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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: Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, and Abandonment
teamoxfordcomma's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
reflective
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? It's complicated
5.0
Big shocker (not): I still adore Matilda as much grown up as I did when I was a child. đź“š
What I love most about Roald Dahl books is that he treats children like the intelligent beings they are. His are some of the only MG stories I read where it doesn't feel like the author is pandering to young kids, dumbing down language so their little baby brains can comprehend. It's suitable for kids to read, but it doesn't require being a kid to appreciate the book.
Matilda is one of the stories most near and dear to my heart. Both the book and the movie – which, as it happens, is one of the best book-to-movie adaptations I've ever seen. I related to Matilda so, SO much as a kiddo. Though I didn't have a headmistress who would straight up yeet kids by the pigtails, I most certainly was a voracious reader who read way above my grade/reading level and who got that way as a means of escaping a... less-than-ideal home life situation. I used to wish a Ms. Honey would show up in my own life.
Speaking of Ms. Honey, as an adult, I can conclusively say I'd marry her in an instant (if she were real, of course). Wowzers. đź’Ť I went from loving her as a child to being in love with her now. Both the movie version and the book version have my heart skipping BEATS. One thing I didn't remember from the book and that they changed in the movie is just how poor Ms. Honey was. Like literally, she didn't have a bed, running water, electricity... I was honestly a little shook, but it did make her rightful inheritance of the Red House all the sweeter.
This is a sweet story that made me laugh. It was so familiar, reading it again. Like slipping into an old, cherished sweater. I'm happy this existed for me to grow up with, and I'm thrilled it lives on to reach another generation of young readers.
What I love most about Roald Dahl books is that he treats children like the intelligent beings they are. His are some of the only MG stories I read where it doesn't feel like the author is pandering to young kids, dumbing down language so their little baby brains can comprehend. It's suitable for kids to read, but it doesn't require being a kid to appreciate the book.
Matilda is one of the stories most near and dear to my heart. Both the book and the movie – which, as it happens, is one of the best book-to-movie adaptations I've ever seen. I related to Matilda so, SO much as a kiddo. Though I didn't have a headmistress who would straight up yeet kids by the pigtails, I most certainly was a voracious reader who read way above my grade/reading level and who got that way as a means of escaping a... less-than-ideal home life situation. I used to wish a Ms. Honey would show up in my own life.
Speaking of Ms. Honey, as an adult, I can conclusively say I'd marry her in an instant (if she were real, of course). Wowzers. đź’Ť I went from loving her as a child to being in love with her now. Both the movie version and the book version have my heart skipping BEATS. One thing I didn't remember from the book and that they changed in the movie is just how poor Ms. Honey was. Like literally, she didn't have a bed, running water, electricity... I was honestly a little shook, but it did make her rightful inheritance of the Red House all the sweeter.
This is a sweet story that made me laugh. It was so familiar, reading it again. Like slipping into an old, cherished sweater. I'm happy this existed for me to grow up with, and I'm thrilled it lives on to reach another generation of young readers.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse and Abandonment
Minor: Death of parent
withloveandlights's review against another edition
funny
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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Abandonment
Minor: Suicide and Death of parent
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: Emotional abuse, Sexism, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
Minor: Suicide, Death of parent, and Murder
sassyshark's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Physical abuse
Moderate: Confinement and Abandonment
Minor: Slavery, Suicide, and Death of parent
sarabovington's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
3.5
I love this book, even though, reading it now, I realise how messed up the storyline is.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse and Abandonment
Minor: Suicide
bobbybluech's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
mysterious
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse and Abandonment
Moderate: Bullying and Physical abuse
Minor: Suicide and Death of parent
lonelyandroid'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: Body shaming, Fatphobia, and Abandonment
Minor: Animal death, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
bookishandjoyceful's review against another edition
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: Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Abandonment
grace_cr1's review against another edition
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Suicide