| March 12, 2007 – sarayu says: I like St. Clare's more than Malory Towers. It is an individual opinion. I feel that Malory Towers has more malice and spite, when Alicia and Betty are set to outdo and irritate Darrell in every way, and Moira being too domineering (she however resembles Elsie in St. Clare's), and June is mean unlike Antoinette, and St. Clare's has Claudine and Antoinette, my favorite characters and it is more fun reading about Angela Favorleigh than Gwendoline. (Honestly, I feel Gwendoline is a queer mixture of Angela's wealth and Alison's tears)... but one part in Malory Towers I loved is about Zerelda and the character I dislike in St. Clare's is Prudence. Angela, is much better off, considering they both have grand relations. There are many similar characters in Malory Towers and St. Clare's such as Zerelda and Sadie, Belinda and Lucy, etc. Nevertheless, I read and re-read Malory Towers because I love the boarding school life! One thing which always confuses me is about Prudence. She is not like her name, and she has nothing good in her (Alison at least has something), she betrays people around her, hates tricks, takes Pam into her confidence, sticks up to Sadie and is mean to everyone. This book has Bobby, very much like Janet, and Carlotta - who is the best and Prudence somehow doesn't fit in. And, Prudence and Sadie and Carlotta sneak out, without a companion, which is expressly disallowed. No one at St. Clare's saw to all this? |
| March 13, 2007 – Jeni says: These young women are teenagers, and are expected to act like teens, not little kiddies. They are expected to behave responsibly and honestly in all situations. The teachers can only do so much 'policing' of the students' activities. The rest is up to the students themselves to monitor their own actions and behave like responsible young adults. The girls who chose to disobey common rules - written and unwritten, are inviting trouble into their own lives, and in Enid Blyton's books, nearly all that I've read, nobody gets away with anything. Sooner or later, one's past catches up and then it's time to pay the Piper. And sometimes that payment is heartbreaking. For example, Gwendolyn in Malory Towers. All her life, this spoilt girl led a very selfish life with no regard nor love for family or friends. Her father whom she takes completely for granted, almost dies towards the end of the Malory Tower series, and only then does Gwen take a serious look at herself and her many personality flaws. One can only wonder, why when tragedy hits, then and only then, do people think seriously and behave more responsibly? At least some do, there are others who will never change, no matter what happens in their lives, for example: Prudence. |
| August 27, 2007 – Zehra says: I know Blyton would not have been overjoyed but whom do you rate better, MT or SC? I need your views - the normal fans of Enid Blyton and their choice. |
| August 31, 2007 – MJKB says: I rather liked the episodic style of the first St. Clare's book. However, Malory Towers always seemed a more exciting place to be, particularly with those four towers. I always wished that EB had written a little more detail about the girls from other towers. Why couldn't one girl from another tower be picked as head girl, for example. |
| November 1, 2007 – sarayu satish says: Comparison is bound to happen. Book-wise, the first book of St. Clare's is better than the 1st book of MT. |
| January 9, 2008 – Lizzie says: I prefer MT as SC 3rd and 6th are not even written by Enid Blyton! Also MT has some better characters, like Sally and Clarissa and Bill. |
| January 14, 2008 – Laura says: I prefer MT, mainly because I love the idea of a school with four towers, near the sea. Also, Darrell and co are less dull and 'perfect' that Pat and Isabel in SC. However, character-wise, I am a big fan of Carlotta, Janet and Bobby from SC, and some of their tricks are just as good as Alicia's and June's. |
| January 17, 2008 – Ming says: I always rated St Clare's more highly than Malory Towers because in there all the girls have large roles in at least one of the books. In MT Darrell is the out-and-out heroine of all the books - which is, I think, a bit unfair. Yes, SC is very much muddled up in terms of time and MT is better organised, SC girls are in my opinion much more friendly than the girls of Malory Towers. |
| February 24, 2008 – Mimsy Kirana says: I have loved the Malory Towers series because they seem so real that I need to stop myself from being seduced into the books - what addictive I have been! However, I loved Pat and Isabel characters because they are not exactly perfect, but active and interesting. |
| February 26, 2008 – kiasu tranquil says: Yep, I agree with Ming and I feel that some of the names in Malory Towers are too boylike and some are just too evil. |
| April 2, 2008 – ayza says: Well, SC is much, much better than MT as in MT Darrell is well, DULL. And anyways, the tricks are boring with a capital 'B'. :p |
| April 3, 2008 – Tuba says: I like SC more than MT for many reasons. Firstly: I think the character of SC are much better than the mt characters. Secondly: the happening in SC are more real than MT. Thirdly: SC is more eventual and interesting than MT. Fourthly: the tricks of SC are better than of MT. |
| April 8, 2008 – Tuba says: I really appreciate the comment Sarayu gave. I agree with all she said. |
