Darrell and her friends grow together as they share their school days. There are new students to induct, sporting matches to be won, tempers to control and tricks to play on teachers. This work presents stories about life at boarding school as readers follow the girls' lives through 6 years at Malory Towers.

2007-02-27 Exciting story, but...

... I don't like it as much as the other books.

The only likable character in this book is Sally, Darrell's best friend, who is a really good head-girl. And Daphne's development is quite interesting as well - in the beginnning, she is vain and selfish, but then she rescues Mary-Lou - so she can cancel out her bad deeds... And I like Belinda, a new girl in the second form, who is a talent artist and a scatter-brain like Irene - of course, the two of them become friends!

So why I don't like this book?

I think there are too many "baddies" - one new girl is taking advantage of mary-Lou (Mary-Lou helps her with her French). Besides, she is a thief and a liar, who is even ready to see an innocent girl being expelled for stealing (fortunately the innocent girl is not actually expelled, but the thief believes it), then there is a cheat who tries to read the exam papers beforehand, Alicia is jealous of head-girl Sally and tries to make her feel uncomfortable, she brings Belinda into trouble and does not have the decency to own up and she accuses the wrong girl (without proof) for stealing, and Darrell loses her temper...

Too many unlikable characters for only one book, I think.