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scarlettoliver's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Bullying
Moderate: Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Physical abuse
Minor: Confinement, Murder, and Torture
katharina90's review
adventurous
dark
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
The message at the heart of Matilda is so hopeful and uplifting. A David vs. Goliath story that encourages kids to fight their bullies and stand up for what's right. But you have to be ok with descriptions of pretty severe abuse and look past countless other issues including fatphobia and body shaming, sexism and misogyny, classism, and ableist language. Re-reading this now, I don't find it particularly funny and have to work hard to connect with the positive message at the story's core.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Fatphobia, Abandonment, and Bullying
Moderate: Sexism, Misogyny, and Classism
Minor: Ableism and Suicide
readingwithmeredith's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Child abuse
chiaraaaa's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Violence, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, and Bullying
aquaria127's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
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? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Suicide, Torture, Child abuse, Bullying, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Physical abuse
emceehache's review
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Re-reading this as an adult in 2022 was an interesting experience. I was five or six when the movie came out. I think I read the book before I was a teen.
Here are some things I noticed:
Here are some things I noticed:
- The other children in Matilda’s class are also relatable and funny
- Ms Honey is more human with her struggles than my childhood recollections.
While it’s fantastical that she found a cottage for 10p a week, her poverty is more obvious this time around. It’s also more apparent that she’s traumatised by being raised by the Trunchbull. Ms Honey asks for Matilda’s consent and yet it feels problematic that she shared her experience with a child, no matter how precocious. - Matilda is the magic, and her powers are just the icing.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Classism, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, and Gaslighting
Minor: Death of parent and Panic attacks/disorders
thewordsdevourer's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
ive always heard of this book but just got the chance to read it, and now that i have, im not surprised it's so famous. it was great seeing a main character--and a young one at that--like matilda who's a book lover, and her surprisingly clever yet simple shenanigans to get back at the shitty adults both at home and school were super satisfying.
this book was also hilarious, morbidly so at some parts. dahl's frequent themes of the importance of and love for children, and the failure of adults and the system are once again explored here. my one critcism, however--and this pertains to dahl's other books as well--would be the fact that it negatively reinforces the correlation between a person's physical appearance and their morality, and the fact that many of dahl's antagonists are women, which is a tad disappointing.
this book was also hilarious, morbidly so at some parts. dahl's frequent themes of the importance of and love for children, and the failure of adults and the system are once again explored here. my one critcism, however--and this pertains to dahl's other books as well--would be the fact that it negatively reinforces the correlation between a person's physical appearance and their morality, and the fact that many of dahl's antagonists are women, which is a tad disappointing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Violence
Moderate: Abandonment, Gaslighting, Sexism, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Suicide, Death of parent, and Murder
christabelle_v's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.5
Matilda is a solid 4.5 stars; the writing is superb in the rich descriptions of the characters, their thoughts, and their actions. The author used metaphors brilliantly, particularly when describing the characters. For instance, one of my favorite ones was how he described the way Matilda's parents saw her. Her parents saw her as a scab that they couldn't wait to pick up and fling off, into the next county or state.
The way the headmistress is also described is detailed and unique (such as plowing through the children) and being told to treat her as you would if you ever encounter a Rhinoceros. Just brilliant description.
The dialogue is also great; perfectly revealing the characters' traits and Matilda and Miss Honey are characters you just fall in love with. Matilda is clever and humble, with a thirst for knowledge but she is also cunning. Not only is she wise beyond her years, but it's how she uses that wisdom that's incredible. You can't help but root for her and love her especially the way she gets her own form of justice.
I also listened to the audiobook narrated by Kate Winslet who made the story come alive and make it even more dynamic.
