Which Books Mallory Did Not Get Treated Like Crap?

[booklover85]

I'm always hesitant in reading Mallory narrated books because she always gets treated like crap in every single one, except for Mystery Diary. Which books did Mal have good luck for once and get a happily ever after?

[mallorypike]

Umm, gosh, practically every Mallory book Mallory was treated horribly. There's Mystery Diary as you mentioned, and a few other BSC books Mallory DIDN'T narrate such as Mean Janine when Mal volunteered in the play group and in Ghost at Dawn's House when Mal was a second sitter and in Goodbye, Stacey, Goodbye, Mal was also a second sitter. I heard that in the All New Mallory Pike, Mal finally gets good luck and she eventually becomes happy, but during the book, her roommate acted like a pain in the neck towards her...so idk if this counts.

[CharlotteTJohanssen]

Aside from her teacher and a few of the boys, Don't Give Up Mallory had a decent ending for her. They got all of their money that they were raising and what not. Not sure if this counts though.

[sparklymouse]

Mallory on Strike has a happy ending.

[booklover85]

What about Poor Mallory? I know that she got bullied for her father's financial situation, but didn't she finally get a break at the conclusion of that book?

[Kylie90210]

Maybe it wasn't Mal being treated poorly, but as it was her narration and perspective of the events, she was just always one of those people who are a victim! Haha

[Sideshowjazz1]

I would argue that Alexis was too small a part of The All-New Mallory Pike to be a "Mallory torture porn" as some would call it if it was a TV show. I don't mind Mal's bad luck as much as I mind her attitude in some books. Mallory Pike, #1 Fan (is that the right name?) was awful for her. I mean, first she accused her favourite author of writing lies because she knew from the author's history that she'd never experienced that kind of life, then wrote a really insulting play about her family and didn't want to change it because she didn't want to "lie". Of course, she ended up learning that fiction didn't need to be as true to life as she thought - as long as it had a true emotional core that inspired feelings in the readers, that was the important part. But still, her attitude there was horrible. Especially in her play. I know she changed it, but in one version, the Vanessa character came in while rhyming about why she wasn't more like "Valery". It was horribly narcissistic.

But my question for that was whether she was OOC or not. A lot of the time, she is. Plus often the girls are mean to her for a reason she can't control. The Super Specials have had Stacey and Claudia do that. California Girls was an exception, since she was borrowing money and dyeing her hair, so Jessi had a right to be distant. Though Jessi's behaviour in some other books shouldn't be passed...

And speaking of which, does anyone else think Mallory's attempt to make friends with the kids in Mallory and the Dream Horse was cringable? I was all "Could you please STOP being so obvious? They only just met you, girl!"

[rabbitbongo]

Mystery Diary is the only one I can think of. I can’t remember Ghost Cat very well, how is she treated in that one?

[cnj]

I don't think Mallory was treated that horribly, no worse than most of the other BSC members.

Mallory was able to make friends with Jessi early in the books and she does come from a loving, close family.

She also has her writing to keep her centered and I think wins a few writing awards.

Mallory is also close neighbors with Stacey, who...contrary to some silly fanfictions...NEVER mistreats Mallory and their mums are close friends as well.

And no, I don't recall any Super Specials where Stacey or Claudia mistreated Mallory or mocked her for things beyond her control.

Even when Mallory is ill with mono, once she returns, the BSC welcomes her back warmly and with a little celebration.

Her siblings mostly look up to her also...although like most siblings, the Pikes tease each other, never do any of her siblings truly mistreat her.

Even when her dad loses his job, all the Pikes pull together and become closer instead of splintering the way some families would.

So, no, I disgree that Mallory was any mistreated "butt-monkey," no worse than any other BSC member.

If you want to see a true butt-monkey who gets kicked around all the time, read about Sweet Valley Twins' Ellen Riteman...that girl not only gets talked down to regularly and sometimes mistreated by her Unicorn Club "friends," but often gets told, usually by Janet or Lila, Shut up, Ellen, has frequent, embarrassing, very public mishaps, is not very bright, is not a very good student academically, has a bratty little brother who often taunts her, she often gets herself in trouble, is easily tricked and manipulated and seems to have no true talents or interests outside of boyfriends, clothes and just following the other Unicorn girls around.

Although she is not "homely" or outwardly awkward, she is not as model-beautiful as Jessica and Lila, whom she often envies.

Ellen is a true butt-monkey who is treated like crap...even by her so-called "friends" in the Unicorn Club...in almost every one of the Sweet Valley Twins books...she's not in the Sweet Valley High series and there is no mention of where she went.