Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

Matilda by Roald Dahl

35 reviews

inkdrinkers's review against another edition

funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

1.0

Matilda Wormwood is a very gifted child, though her parents are convinced she's nothing special. As life beats her down, she gets up time and time again and proves her resilience and intelligence.

Oof. We all collectively owe Danny DeVito a huge thank you for all the changes made from this book to the classic movie adaption. In no short amount, this book heaps on the classism, fatphobia, abuse, and weird guardian/child relationship that the move carefully reimagines or entirely does away with. I feel like I'll never pick up another Roald Dahl book after listening to this one because I know everything I need to about the author after listening to this.

A lot of other reviews went into aspects of these issues, but I just want to say the overarching message I got from this book was that "just keep going forward, it'll work out!" which is definitely not the case for reality. Right now, I'm not sure that's a great message for kids who read this and have their own backgrounds in abusive situations or poverty. I enjoyed aspects of it, and aspects are funny in a lighthearted way, but as an adult reading it, I can't help but have the entire experience clouded by the sheer amount of bias the author threw in. Every villain is fat, ugly, and horrific - one of the bullies at the school has a wart on her nose and is incredibly Jewish-coded -  and overall it screams of bias that has unfortunately been present in fairy tales for centuries. It just left a bad taste in my mouth.

I really won't be returning to this, and I kind of wish I hadn't listened to it because it's ruined some of the magic of the movie for me. One star goes to Kate Winslet though, who did an incredible job voice-acting and overall giving this story enough life for me to get through it.

Content warnings: Child abuse (throughout), Emotional abuse, Bullying, Abandonment, Gaslighting, Suicide, Death of parent (in past), fatphobia, classism

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Bullying

Moderate: Abandonment, Classism, Gaslighting, and Fatphobia

Minor: Death of parent and Suicide

lucyrudd's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide, Abandonment, Bullying, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, and Torture

spineofthesaurus's review

adventurous funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Confinement, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Gaslighting, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Torture, Abandonment, and Ableism

Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Grief, and Body horror

aus10england's review against another edition

dark sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

Jesus Christ this is just child abuse after child abuse like… there was fun moments but at what cost?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Abandonment

sassmistress's review

emotional hopeful fast-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Fatphobia, Abandonment, Body shaming, and Violence

Minor: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Suicide, and Death of parent

miss__manga__'s review against another edition

lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

Why the hell did Miss Honey trauma dump on Matilda??? And then Matilda just blurts out “did she beat you?” What on earth? Loved the narration but I really don’t understand this book and don’t like it at all!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Emotional abuse

Minor: Death of parent

maseface's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

This book meant a lot to young me. Reading it again I realize I saw it helped me through some of my darkest times. I imagine for other kids going through similar circumstances as me this book is so helpful and comforting.

Matilda is the hero every single abused and neglected child needs.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Child abuse

Minor: Murder, Suicide, and Death of parent

nehanaomi's review

funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Bullying, Child abuse, Death of parent, and Fatphobia

thaliareads's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I've read this book a lot throughout my life and enjoyed it just as much as an adult as I did as a kid. There's a little something for everyone, and as an adult, I almost wish the book could have been longer because I would have loved to spend more time with these characters and to have an opportunity to fill in some of the time gaps jumped to allow the plot to advance more quickly. Still a great read, no questions about it. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Physical abuse, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, and Violence

Small spoiler, shouldn't take away from reading the book.

Matilda's parents don't directly abuse her emotionally in a clear way, but their lack of attention is akin to a type of emotional abuse. In addition it's notable that the school headmistress does physically abuse the children at the school but in outrageously outlandish ways, and the children while traumatized are never seriously injured and the goal of the book is to see Matilda get herself and the other students out of these situations with adults who don't care.

rory_john14's review against another edition

funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Emotional abuse