| April 16, 2008 – Aafreen says: Both series of books are equally good and a comparison is really not fair!!! |
| August 22, 2008 – Alicia says: Okay. I'm going to start a debate - which is the better series - St Clare's or Malory Towers? My vote is for Malory Towers. St Clare's isn't a proper series. Firstly, the school is very large - at least the school building is according to the first book. But there are only ten girls in one form? And you don't have various houses in a form either! Secondly, the girls start the school at 15 years? And leave at 21? I though St Clare's was a finishing school or something but in the last book, it's mentioned that the twins, Bobby Janet and Carlotta are going to college. At 21 you're an ADULT! I detest the twins - they have such high opinions of themselves and their strict codes of honour, yet they enjoy breaking rules and doing wrong things. I believe there's a word for such behaviour - hypocrisy. The girls all seem so perfect - especially the twins. Nothing wrong about them. And Lucy drives me crazy with her perfect nature and attitude - it's as if she's an angel sent from heaven above - too good to be true! The cover art is really erm. Odd! Two hats, a satchel, a key, a tennis ball and raquet, a lacrosse ball and stick? Malory Towers is MUCH better! |
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Fatty says: Although this message was intended to start a new topic, in fact a similar topic already existed (this one you're on now). Please remember to check for similar topics before starting a new one! :-) |
| August 22, 2008 – Fiona B says: I very much agree Alicia. I read St clare's for the first time a few weeks ago, but had read Malory towers as a child. It seemed that most of the ideas for characters and situations in St clare's was re-used in the Malory towers books, and were greatly improved on by the time they were rewritten. I kept reading parts of the St. clare's books and saying to myself "shades of Gwendoline Mary there" whenever Alison started latching onto her new heroine, and of course there was a girl who's name I forget who was just like Daphne, pretending she was from a rich family when in fact she stole things. Parts of St. clare's struck me as really quite odd, especially compared to Malory Towers. For example, both head mistresses talk of how they always hope to help and improve girl's characters, and absolutely hate it when they fail and have to expel a girl; and yet countless girls are expelled or "asked to leave" St. clare's after stealing/cheating/just being an unpleasant person. Although it may seem silly, Malory Towers always manages to rescue such poor, lost girls (apart from Jo obviously). I could go on forever, but I won't. I will just say Malory Towers is infinitely better than St. clare's, but seems to directly owe its success to coming after a practice run. |
| August 26, 2008 – Sylvie says: Malory Towers for me! I like it much more than St clare's because of the lovely descriptions of the grounds (swimming pool and courtyard area), the four towers and I like the way that Darrell has a hot temper which gets her into trouble sometimes. And I like Darrell, Alicia, Bill and of course Mary-Lou so much! Oh and this might sound childish but I do like the way that apparently all the beds in the dormi have different coloured quilts! :) |
| September 12, 2008 – Kathleen Gregory says: Er. I prefer MT but also like janet from SC. |
| November 17, 2008 – Edward Jameson says: Hmm; I've just seen this topic, and seem to remember the posts in another (smilar I think) topic! Maybe some cleaning by Fatty....! |
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Bets says: Yes, Inspector Jenks, Fatty and I have been doing some spring cleaning... even though it isn't spring! :-) |
| November 30, 2008 – Michelle says: I just read the Second Form in St. Clare's, just finished minutes ago. I think I like both. They have different style. MT had more problems, conflicts. SC is cool because there are cool activities like doing show for the Red Cross. So I think both of them are cool. |
| January 11, 2009 – Amy Knight says: I really like St Clare's but I read MT first so that has to be my favorite. |
| August 4, 2009 – April June says: Hmm. . . I read Malory Towers first, so, like Amy, it has to be my favourite. But even though I prefer Malory Towers, I must say St. Clare's is a very nice series, too. I just wish the last book was written by Enid Blyton. Still, it's a wonderful series in my opinion, even though I like Malory Towers better. |
| August 6, 2009 – georginabyrights says: I love Malory Towers. In fact, I'm off to Lulworth next week to see if the Castle really IS the inspiration for the school building. I really hope it is. And I'm hoping to catch a glimpse of Amanda Shoutalot training for the 2012 olympics, with the irrepressible June by her side. |
| September 9, 2009 – Sakshi says: I like SC better because all the girls have at least one big role somewhere whereas in MT Darell seems to be the only one who takes part. |
