are girls and there is no magic and supernatural stuff :) However, the life lessons still remain, delivered to us through various problems that girls face in their school years, mainly facing with the subjects they need to learn, respecting their authority/or not and getting along with their classmates, which comes across as difficult for some of them. All girls have different personalities, some are hyperactive, other disobedient, there are also some who are shy, nerdish or egotistical/spoiled-it’s a bit stereotypical mix but ways in how these problems were handled raise reader’s social intelligence as well. Books realistically explore the very idea of constructing and maintain a friendship. Enid underlines the importance of kindness, being just and helping others, as they build they character, discover their gifts and talents and grow up. In third term, some girls from other countries are introduced, and in fourth term, there are twins :) This topic was particularly interesting to me, Blyton depicted perfectly the fact that the girls were identical and so different at the same time, and they were even occasionally bothered to be so alike.
You might also notice that 1940s British old fashion-ness in Enid Blyton’s books, but they are in no way an obstacle which will stop you from immersing yourself into Mallory Towers world.
I have been on this Enid Blyton’s binge reading for some days now. I seriously respect Enid Blyton as children’s author; I regret leaving this world, but memories of my spent time with them shall remain. Good-bye, Mallory Towers :) It was a wonderful, nostalgic trip to past and some better days that have long since gone with the wind.

[Bukhari · Rating 3 out of 5]

Darrell is finally in the sixth form and prepares for one last final term at Malory Towers before she sets off for university. The girls are much grown up, wiser, though as usual, you have Gwen who doesn't seem to have learnt anything in the past six years. Jo, in the second form, also proves to be a nuisance, egged on by her insouciant and erratic father. Amanda, whose sports' school burnt down comes to join the sixth form and demonstrates her athletic prowess. She eyes a second former in particular and is determined to set her up to standard to compete in the second school team. Overall, these series gives a bit of a revelation into what British boarding schools were like post-war. Some of the practices may shock today's readers, some are particularly quirky notably certain use of words that are démodé ('wizard', 'smashing', 'queer', 'your people', 'scorn' etc.). Re-reading the whole series after twenty years made me wonder why I found it amusing then, but this Enid Blyton series deserves at least a read to understand the psyche of the people at the time. 

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Again, this comes with lots of memories of reading it for the first time. Another one of my favourites of the original series. Saying goodbye to Darrell and her friends never fails to be bittersweet, but it's still always fun regardless.

But at least it doesn't stop here now. When I was a kid, I always wished I knew how Felicity's other years had gone and that Enid Blyton had added those times to the series too. Thanks to Pamela Cox writing them, I do know now. I'll always prefer the original six books, but at least nowadays leaving Darrell as an adult (nearly) doesn't mean I have to also say goodbye to Malory Towers yet either. :)

[Carly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I confess that had the Malory Towers series not been on the agenda for my British Children's Literature module in my next year at university, I shouldn't ever have come to read them.

How wonderful they were, and how they just go to show that the best written books are not restricted by the age of the reader. I imagine my five year old niece would love to hear these tales just as much as I have enjoyed reading them myself over the past month.

Such a pleasant read, I look forward to analysing them in further detail come October.

[Nicky · Rating 2 out of 5]

I honestly think I might've started and never finished this. I vaguely recall the beginning, but not the ending. The idea of Darryl growing up kinda sucked: I think I put it aside, in favour of keeping Darryl at least within talking distance of my eight years of age -- a Sixth Former was so far away, and after that...?

(Of course, now I'm a graduate and a postgrad student. But still. I remember.)

[✿Juli✿ · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been so long since I last read these, and since I'm nearly 14 I'm probably too old for them .
But I think that they are so good for escapism, and for comfort reading.
The last chapter still makes me sad!

[Lydia Willcock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5 stars

[DiZagalo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Último ano... últimos exames... últimas discussões...
O último ano de Diana nas Quatro Torres vai de mal a pior ... A nossa querida Benedita Maria ainda não mudou desde o primeiro dia nas Quatro Torres, só fala na maldita escola de Etiqueta na Suíça e na ENORME discussão que teve com o pai, e nas coisas cruéis que lhe disse, como se fosse um grande feito... As novas alunas são hiper... mega DIFERENTES, a Amanda( a grande atleta ) e a Suzzane ( a primeira aluna francesa das quatro Torres... Foi desta que a Ju ( Juliana Jones ) parte DE VEZ... Por causa de vários incidentes... ex.: a governanta confisca-lhe as VINTE E CINCO LIBRAS que a tia lhe dá na altura dos seus anos, e como a Ju queria "impressionar" a turma resolve recuperá-los, mas como tem tanto medo da governanta decide ROUBAR as duas próprias notas e quando dá por si rouba nove notas de cinco libras o que dá........ QUARENTA E CINCO LIBRAS. Como de não basta-se ainda levou a Carmo (uma aluna do primeiro ano) até á vila ( uma das regras era que SÓ as alunas do sexto ano podiam levar as alunas dos primeiros anos á vila)... e a Juliana era do segundo ano...
A Jacinta FINALMENTE demonstra ter capacidades para além das parrrrrtidas (como diz a Madmoiselle) ... A Amanda arruina a sua vida atletica....
Mas para descobrirem mais sobre o último ano do Sexto ano leiam : "O Sexto Ano no Colégio das Quatro Torres..................

[Tommy Verhaegen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Het laatste deel van deze reeks van 6, 1 boek per schooljaar op Malory Towers. Wat kan je nog vertellen als je al 5 delen hebt volgeschreven en niet van locatie mag veranderen? Gelukkig voor Enid Blython kan ze toch nog enkele nieuwe meisjes op de kostschool introduceren. Bijkomend nadeel is wel dat de meisjes 18 en dus volwassen worden, streken uithalen zit er dus niet meer in. Dat blijkt wel een probleem bij de vaste meisjes die vooral erg braaf blijken te zijN. Goed voor hun karakter maar niet zo leuk om te lezen. Met de nieuwe meisjes en 1 onverbeterlijke oude bekende gaat Blyton deze keer vol voor het grote drama. Dit vormt toch wel een tegenstelling met de vorige delen waar de nadruk vooral lag op het goedmaken van fouten, nu krijgen de harde gevolgen ervan te zien.
Toch zou dit Blyton niet zijn als er niet een lichtpuntje zou zijn, zelfs voor de meest hardleerse personen.
Misschien het minst interessante en hardste deel van de zes, toch is het onontbeerlijk om dit te lezen om de cyclus af te sluiten (en aan de volgende reeks te beginnen).