“She will miss you, Darrell.”ĭarrell waved frantically. “There’s your little sister waving to you,” said her father, as the car slid down the drive. It’s a good opportunity to introduce the antagonists and immerse the reader in the new setting.īy the second book, the reader already knows the school and the supporting characters, so the author can spend that time getting to know the main character’s family somewhat, or at least enjoying some flying car shenanigans.īlyton only puts Darrell on the train when there are important characters to introduce - Darrell herself, and her sister in book four. The train journey quickly separates the main character from her parents and sends her out into the world alone, meeting the supporting cast with minimal adult supervision. Think I’m exaggerating? Don’t look at me, I didn’t make the boarding school novel rules. The tardiness of the Rivers women compared to the pater familias will be revisited over the years.Ĭurious boarding school novel pattern: students tend to travel by train in the first book, then return to school by car in the second. “Is your mother ready, or must I hoot? It’s an extraordinary thing that I’m always the first one ready. Mr Rivers is here to bring casual sexism to the second paragraph: “But I’m glad it’s time for school again. “I’ve simply loved the hols,” said Darrell, as she got into her father’s car, ready to set off to school once more.

(That’s more or less year eight, for anyone trying to keep track.) She’s predictably keen: Mam’zelle Dupont is still trying to be strict, Alicia plays a terrible trick with invisible chalk and Gwendoline and Daphne inevitably get into trouble.Īfter a year at Malory Towers, Darrell is thirteen and about to enter the second form. You can find previous posts in the series here.ĭarrell, Sally, Gwendoline, Mary-Lou and all the other girls from the First Term at Malory Towers are now in the second form and they are as lively as ever. Stephanie’s out of the country, which means … IT’S SQUID TIME! And also, you know, time to relaunch the Malory Towers readthrough.

The second form at malory towers