| September 19, 2009 – April June says: Both St Clare's and Malory Towers are wonderful, thrilling, absorbing books, but I like Malory Towers just a teensy bit better. I feel the same as Alicia and Fiona B; although perhaps I find the St Clare's books better than they do? My mother gave me the series as a gift, one book at a time, in order -- First Term, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth -- and I treasured each one very much. It's true, Darrell pretty much is the main character, whereas in St Clare's, nearly every girl has a large role sometime or other; I do wish Enid Blyton gave more thought to the other girls in Malory Towers. They could have done with a bit more attention and detail; for example, I don't really like the way Daphne has almost no role whatsoever in the books after the second, and how Ellen slips up into the Fourth Form -- but other than that, to me, the series is perfect -- apart from the sneezing trick which features quite a lot in Enid Blyton's books. The Malory Towers books are a little better in my opinion, and definitely a lot more special -- to me! |
| December 9, 2009 – Amy Elizabeth says: Well. . . I don't think a comparison ought to be made between the two series. They are both very lovely, interesting, and absorbing in their own ways. I like the Malory Towers characters and the St Clare's characters, although I prefer Darrell and Sally, or Alicia and Betty, or Irene and Belinda, to Pat and Isabel. And I love the description of the Malory Towers school grounds, with its wonderful pool and cliffs and all. However, in St Clare's every character has some main role somewhere throughout the series. The only thing I don't like about that is that after the first book, Pat and Isabel don't really seem like the main characters. Oh well -- a series can't be perfect, can it? Overall, I like both the series, and each is special in its own unique way. But Malory Towers is a little better! |
| March 14, 2011 – Sofia Aggelidou says: Okay so. . . St Clare's vs Malory Towers?! Come on that's not worth it! It's like telling Enid: ''Hey Enid, which is best Malory Towers or St Clare's?''! No! None of them! That's what she would answer! Anyway I like much more Malory Towers: St Clare's takes 49% and Malory Towers takes 51% (I like to count with %)! |
| March 31, 2011 – Emma2 says: I loved Malory Towers and still do, the characters are feisty and interesting. The school is in a beautiful setting and Darrell is not a goody two-shoes, when she became head girl she had to resign. Alicia is a great character and I love that way she and Darrell become second best friends. In the Fifth, they have a great conversation about June and Alicia hates it when Darrell is so upset, when she resigns from the play. I like the way Mary-Lou grows from being scared of everything to the one that plays Cinderella and then becomes a children's nurse. Irene and Belinda are brilliantly written and I liked the way Ellen's situation in the Second Form was written, it was impossible not to feel for her. MT is rich with so much. The teachers are also well written. I like much of what Pamela Cox did with it too. The things she did with Felicity, Susan, June and Nora. St Clare's never did anything for me, it seemed flat. I hate the situation whether the younger girls had to serve the older ones, they aren't even that young, they are 13 or 14. Pat and Isobel are annoying and Janet does tricks but Alicia was a very cool character, I could see her going wild at university. |
| November 3, 2012 – Ayushee Dixit says: I personally love Malory Towers more than St. Clare's. I identify a lot with Darrell and hence enjoy reading about her. I also appreciate the principles adhered to by the Malory Towers girls. And of course the Towers and the scenic beauty created while describing it is pretty attractive. I often wish my school was so beautiful. I also do not like the custom of younger girls waiting on the older girls at St. Clare's. Reading Malory Towers acts as a stress- buster even today for me. |
| November 4, 2012 – Jeni says: About "younger girls waiting on the older girls", it has its value. It keeps the younger girls humble and prevents them from acting spoiled and rude. It also teaches them hard work and diligence, qualities very useful in later, adult life. The older girls had their turn also, when THEY were younger. They worked hard for the older girls also and it taught them important lessons for future life. The problem today, is that nobody wants to do anything for anybody else. Today, you hold the door open for somebody and you don't get a "thank you". But when you are thanked, you feel so happy, it almost makes your day. If an older girl abuses the younger girl labor though, that is definitely a serious no-no, and such behavior must be stopped immediately. Finally, I quote the golden rule (aka Biblical wisdom): "There is more happiness in giving, than there is in receiving." |
| March 5, 2013 – Bella Harris-Johnstone says: I prefer St Clare's than Malory Towers because it is a good read and it makes you want to read on. It does have a lot of typos though. But it is very exciting and I love all the books. Malory Towers is OK but its not as exciting as St Clare's. They are good books though, and not so many typos. But the St Clare's books are the best ever!!!!! ( : . |
