[Book Review] Matilda

I was fascinated like the librarian, Mrs Phelps when the first chapter revealed that a four-year-old Matilda finished reading "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens within a week sitting in a library while her daft parents, Mr & Mrs Wormwood didn't care what she was doing. 


Matilda

There are doting parents who are always proud of their children, but on the other hand, Matilda's were wholly opposite and disgusting. They both wrapped up in their own life, soaked up in their own pride and wealth, and forgot to be parents. It wasn't doubtful that she was truly longing for her parent's love. 

Mr Wormwood made money by selling used cars in a mint condition. He tricked quieting the gears using sawdust and fiddling the mileage of the car using electric drills and etc., He was boastful about it and diddled the customers. It irked Matilda, so she was waiting for the right time to knock her father down. 

Matilda was also portrayed as vengeful in a good manner. Every incident in the family unfolded how parents shouldn't be gormless and not be partial towards their children.

In Matilda's first day of school, her teacher, Miss Honey amazed by Matilda's mathematical brain and reading ability in such a young age. Miss Honey also learnt later the negligence of Matilda parents' about their daughter's wellbeing and ignorance over her precocity. 

Miss Trunchbull, the headmistress of the school, was tyrannical, and she was not also least compared to Mr & Mrs Wormwood. In Miss Trunchbull's opinion, Children were grubs that haven't yet hatched out and annoying nasty insects around her. 

Having known this monster Trunchbull and her chokey, Hortensia, Bruce Bogtrotter, and Lavender daringly took a chance to exercise their skills to knock her down. Hortensia's art of skulduggery to the highest perfection to irritate Miss Trunchbull and Bogtrotter's dogged determination to eat the entire chocolate cake were thrilling. 

It was prominent that children's complaints could be distrusted or ignored by parents if they happened to have such a monstrous headmistress who is outrageous. 


Matilda by Roald Dahl

Matilda's roused anger towards Miss Trunchbull turned to discover her mental ability which was eventually used to cease Miss Trunchbull's existence. Matilda's psychokinesis ability was unbelievable & magical, and Roald Dahl narrated it realistic. 

The pixie home of Miss Honey was strange but romantic. The comradeship between Miss. Honey & Matilda was soulful.  Matilda was empathetic in her tiny age and so found a family with Miss Honey.  

It is a nimble read. The book was little dragging in the middle but not bored, and later it resumed to be intriguing from page 150. Some sentences are skillfully written.  It seemed that the essence of all books lies in the last few pages. 

Quentin Blake's illustrations are lovely, and now Matilda is thirty years old. 

Matilda at her Thirty
Matilda at her Thirty
 

Few excerpts,

Well, there is nothing very wrong with all this. It's the way of the world. It is only when the parents begin telling us about the brilliance if their own revolting off-spring, that we start shouting, "Bring us a basin! we're going to be sick." 

'I'm afraid I don't know how else to explain it. I've always said to myself that if a little pocket calculator can do it why shouldn't I?'   
                                                                           - Matilda

'Not particularly', the mother said. 'I'm not in favour of blue-stocking girls. A girl should think about making herself look attractive so she can get a good husband later on. Looks is more important than books, Miss Hunky...'  
                                                                          - Mrs Wormwood

'Never do anything by halves if you want to get away with it. Be outrageous. Go the whole hog, Make sure everything you do is so completely crazy it's unbelievable.'    
                                                                        - Matilda

'Never and never, my girl riding far and near
In the land of the hearthstone tales, and spelled asleep,
Fear or believe that the wolf in the sheepwhite hood
Loping and bleating roughly and blithely shall leap, 
my dear, my dear, 
Out of a lair in the flocked leaves in the dew dipped year
To eat your heart in the house in the rosy wood.'                                                                                                 - Dylan Thomas

'Up to now', Miss Honey went on, 'I have found it impossible to talk to anyone about my problems. I couldn't face the embarrassment, and anyway I lack the courage. Any courage I had was knocked out of me when I was young. But, now, all of a sudden I have a sort of desperate wish to tell everything to somebody. I know you are only a tiny little girl, but there is some kind of magic in you somewhere. I've seen it with my own eyes.'            
                                                                            - Miss Honey

'Your salary was your chance of freedom.'
                                                                           - Matilda

Miss Honey said, 'You had better forget everything I told you this afternoon.' 'I won't promise to do that,' Matilda said, 'but I will promise not to talk about it to anyone anymore, not even to you.' 'I think that would be wise,' Miss Honey said. 'I won't promise to stop thinking about it, though, Miss Honey,' Matilda said. 
                                    
The whole object of life is to fo forwards. 
                                                                         - Miss Honey

This child, Miss Honey told herself, seems to be interested in everything. When one is with her it is impossible to be bored. I love it. 


Reading 'Matilda' electrified me to read a book with hot chocolate yet to watch the film 'Matilda'.  The book also had a glimpse of the Roald Dahl other book's snippet.


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