For this month’s book review, I picked up Roald Dahl’s ‘Matilda’. I originally wanted to read ‘Confederacy of Dunces’ by John Kennedy because it would cross off one more category on my Reading Challenge – award winning book. Due to lack of time and because I was in a mood for children’s books, I opted for ‘Matilda’. I knew it was a book about a girl who loved reading which made it all the more compelling. It is a small book and I finished reading it in few hours.
Roald Dahl starts off describing the two kinds of parents. The first are parents who can never see a fault in their offspring. The second are those who fail to see the virtues of their kids. Although rare, they do exist. Matilda is the story of a precocious kid who is born to the second type of parents. Narrow minded and stereotypical, they believe girls are meant to look pretty and snag handsome husbands while the boys are the ones to continue their legacy. Mr. and Mrs. Wormwood are incapable of seeing Matilda’s prowess despite knowing the fact that she taught herself to read and is very good at math. However, Matilda is not someone who goes in quietly. She plans her revenge and gets back at her parents. The situation gets better for Matilda when she starts school. She meets the amiable teacher, Miss. Honey, who understands Matilda and provides her the much needed emotional support. However, she also has to deal with the evil principal Miss. Trunchbull who derives pleasure in terrorizing students and teachers alike. How Matilda gets the better of Miss. Trunchbull and finds her true calling with the help of Miss. Honey forms the rest of the story.
I think the author tried to represent every factor that influences a kid as a character in the book. For example, Matilda’s parents stand for every important person in our life whose lack of trust in us deprives us of the courage to fly. Miss. Trunchbull represents all the bullies who are forever trying to break us down. Miss. Honey tells us how a bit of understanding and encouragement can do wonders. And finally, Matilda shows how positivity and confidence can help us get past every obstacle. When Matilda is with her parents, she is neglected and ridiculed. Yet, she finds ways to nurture her love for books. She stands up for herself and others and takes on the mighty Miss. Trunchbull all because she believed in herself and her strengths. I enjoyed the part where tables are turned on the formidable headmistress.
This is a highly acclaimed book. I was hesitant to give it only 2 stars out of five which means I found the book just okay. The situations in the book seemed highly exaggerated to me. I say this after reading Anne of Green Gables! And I am not referring to Matilda’s extraordinary reading capabilities or amazing telekinesis. It is more about the storyline I guess. The book turns violent and abusive at places. For example, Matilda gluing her dad’s hat to his head using a super strong adhesive or making him dye his hair platinum blonde seems extreme. I was horrified to read that Miss. Trunchbull picked up kids by their pigtails or ears and hurled them outside the window or across the playground! I honestly would not want my kids or anybody else’s for that matter to read such content at a highly impressionable age. I cannot summon a laugh even if I wanted to while reading lines that addressed kids as different types of parasites or infections. I am kind of relieved that I did not read this book when I was a kid. I still remember being scared to death after watching an old Hindi movie called ‘King Uncle’ where the orphan kid is made to sit in various kinds of roller coasters in the middle of the night and at one point of time, the evil uncle and aunt peel off their eyebrows!! Eeeww..
Also, I find it very annoying when enough insight is not provided on why a character is the way he/she is. I understand that some characteristics are inborn but not every person can be so one-dimensional. Why do Matilda’s parents hate her to the extent that they readily disowned her? How come none of the parents and teachers complains against Miss. Trunchbull’s atrocities? I would have liked the author to describe what a person’s environment or upbringing can do to his nature. And then prove by example, that like Matilda, we always have a choice on how we let circumstances affect us. Even the conclusion was quite abrupt, almost like a rushed fairy tale ending. The book doesn’t show a single character regretting their action or turning over a new leaf.
However, while reading about the book on the net, I found adorable pictures and videos of the screen adaptation of Matilda. I searched for the trailer and seems like they have added a lot more scenes to the movie version. The girl who plays the protagonist looked like she fits the role to a T. I guarantee you that the movie looks way better than the illustrations in the actual book. I have a feeling that this might just be another case where the film turns out to be better than the book. Looking forward to rediscover Matilda :)
Roald Dahl starts off describing the two kinds of parents. The first are parents who can never see a fault in their offspring. The second are those who fail to see the virtues of their kids. Although rare, they do exist. Matilda is the story of a precocious kid who is born to the second type of parents. Narrow minded and stereotypical, they believe girls are meant to look pretty and snag handsome husbands while the boys are the ones to continue their legacy. Mr. and Mrs. Wormwood are incapable of seeing Matilda’s prowess despite knowing the fact that she taught herself to read and is very good at math. However, Matilda is not someone who goes in quietly. She plans her revenge and gets back at her parents. The situation gets better for Matilda when she starts school. She meets the amiable teacher, Miss. Honey, who understands Matilda and provides her the much needed emotional support. However, she also has to deal with the evil principal Miss. Trunchbull who derives pleasure in terrorizing students and teachers alike. How Matilda gets the better of Miss. Trunchbull and finds her true calling with the help of Miss. Honey forms the rest of the story.
I think the author tried to represent every factor that influences a kid as a character in the book. For example, Matilda’s parents stand for every important person in our life whose lack of trust in us deprives us of the courage to fly. Miss. Trunchbull represents all the bullies who are forever trying to break us down. Miss. Honey tells us how a bit of understanding and encouragement can do wonders. And finally, Matilda shows how positivity and confidence can help us get past every obstacle. When Matilda is with her parents, she is neglected and ridiculed. Yet, she finds ways to nurture her love for books. She stands up for herself and others and takes on the mighty Miss. Trunchbull all because she believed in herself and her strengths. I enjoyed the part where tables are turned on the formidable headmistress.
This is a highly acclaimed book. I was hesitant to give it only 2 stars out of five which means I found the book just okay. The situations in the book seemed highly exaggerated to me. I say this after reading Anne of Green Gables! And I am not referring to Matilda’s extraordinary reading capabilities or amazing telekinesis. It is more about the storyline I guess. The book turns violent and abusive at places. For example, Matilda gluing her dad’s hat to his head using a super strong adhesive or making him dye his hair platinum blonde seems extreme. I was horrified to read that Miss. Trunchbull picked up kids by their pigtails or ears and hurled them outside the window or across the playground! I honestly would not want my kids or anybody else’s for that matter to read such content at a highly impressionable age. I cannot summon a laugh even if I wanted to while reading lines that addressed kids as different types of parasites or infections. I am kind of relieved that I did not read this book when I was a kid. I still remember being scared to death after watching an old Hindi movie called ‘King Uncle’ where the orphan kid is made to sit in various kinds of roller coasters in the middle of the night and at one point of time, the evil uncle and aunt peel off their eyebrows!! Eeeww..
Also, I find it very annoying when enough insight is not provided on why a character is the way he/she is. I understand that some characteristics are inborn but not every person can be so one-dimensional. Why do Matilda’s parents hate her to the extent that they readily disowned her? How come none of the parents and teachers complains against Miss. Trunchbull’s atrocities? I would have liked the author to describe what a person’s environment or upbringing can do to his nature. And then prove by example, that like Matilda, we always have a choice on how we let circumstances affect us. Even the conclusion was quite abrupt, almost like a rushed fairy tale ending. The book doesn’t show a single character regretting their action or turning over a new leaf.
However, while reading about the book on the net, I found adorable pictures and videos of the screen adaptation of Matilda. I searched for the trailer and seems like they have added a lot more scenes to the movie version. The girl who plays the protagonist looked like she fits the role to a T. I guarantee you that the movie looks way better than the illustrations in the actual book. I have a feeling that this might just be another case where the film turns out to be better than the book. Looking forward to rediscover Matilda :)
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