| May 30, 2013 – Sapna says: I like Malory Towers better than St. Clare's though I like the latter pretty much too. In MT, while upholding high morals and values, there is a sense of fun and liberty, while SC sometimes makes me feel suffocated by being too goody-goody. Perhaps this is because MT was written later on when people had relaxed a little bit from the moral high-ground. I agree with Emma that Alicia will go wild in college-which makes her so lovable. And Darrell and Sally, while being mature and sensible, also have their faults of hot temper and jealousy respectively. Pat and Isabel are too flat and goody-goody after the first book and as for Lucy, she drives me mad with her perfection. Who is she to decide that another girl must be expelled? I love the whole lot of MT:Darrell, Sally, Alicia, Irene, Belinda, Bill, Clarissa, Betty. But If Enid Blyton has made Lucy too perfect, she has painted Gwen too black, surely even a spoilt, selfish girl must be good at least at one thing. Nevertheless, I love the concert in the second form at SC. |
| May 31, 2013 – Natasha says: Personally, I prefer Malory Towers. It is so addictive and I have surely read each book hundreads of times!! I feel that Malory Towers has more developed characters, and the children have more freedom - and everything gets found out in the end. But then, in St Clares; things sometimes are left at quite lose ends. I read these because I just love boarding school life, and these book have really made me want to board. I myself am quite like Darrel; a hot fiery temper. As well as all of her qualities. So overall I prefer Malory Towers. |
| July 5, 2013 – Laura says: I think that MT was WIZARD! That's all I have to say :). |
| August 14, 2013 – Farwa says: I think that both are equally good. Enid writes so well that one can't decide which book is better than the other. |
| May 31, 2014 – Sarah Drego says: I think MT is way better than SC. I love Miss Grayling's 'speech' that she says to all the new girls and it really had an effect on me. I started being more kinder, more helpful, more just, more understanding and taking responsibility for all the girls who are weaker and cannot stand up for themselves. And gradually I started being liked by everybody, my teachers, the headmistress and all the girls. I felt like I was Darrell, my heroine. Miss Theobald, headmistress of SC, didn't make such a good effect on me as Miss Grayling. The girls made a change on me but the effect of MT was stronger. I started riding like Bill. I became much more braver like Mary-Lou, after Darrrell fell in the pool. I learnt many other things from MT which I cannot mention for ir will seem that I am being vain. Three cheers for MT! Hip Hip Hurrah! Hip Hip Hurrah! Hip Hip Hurrah! |
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Fatty says: I'm glad Enid's morals have rubbed off on you, Sarah. Enid would be proud of you. |
| June 25, 2014 – Aliza says: Mt vs. Sc. By all means do I choose Mt because Sc has a Huge shortage of characters. And Sc girls are too proper and good. They are either good like Lucy or bad like Prudence. They have got only one strict, fierce and ill tempered french mistress. Then Pat and Isabel 'the stuck up twins'! Enid Blyton did not even bother to write the whole series! |
| July 9, 2014 – Samantha says: I think I prefer Malory Towers more, because I feel that the characters have flaws in each of them and they change for the better. Nobody is perfect, and Miss Grayling was probably the better headmistress. |
| July 16, 2014 – Lily says: I find it hard to decide, but I think, finally, just by a little, it's St Clares. The characters are more varied, and there aren't so many tricks, which annoy me as they all seem to be the same. I would love to go to Malory Towers! I am homeschooled, yet love the idea of it. Guys, maybe we could make an online school of it? xD. |
| July 16, 2014 – Lily says: Just read the Malory Towers again and changed my mind! Really, what is wrong with me? The thing that annoys me in the St Clare's, is the ages. If there's a sixth form, they should be 20 at the end, yet they're not? And why would 14year olds act like 10 year olds? I don't like the character of Lucy Oriell either. She's to perfect, though if love Carlotta and Claudine! |
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Fatty says: As with many long-running children's series, you have to suspend belief where ages are concerned. |
| July 26, 2014 – Paul says: Of course, being in school at age 20 would be out of place in the real world, but not in a US teen drama series where you can be 17 at 24! |
| August 13, 2014 – Sophie says: I think Malory towers is way better. Lucy is to perfect for my liking in sc. Mt has Sally as well! |
| August 17, 2014 – Evie says: I like both, but answer this: do you really think that a school would have a big rock pool as their swimming pool? I think that's a bit unrealistic, it could be dangerous. |
| August 28, 2014 – Carly says: I prefer Malory Towers. The characters are more lively and engaging, the dialogue is more natural, the setting is more interesting and Gwendoline is a brilliant character. The St Clare's books seem to be aimed at a slightly younger readership and are a bit preachy and ploddy. Also the main protagonists, Pat and Isabel, fade very much into the background in some of the books. And, as others have said, the structure of the MT series is more logical, covering a term of each year that Darrell spends in the school, whereas half of the St Clare's series is set in the first form and then there's some random leaps and then the series just peeters out at the end of the fifth form. |
