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4.32 AVERAGE
4.32 AVERAGE
Having worked in bookshops for most of my life, one of the many joys of the job is keeping a constant, steady supply of classic books that appeal to children of all ages. One book that has consistently proved wondrous for any child interested in books (or any adults for that matter) is Roald Dahl’s Matilda. To those who understand their power, books are magic portals to a realm of unsupervised adventure and experience. Between the covers, anyone can slip into a new world and for a brief moment in time come alive in a different dimension. Matilda is one such book, where imagination is key. Read in childhood, the book is a feast for the senses and an innocent foray into the endless possibilities that belief entails. As an adult, it is a nostalgic reminder of the fact that we are capable of anything if we only set our minds to the task at hand.
The story focuses on a young girl, Matilda Wormwood who wields telekinetic powers which allow her to make small objects levitate. She is also a genius with arithmetic and develops literacy skills far beyond her years. Matilda is the child of two gormless, ignorant individuals who fail to appreciate her for the talent she is. Part of the charm of Dahl’s writing is his ability to capture the mindset of a child; guileless motives, intelligence and a natural sense of wonder. Matilda has these qualities in spades, alongside a talent that is notably ignored by the adults around her, apart from her teacher, Miss Honey.
My favourite part of the book has always been Matilda’s discovery of and trips to the library. The moment Matilda finds out she can borrow multiple books and escape into their worlds in her room with a cup of hot chocolate still takes me back to being a child. I remember feeling the same love for the written word and the same ability to enter strange new lands, a lifetime away from my bedroom with a cup of hot cocoa.
Matilda’s close bond with her teacher, Miss Honey, is also part of the book’s magic. Her parents disregard their infant daughter as a waste of space and it is wonderful to read of Matilda’s friendship with Miss Honey and her trips to her teacher’s modest cottage for tea and bread. The meeting of intellectual minds has rarely been written in literature without pertaining to an element of snobbery, but Dahl captures and expresses the bond effortlessly.
A classic in children’s literature, Matilda is a superb read at any age and makes for a thoughtful gift. I recommend you check it out and if you’re already familiar, a second read is well worth it.
The story focuses on a young girl, Matilda Wormwood who wields telekinetic powers which allow her to make small objects levitate. She is also a genius with arithmetic and develops literacy skills far beyond her years. Matilda is the child of two gormless, ignorant individuals who fail to appreciate her for the talent she is. Part of the charm of Dahl’s writing is his ability to capture the mindset of a child; guileless motives, intelligence and a natural sense of wonder. Matilda has these qualities in spades, alongside a talent that is notably ignored by the adults around her, apart from her teacher, Miss Honey.
My favourite part of the book has always been Matilda’s discovery of and trips to the library. The moment Matilda finds out she can borrow multiple books and escape into their worlds in her room with a cup of hot chocolate still takes me back to being a child. I remember feeling the same love for the written word and the same ability to enter strange new lands, a lifetime away from my bedroom with a cup of hot cocoa.
Matilda’s close bond with her teacher, Miss Honey, is also part of the book’s magic. Her parents disregard their infant daughter as a waste of space and it is wonderful to read of Matilda’s friendship with Miss Honey and her trips to her teacher’s modest cottage for tea and bread. The meeting of intellectual minds has rarely been written in literature without pertaining to an element of snobbery, but Dahl captures and expresses the bond effortlessly.
A classic in children’s literature, Matilda is a superb read at any age and makes for a thoughtful gift. I recommend you check it out and if you’re already familiar, a second read is well worth it.
This book reminded me so much of my childhood!!!! Just like the movie, I LOVED this novel. It would have been hard to do otherwise since it was my favorite movie as a child. It's clearly a read I'll be repeating from time to time.
Ce livre m'a tellement rappelé mon enfance !!! Tout comme le film, j'ai ADORÉ ce roman. Il aurait été difficile d'en faire autrement étant donné qu'il s'agissait de mon film favori enfant. C'est clairement une lecture que je vais répéter à l'occasion.
Spoiler
I love hating Miss Trunchbull so much.Spoiler
Matilda is such a bright little girl. I love the fact we have the vision of the child who is clearly misunderstood in her own family.Ce livre m'a tellement rappelé mon enfance !!! Tout comme le film, j'ai ADORÉ ce roman. Il aurait été difficile d'en faire autrement étant donné qu'il s'agissait de mon film favori enfant.
Spoiler
J'aime tellement détester mademoiselle Legourdin.Spoiler
Matilda est tellement une petite fille brillante. J'aime que nous ayons la vision de l'enfant qui est clairement mal comprise dans sa propre famille.
3.5 stars
I read this before when I was way younger. It was one of my favorite books. As I read it this time I was bored out of my mind. It lacked a plot. It was so fast, and I felt like everything was happening all at once. I definitely don't recommend this for an adult, but for a kid sure. Kinda sad that all the hope I had as a kid for this book burned into flames. But what do I expect from a children's book. I'm not criticizing the author I'm criticizing the book. This review is short because I have nothing else to say.<3
I read this before when I was way younger. It was one of my favorite books. As I read it this time I was bored out of my mind. It lacked a plot. It was so fast, and I felt like everything was happening all at once. I definitely don't recommend this for an adult, but for a kid sure. Kinda sad that all the hope I had as a kid for this book burned into flames. But what do I expect from a children's book. I'm not criticizing the author I'm criticizing the book. This review is short because I have nothing else to say.<3
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
fast-paced
Good children's book! Great young female empowerment, unambiguously protagonist young girl who considers things ethically, and empowers herself with knowledge (and magic) and helps people.
Has mostly aged very well, but Dahl does sometimes rely on describing someone's appearance in ways that don't align with social norms/expectations in order to assist in painting them as a 'bad' person.
Has mostly aged very well, but Dahl does sometimes rely on describing someone's appearance in ways that don't align with social norms/expectations in order to assist in painting them as a 'bad' person.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The movie is very closely aligned to the book which makes me very happy.
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes