What I truly adore about Roald Dahl is his remarkable subversiveness, even when it comes to a children's book.

In "Matilda," the villains are brutish parents who fail to recognize the extraordinary gift within their child. There is also a sadistic headmistress who physically torments her pupils.

Undoubtedly, such characters have appeared in novels before, but not in the way Dahl portrays them. He presents them with all their fairy tale ferocity and utter despicability, in a properly nuanced manner.

This book is like a rebellious child's dream come true!

Matilda is a precocious child, far more intelligent than her parents - her crooked car-salesman father and her bingo-playing mother. She reads books while they watch TV and is chastised for it. Her parents consider her useless, a view shared by her fearsome headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, who lifts children up by their ears and swings them by their hair as punishment for imagined wrongs.

In this strange universe, Matilda's only haven is her class teacher, Jennifer Honey. And so, things unfold in the typical surreal Dahl fashion until Matilda discovers her secret power... and the tables are turned.

This is a politically incorrect fairy tale set in a modern context, where the dark villains receive their just deserts in the approved manner. I absolutely loved it!

Matilda is an incredibly renowned book and movie, and it seems that a detailed synopsis might not be necessary.

Here I am, delving right into the heart of the matter. I must admit that this is my very first time reading the book and also my first encounter with the movie. *hides*

The initial reason for me to pick up this book is that it is my son's next book assignment. I was rather nervous as I'm not a big fan of Roald Dahl's The BFG and had no idea what to anticipate. However, to my great surprise and delight, I am truly thrilled about this book. I have developed an absolute love for it and would highly recommend it to those who, like me, have unfortunately failed to read it until now.

P.S. I have to say that I have a strong preference for the book over the movie. It offers a more in-depth exploration of the characters and their emotions, allowing the readers to fully immerse themselves in the magical world of Matilda.

Matilda is a name that immediately brings to mind a certain image for me.

It's of a little girl carrying a stack of books from the library, and the reason is that I watched the movie before reading the book.

Another thing that comes to mind is the words of Matilda as played by the young Natalie Portman in "Léon: The Professional". This Matilda is also very dear to me.

I had read Roald Dahl's Matilda before, but when Nadiya Apu said a few days ago that the translation was very beautiful, I just couldn't resist buying it again.

Well, we all know the story of little Matilda, don't we? How she learned to read at a very young age, went to the library on her own without anyone's help, and managed to finish reading big, thick books that no one would even think of reading at the age of five. Later, when she enrolls in school, we find out that Matilda is actually a prodigy. We also learn how she cleverly tricks the terrifying Miss Trunchbull and helps Miss Honey return to her home.

Even if we haven't read the Matilda we're familiar with, we still know this story. Because we read "Nitu and Her Friends" when we were very young. I won't say that it's copied from Matilda, but both books are very nice to read, even though the stories are more or less the same.

Today, when I read about Miss Trunchbull in Matilda, I'm reminded of Aunt Lydia from "The Handmaid's Tale", although I think Aunt Lydia is a little less cruel than Trunchbull. But "The Handmaid's Tale" is an adult book, and when compared, again, our Matilda reads adult books, so it can be said, right?

Although Matilda is a children's book, adults can also have a lot of fun reading it. Don't you remember the story of Toto-chan? Matilda is just like that, a charming book.

I don't read translations very often these days, but I still read the translations of G. H. Habib and Salman H. Akhund, and now Shimon Sharmin has joined them. This Apu's translation is so beautiful that you'll feel like you're reading the original Roald Dahl book, not a translation. You won't even be able to tell when you'll finish reading it.

Finally, I want to ask if any of you have ever related your life to Matilda's book? I know I have. When I was young, no one encouraged me to read, and even when I grew up, if I bought a book, I still had to listen to criticism.

When will the word "reading a book" be rid of being described as "out of the book" by the family!

However, I feel very proud about my reading, because it's a good habit that I've developed completely on my own, and I've only received encouragement for it throughout my life. I don't have anyone like Miss Phelps/Miss Honey Mam. ☹️

7yo Emily would be over the moon right now!

I finally managed to get around to reading this book, and I'm extremely pleased that it was so closely related to the movie that I adored when I was a kid. The best scenes are undoubtedly present, and they still had me laughing out loud.

However, as an adult, I must admit that Miss Honey treating Matilda as an equal was, to say the least, rather strange. It made me question the dynamics between an adult and a child. While it's wonderful to encourage a child's intelligence and independence, there should perhaps be a certain level of authority and guidance. Maybe it was just a different approach in the story, but it did strike me as a bit odd.

Overall, though, I still thoroughly enjoyed the book and it brought back many fond memories of the movie. It's a great read for both children and adults alike.

I would like to pen down my thoughts on how truly remarkable this book is. However, I firmly believe that my 8-year-old daughter can provide a far superior review. She had the wonderful opportunity to read the book aloud to my wife and me during our long road trip this week.

It was an absolute delight to listen to her稚嫩的 voice as she brought the story to life. Her review was filled with enthusiasm and童真.

But what made it even more special was the non sequitur moment brought to us by Spice, the howling cat. Spice's unexpected interruption added a touch of humor and spontaneity to the whole experience.

Oh, and yes - beware of spoilers! The book is filled with so many twists and turns that it's hard not to give away some of the surprises. But trust me, it's well worth the read.

Improving my English with children's books has been an interesting journey.

The first time I picked up this particular book, it was an extremely challenging experience for me. I could hardly understand anything. It felt like I was lost in a foreign land of words.

So, I decided to watch the movie adaptation. Through the visual and auditory cues in the movie, I was able to grasp the story quite well.

Now, after 2 ½ years, I have revisited this book. This time, with the assistance of a YouTube audio, it has become much easier for me to comprehend the meaning of the words in English. The audio helps me to hear the correct pronunciation and intonation, which in turn enhances my understanding.

I have a special affection for this book because my parents were almost like Matilda's parents. They held the belief that girls should not focus on studying but rather should be primarily concerned with finding a husband. This outdated观念 deeply affected me.

Matilda's story, on the other hand, inspired me to break free from such limitations and pursue my love for learning. It is truly one of my favorite books of all time.

While I have a personal penchant for books centered around child prodigies, especially those with extraordinary abilities like telekinesis, my perception of this particular book has undergone a significant transformation upon rereading it as an adult. As a child, I was completely enamored with Matilda. I saw her as an awe-inspiring figure, brimming with intelligence and independence. However, as an adult, my perspective has shifted, and I now view this book as a poignant exploration of gross neglect and a scathing commentary on absentee parenting and its profound impact on our children's education.



I hail from a county where the dropout rate is alarmingly high. It is a common practice to point fingers at the teachers and hold them accountable for this disheartening statistic. However, the real culprit often goes unnoticed - the lack of active parental involvement in a child's schooling. For many parents or caregivers, school is merely perceived as a convenient form of free babysitting, nothing more. They exhibit a blatant lack of interest in their children's academic success and abdicate all responsibility, insisting that it is solely the educators' job to teach the children. Once in a blue moon, you encounter a remarkable case like Matilda, who, against all odds and despite the blatant indifference of her parents, takes it upon herself to pursue her education. Regrettably, more often than not, these children end up as cases for Child Protective Services (or its equivalent) due to the rampant negligence prevalent in their home lives.



Matilda is fortunate enough to achieve a happy ending. However, it is important to note that the vast majority of children in similar circumstances do not share her fate. When you reread this book as an adult, armed with the above perspective, you will uncover a truly chilling tale of a child's desperate struggle to carve out a better future for herself in the face of the toxic and inhospitable circumstances into which she was born.

Although upon rereading as an adult, I am able to perceive a significant amount of problematic content within some of Dahl's books, there remains an element that is timelessly endearing about the clever little girl who has a passion for reading.

Matilda is an outstanding protagonist. She is never boastful nor rash. She is a friend to all and loves wholeheartedly. Her relationship with Miss Honey is so pure, crafted from the need to be seen, as two lonely souls encounter each other and forge an everlasting friendship.

I simply couldn't pen a review of Matilda without making mention of Miss Trunchbull, one of the numerous Roald Dahl villains who stands out as being utterly deplorable, awful, and evil. She is a caricature of every horrible teacher we have ever had at school, taken to the extreme of incarcerating children in The Chokey and hurling them over walls by their pigtails. She is deliciously evil, and I would have truly relished seeing more of her interactions with the other teachers - who are clearly as petrified of her as the children.

Definitely one of the superior Dahl books, provided you can overlook the casual fatphobia. However, I do have a preference for the movie (shock horror!).

As much as I have an intense love for Roald Dahl's story,

and this audiobook, which is read by the talented Kate Winslet, was truly so much fun,

the movie of Matilda will forever remain my absolute favourite.

It is nothing short of perfection.

The movie manages to bring the magical world of Matilda to life in the most enchanting way.

The characters are vividly portrayed, and the special effects add an extra layer of charm.

Every scene is filled with excitement and wonder, making it a joy to watch over and over again.

The movie captures the essence of the story and takes it to a whole new level.

It has become a classic that I will always cherish and recommend to others.

Whether you're a fan of the book or not, the movie of Matilda is a must-see.

Finally, for many years I wanted to read this book but I couldn't get it until now.

The expectations were very high because I adore the movie and despite this concern, I decided to read it.

It is read very quickly, and almost all the content is the same or at least similar to the adaptation.

However, unlike the movie, I felt it was very short and lacked content.

Some events I liked more as they developed in the movie and that was something very strange, because almost always the books are better, although in this case I must say that I lean more towards the movie.

Matilda in the book didn't appeal to me very much, she seemed a bit pretentious to me, and I also didn't like that she saw the other children as more savage. I don't know exactly how to describe the feeling it left me with, but something like if she felt superior.

The thing with Trunchball was too concise as was everything that happened with her and the other characters, especially at the end.

That resolution was too absurd, it didn't work.

I expected something very different, although I wasn't disappointed, I think the author has better books although I would have loved to have liked this one more.

A Surprisingly Realistic Book

This is a truly remarkable book that offers a surprisingly realistic portrayal of various aspects of life. The story unfolds in a way that keeps the reader engaged from start to finish. The characters are well-developed and come to life on the pages, making it easy for the reader to empathize with them.

The author has done an excellent job of creating a vivid and detailed world that feels both familiar and unique. The plot is filled with twists and turns that keep the reader guessing and on the edge of their seat.

In addition to the engaging story, the writing style is also a standout feature of this book. The author's use of language is descriptive and evocative, painting a clear picture in the reader's mind. The pacing is just right, allowing the story to progress at a steady pace without feeling rushed or拖沓.

Overall, this is a book that I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a realistic and engaging read. It is a book that will stay with you long after you have turned the last page. FULL REVIEW: http://abookandateacup.blogspot.com/2...

Actual Rating 3.5 stars. However, the movie truly deserves 5 stars!

I had the misfortune of seeing the movie before reading the book, which I firmly believe had a negative impact on my rating. If only I had read this book first, I am certain that I would have derived even greater enjoyment from it. Alas, the past cannot be changed.

You are aware that when we were kids, there were times when we became completely obsessed with certain movies. We would watch them repeatedly, reciting every single dialogue, and in the process, unintentionally subject our parents to torture, right? Well, Matilda (1996) was precisely one of those movies for me. In fact, I would go so far as to say that, along with The Little Princess (1995), I re-watched them the most. This was followed by Jumanji (1995) and It Takes Two (1995).

I was simply head over heels in love with Matilda. I couldn't tear myself away from watching her story unfold. I found the girl to be utterly intriguing and wonderful. She was so strong, intelligent, and confident, yet also so kind and good-hearted. Despite the difficult circumstances she faced, she was truly deserving of all the good things that came her way. Even as a little girl myself, I couldn't help but be inspired by her. Oh, and let's not forget the magic!

Matilda is a true role model and is absolutely recommendable.

What a wonderful story it is!