| April 9, 2015 – D Brett says: I think we have to remember that St Clare's came first, so ideas in those books were somewhat expanded upon in Malory Towers. As to which is best. Having read St Clare's first, I found Malory Towers seemed like a highly tweaked version, and it was so easy to spot the original St Clare's ideas in the Malory Towers texts. Also, Malory Towers seemed so grand and idyllic. St Clare's was more of your average standard "nice" school. I suppose - I went to a comp school so I don't really know! But I prefer St Clare's. |
| April 10, 2015 – Evie M says: I prefer Malory Towers because I think it sounds a nicer school to go to. |
| April 15, 2016 – akshita says: According to me, the Malory Towers series are way better than St. Clare's. I hate the custom of SC. It must be making the students so miserable. Also, MT is just so good, with all the beautiful description of the school. I would love to go to such a school! |
| July 31, 2016 – Mona says: I like SC way more then MT. SC is about every one and they dont just focus on charecter unlike MT they make it sound as if Darrel is all that. Well shes not!!! and by the way the school starts at 13 and does not finish at 21it finishes at the age of 18 so plz get your facts right before you say something. |
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Fatty says: We all like different series and our preferences differ. However, politeness should be taught by all parents and schools. Maybe you need to address some issues, Mona. I have left your post as you have written it. |
| August 1, 2016 – Evie Hamada says: Actually the stories don't focus on Darrell because she's 'all that', they focus on her because she is the main character. |
| March 17, 2017 – Avan N. Cooverji says: Where Malory Towers scores over St. Clare's is firstly on its location. The mental image that the school with its four massive towers high up on a cliff conjours is inspiring. While St. Clare's is huge, the scenic beauty of Malory Towers with its swimming pool cut into the rock with fresh water flowing in and out of it is unbeatable. Now coming to the schools itself. There is not much to differentiate one from the other. There is a common ribbon running through both the series. Both schools have sisters in them as pupils, in both certain characters are good and virtuous and both have mean spiteful girls as well. The head mistresses are of equal caliber, wise and serious and capable of guiding the girls superbly through their formative years. Also I feel that Malory Towers makes a lot of Darrell while attention is more equitably distributed among the various students in St. Clare's. American girls too are present in each school, Mamzelle's and teachers also follow the same lines and events like midnight feasts, sports competitions, tricks and the like are the same in each. But that it is to be expected because they are schools set in the same country , for the same age girls and therefore the spirit is the same. Somehow I feel that Claudine At St. Clare's is the most enjoyable of the lot and each book gives the reader enough entertainment as well as some pearls of wisdom in a discreet and sensible way. Enid Blyton has made the world of boarding schools for girls come alive in a wonderful way. |
| July 12, 2017 – Nirupama says: I have always liked Malory Towers more than St. Clare's because I thought Enid Blyton breathed more life into the characters and the settings of the story. I was always able to imagine Malory Towers in my mind's eye very clearly. I also feel that although Darrell is the main character and the story is told from her point of view, she is not a perfect person at all. She is shown to have her flaws of temper and impulsiveness; actually according to me, it's Sally who is shown as the more perfect character than Darrell. The conversations and interactions between the characters are more well-defined and more complex in Malory Towers. Anyway, I cannot imagine my childhood years without thinking about my forays into the exciting worlds of St. Clare's and Malory Towers! |
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Buster says: I agree that Sally is quite a prominent character, but I think Enid wanted Darrell to be less than perfect, and so gave her the temper. |
| July 13, 2017 – KawaiiArtist says: I don't think Sally was really any better than Darrel, I think that it's just because when you have the two girls together, Darrell seems more boistress and loud, while Sally seems a bit like a goody-goody-two-shoes. I think that when children are together they see the way the other acts and then try and act a little better than that or are influenced by them, for e.g., when Darrel loses her temper Sally is calm. Or when Darrel finds Alicia doing something 'naughty' she generally follows and then because she's not Alicia she realizes how bad the thing is and hesitates etc. |