The only reason this book isn't a 5 stars by me is it felt too short, I long to read more about Matilda and Miss Honey, I long to see her father get what he deserved like being captured by the police and pay the price he deserved to pay. I finished the book happy but longing for more, which shows how rich and lively the characters, writing and story was. Therefore it's a 4.5
Some spoiler like info below
The rating also falls to 4.5 because of how sad the story can be. The abuse Matilda faces as well as the abuse and horrors by the head mistress Miss Trunchbull are awful though it serves the story in showing how bad it is. The saddest part is that people like this exist and it breaks my heart. I nearly cried when Miss Honey was telling her story to Matilda. So I found that a bit dark for children in the way the headmistress treated the children, the verbal abuse Matilda faces, as well as the hints of physical abuse Miss Honey experiencedand her father's death . I think that's why I longed for more justice at the end of the book and felt it was too short because the way those beautiful souls were treated is horrid. I'm glad Matilda and Miss Honey found each other. In the end, I was happy that Matilda was with Miss Honey, but wanted to hear more about their life together and wanted to see the head mistress arrested or others discovering how awful she was, and Matilda's father being arrested . The book and what the characters face do serve as a good discussion about kindness, standing up for yourself, and helping others who face the same challenges as Matilda. I think that's why it's 4.5 for me rather than 5 because the way they're treated is just heartbreaking but the justice felt a bit lacking, I suppose that is the way it truly is in life. Although I did smile at Miss Trunchbull getting some of what what she deserved by Matilda . Overall, the writing was superb and left me wanting more of the book itself; Matilda is a great story that I enjoyed much more than I thought it would.
The way the headmistress is also described is detailed and unique (such as plowing through the children) and being told to treat her as you would if you ever encounter a Rhinoceros. Just brilliant description.
The dialogue is also great; perfectly revealing the characters' traits and Matilda and Miss Honey are characters you just fall in love with. Matilda is clever and humble, with a thirst for knowledge but she is also cunning. Not only is she wise beyond her years, but it's how she uses that wisdom that's incredible. You can't help but root for her and love her especially the way she gets her own form of justice.
I also listened to the audiobook narrated by Kate Winslet who made the story come alive and make it even more dynamic.
The only reason this book isn't a 5 stars by me is it felt too short, I long to read more about Matilda and Miss Honey, I long to see her father get what he deserved like being captured by the police and pay the price he deserved to pay. I finished the book happy but longing for more, which shows how rich and lively the characters, writing and story was. Therefore it's a 4.5
Some spoiler like info below
The rating also falls to 4.5 because of how sad the story can be. The abuse Matilda faces as well as the abuse and horrors by the head mistress Miss Trunchbull are awful though it serves the story in showing how bad it is. The saddest part is that people like this exist and it breaks my heart. I nearly cried when Miss Honey was telling her story to Matilda. So I found that a bit dark for children in the way the headmistress treated the children, the verbal abuse Matilda faces, as well as the hints of physical abuse Miss Honey experienced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Emotional abuse
Minor: Suicide and Death of parent
bitterseason's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Abandonment, Body shaming, and Fatphobia
Minor: Animal death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Sexism, and Suicide
bookishandjoyceful's review
dark
emotional
funny
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
If you have seen the movie then you know what to expect in this classic by Roald Dahl. Matilda is a young girl who is exceptionally smart, which doesn’t seem to make sense as she has a family that had not been very kind to her nor nurtured a sense of learning. She then starts school where the infamous Ms. Trunchbull the headmistress that you want to avoid at all costs has her eye set on Matilda. However, Matilda’s teacher, Ms. Honey, is the sweetest person ever and has seen how smart Matilda is and takes an immediate interest in helping Matilda.
This was exactly what I remembered the movie as and while this is not quite as whimsical as Roald Dahl’s other books, it still was fun to dive into. While this is a fun read because it is a classic story, it also has some pretty dark themes and events throughout that include various forms of abuse and other issues.
This was exactly what I remembered the movie as and while this is not quite as whimsical as Roald Dahl’s other books, it still was fun to dive into. While this is a fun read because it is a classic story, it also has some pretty dark themes and events throughout that include various forms of abuse and other issues.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Bullying, Emotional abuse, and Abandonment