| April 28, 2018 – Vibha says: I like the St Clare's series better than Malory towers series. Both are great but St Clare's is just a little higher in my opinion. Firstly, it was written before Malory towers, so the characters seem like revised ones of those of St Clare's. One thing about St Clare's is that they have Carlotta, a circus girl. Also she is Spanish and I liked the diversity in the school. They also talk about going to see the cinema and having electric lights and stuff like that. I read Malory towers first and I was 11, but I didn't know if they had electric lights. Yeah, I didn't know that. :/ When I read St Clare's though, I got to know what age it was set in and the society of that age. It isn't sexist really seeing as characters like Bobby exist. Bobby didn't want to be classed Roberta that's all it's not like she wanted to be a boy or anything. Anyway, yes it's a bit unorganised but it was written before MT. MT feels like it took the original plot of SC and developed it. St Clare's also doesn't focus on one person. MT is all about Darrell. I like Darrell, but I would like to know what goes on in the other girls' minds as well. SC is in everyone's POV and I like that. I agree that Lucy is portrayed as too perfect, but if a girl like that existed I would like to be friends with her. I agree that MT had a bit more spite. People are saying that all the girls in MT learnt a lesson, but in reality not everyone becomes good. So in my opinion St Clare's is better as it is more real. |
| December 25, 2018 – Angel E says: Alright St Clare's Vs Malory Towers! I love both books dearly but Clare's is far better, as the characters are kinder, although the order of books is muddled along with the ages and so forth. SC has better morals and more diversity like Carlotta and Bobby. Malory Towers always seemed too mean especially, Alicia in the 1st 2-3 books. Although I did love Sally, Belinda, Irene and jean. I wish the two books merged together, Alicia, Darell, Sally, Bobby, Carlotta, Lucy, Elsie the twins Janet and all the others, excluding Betty, Gwen and prudence (as we only need one unlikable character - Elsie!) Then it would have the Malory Towers grounds but the customs of at Clare's and joint head mistresses. That would be a jolly good book!! |
| April 23, 2019 – Manju Jha says: I love St Clare's. It is simply awsome. |
| April 26, 2020 – Donna says: I think overall MT is superior as the characters are more memorable and well-defined. You just can't forget Darrell, Sally, Alicia and 'dear Gwendoline Mary'. . However, Fifth Formers at SC contains comic scenes involving Mamzelle and a fake sleep walker which I think was one of the best things Blyton ever wrote. And while certain characters got repeated throughout her books, SC is the only one that has a wannabe poet. |
| May 8, 2020 – BudgieJane says: I think EB might have realised she made a few mistakes in her chronology, so stopped writing St Clare's before she had really finished it, and used it as an exercise to base Malory Towers on. |
| May 14, 2020 – Sarah says: I personally like MT more, I feel like I can really picture it in my head and I feel like I'm there every time I read it, the characters were relatable and seemed much more real than there SC counterparts. I've read both series's many times and are my go to for a chill reread. I don't like all the plot holes in the book though, for example what happened to emily from book one, or other characters that had a cameo and then seemingly disappeared, also how did every head girl come from north tower. Although I do like MT more I adore both series and I think they're awesome books. |
| September 22, 2020 – Shelley says: I like both MT and SC, when I read Malory Towers I can imagine the school looking like a castle with all its towers and the scenery. I agree with the other posts that some of the students were never heard of again after one book, I would have liked to have known if Elsie had changed after she went up to the third form in St Clare's. Some characters in both books were likable and you can imagine being friends with them, Irene and belinda, Bill, mary lou, from MT. Janet and Bobby, Doris, Gladys they all seem likeable. I still like reading them every now and again its like catching up with old friends. |
| September 23, 2020 – Lisa says: I also like Malory Towers and St. Clare's series. I never knew what boarding school experience is like. Malory Towers and St. Clare's and the Naughtiest Girl series gave a good picture of school life in a boarding school. Of the three, I like Malory Towers best, followed by St. Clare's and lastly the Naughtiest Girl series. I never get tired of reading Malory Towers and St. Clare's. The continuation of both series by Pamela Cox was good. At least, we get to know what happened to Felicity and June who both are head girl of the whole school and sports captain of the whole school respectively. Also good to know about the O'Sullivan twins ending up as Head Girls. Worthwhile reading both series and re-reading them again and again. |
| November 2, 2020 – tau says: St Clare's is way better than Malory Towers. |
| November 4, 2020 – Lisa says: Both series are good in their respective ways. I believe the different characters with their good and weak cum negative attributes somehow make the stories different. St. Clare's had one fiery character and a few spiteful characters more than Malory Towers I think. Carlotta was quick-tempered but good at heart. Prudence, Alma, the head girl in Kitty at St. Clare's and the girl ( can't remember her name ) who kept Pat's letters were more of the spiteful type. Even the honourable Angela was spiteful when she first came to St. Clare's. She was a bit toned down after Alison gave her a piece of her mind. Except for Gwendoline in Malory Towers who had a bit of spite in her, the other characters weren't so. I think Gwendoline's spite was more pronounced in the first book when she tried to get Darrel into trouble. She wasn't that spiteful after the first book. Again, it all depends on individual's preferences. Some fans may like only St. Clare's series, some may like the Malory Towers series and some like me, like both series equally. |
| January 27, 2021 – Lalalala says: I LOVE MT. I read MT first when I was seven/eight but read SC at nine/ten. I think MT is much better. The chronology in SC is very confusing. If the girls are 14/15 in the first form, won't they be 20/21 in the sixth? But no. They are 18 which really doesn't make much sense. In MT the girls are 12 in the 1st form and 18 in the 6th form. And in MT they act their age! While reading SC I thought: 'How can 14-15 year olds behave like 8 year olds! ' MT IS DEFINITELY THE BEST. |
| February 11, 2021 – Maya says: I love Malory Towers because students in the school do not miraculously change their behaviour, attitude and characteristics because of a person's words. They are their self-individuals and have their own identity such as Bonnie, Gwen and Amanda who just become better versions of themselves. However, St Clare's students become clones of what the school wants you to be for example Mirabel becomes a whole different person after peer pressure which isn't healthy. Also, in St Clare's the pupils are forced to what I refer to as "free labour" which is not normal as students are not supposed to be cleaning after older pupil's messes. They instead should be enjoying their teenage years and having fun like the students of Malory Towers. In addition to this, St Clare's "head girls" are giving so much responsibility which should be the teachers' issues such as in the final book of St Clare's the sixth form is forced to worry about younger students issue rather than their own while that is clearly for the younger students to sort out their issues or inform teachers as they are being paid to work. Moreover, St Clare's students are interfering little busybodies as the way they treated Mirabel in the second form angered me. Furthermore, St Clare's seems like a dull school while Malory Towers seems more comfortable, colourful home with its four towers beside the sea. |
| March 3, 2021 – Deepa says: Both are equally good though SC has an edge over MT. I started with SC first. If it was not for the age and form confusion, SC would be a clear winner. |
| November 29, 2021 – Akshita says: I have read Malory Towers first and I am currently reading St Clares. But I do like Malory Towers a little more as I always wanted to go there and I was sad when the last book finished , but SC is also really good for example in the second form Doris 's imitations of mamzelle and matron were making me laugh ,also Alicia and June's tricks were better than those of Janet and bobby[Roberta]. |
| December 27, 2021 – Arabella says: According to me there's no competition. SC is so amazing! Pat and Iz are so well balanced and acurate to the sisterly dynamic something that I missed in Freddies and Darryl relationship. But the main reason that Malory Towers never really stuck was the lack of character development with Gwen. In SC we got to see the characters flaws fade away. I came to have sympathy with almost all the villans in SC, but Gwen only showed a willingness to grow and improve in the last book where we never even get to see that side of her. Janet, Bobby, Carlotta, Margery, Gladys, and Mirabel all have very special places in my heart. When reading Alison I'm always glad to see how much I've learned from her mistakes and growth. I started reading the SC series in 2011 (10 years ago now) and I am unimaginably grateful for the lessons they taught me, the moral code I live my life by, and all my friends that I revisit at least once a year if not more. If you love SC as much as I do I strongly recommend the second half of the MT series written by Pamela Cox. It's not the same but it's close. |
| January 24, 2023 – Lottie says: For me, there's a difference between my personal preference and which series I think is the best-written. Overall, MT is a more cohesive series - Blyton keeps to a clear time frame and characters introduced early in the series remain consistently written and in prevalent roles throughout, even as new ones are introduced. Personally, I find Darrell a really compelling protagonist, as she continues to struggle and fight with her flaws throughout the series, so the reader gets to watch her grow and develop as a character. And the setting for MT is so beautiful! But when I was a kid, I was absolutely obsessed with SC, desperate to go to this imaginary school myself - so even now, it still holds a special place in my heart. Sure, the time frame is shaky, and as Blyton continually adds new characters others seem to fade into obscurity (I enjoy the later books less because the twins, supposedly our protagonists, are scarcely important, and I miss many of the background characters who are given less time and focus as the series continues). But I always adored the fiery Carlotta, loved the relationship between Pat and Isabel, and the warm, communal nature of the SC girls. Janet and Bobby never seemed as nasty as Alicia; they had their faults, but they were still ultimately good people, characters I wanted to root for. So yes, I think MT is ultimately the better series, but I've got a lot of love and nostalgia for SC. |
| March 22, 2023 – Kaye says: I love both series. When I read MT or SC, it's like visiting old friends and I can escape from the chaos of life. I love Bobby, Claudine, Carlotta, and Gladys from SC. My favorite characters from MT are Mavis, Zarelda, Alicia and June. I love how Darrel gradually learns to control her fiery temper. However, I think SC have more midnight feasts than MT. Also the speech Miss Grayling makes every year never fails to move me. I do wish that we got more characters from different towers in MT. I also would've loved to see more of Daphne as she isMary Lu's best friend. I also love what Pamela Cox did with both series. Both series make me wish I was back at school and they both hold special places in my heart. |
| April 27, 2023 – Evelyn says: I love both Malory Towers and St. Clares series but I prefer MT more than SC because I read MT first and some things didn't make sense in St. Clares. The girls started school when they are 14 and finishes school when they are 19 or 20. Though usually school is until 17, they were more childish at the age of 16 when at the same time MT girls were more mature. It was like children 3rd form and under were considered small kids no matter what their age is. As SC was written first, Enid Blyton might have realised what happened and stopped in the middle to start an improved boarding school story which is Malory Towers. I like how MT was described as a very beautiful place with the sea near them and the pool sounded very exciting, as well as four towers. But I noticed that Darrel was mainly the heroine in the series when she does everything at the end while at St. Clares, each person has their own individual role as the heroine, except Prudence. Though MT did have tricks a bit similar to SC, I enjoyed both books and read it lots of times. Pamela Cox had done an incredible job in writing the rest. I think that MT is more better than SC, because its almost like an improved version. Both of these books will always be in a special section in my book shelf. |
| June 13, 2023 – Olympia says: I think I prefer MT more because of the characters. There is something better to the characters of MT than the characters of St. Clares. Also I believe the general content is better. |
| October 24, 2023 – Anonymous says: Honestly I think Malory Towers is way better. All I had to do is read a few St. Clare’s books and they’re boring. The first book the twins are so high and mighty plus I don’t think that someone instantly changes after one term of school, with everyone being simply awful to them. MT has lots of spite which keeps the books entertaining. SC has barely any and like Alicia said, the twins are so perfect and it makes them unrealistic. |
| November 6, 2023 – Anya says: I agree with anonymous says no one changes like that unless it’s peer pressure which isn’t healthy and girls shouldn’t be cleaning up after older girls sense they’re older shouldn’t they be setting a good example, but I feel there was a bit of a problem in both series by Enid Blyton there was no drama kid really I would have really liked one and I don’t know if I count Gladys she didn’t come as a girl so into singing dancing and theatre they didn’t have to act they could write or direct and no I don’t count Darrell, well there was Rachel but she was a creation of Pamela Cox , also SC doesn’t seem to be a whole series Enid Blyton stopped the series half-way Pamela Cox had to swoop in and clean it up. |
| February 24, 2024 – Frances Ford says: I read both sets of books in school (in the 70’s and 80’s ) and think I preferred MT as I think I read them several times over. I’ve happily discovered the new books ( and I was sceptical) but love them also. I listen to them in the car while driving to work. I’m part way through 5th in St Claire’s and wondering why Mirabel is so good at games as I thought she was great at music!!! I wonder if EB had got mixed up!!! Loved the reunion book at the end of MT / so glad Gwen got settled and made a friend. I remember my primary school teachers being a bit snobby about us all reading EB books in that they thought the vocab was so limited. But I think the books are fine. I love the style of them and the nostalgia. Feel like MT is a posher boarding school. |
| February 25, 2024 – Mike says: I love both books. As a kid Carlotta and Alicia were my favorite characters. I wanted to be as acrobatic as Carlotta and as clever as Alicia, but recently when I re-read both series, I would have to say that Claudine is my favorite character both series included. Darrell Rivers probably had the most growth in the whole series, but Claudine has to be the funniest and most charming character in the series. |
| February 29, 2024 – Mary Wong says: I prefer St Clare's because of Angela. |
| March 26, 2024 – Lily Wong says: I think I prefer St Clare's because it is quite interesting. Gwendoline is obviously Alison, but Alison does not have a spiteful nature. Pat and Isabel are actually Darrell or Felicity, Bobby and Janet are Alicia and Betty I guess this is about it, however St Clare's has two head girls, Fizz, Pauline, Claudine, Carlotta and many others that only stayed for a term. |
Enid Blyton
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