Matilda

Roald Dahl

1988

3.7
⚠️Content Warnings
Mild Violence
Matilda is a little girl who is far too good to be true. At age five-and-a-half she’s knocking off double-digit multiplication problems and blitz-reading Dickens. Even more remarkably, her classmates love her even though she’s a super-nerd and the teacher’s pet. But everything is not perfect in Matilda’s world… For starters she has two of the most idiotic, self-centered parents who ever lived. Then there’s the large, busty nightmare of a school principal, Miss (“The”) Trunchbull, a former hammer-throwing champion who flings children at will, and is approximately as sympathetic as a bulldozer. Fortunately for Matilda, she has the inner resources to deal with such annoyances: astonishing intelligence, saintly patience, and an innate predilection for revenge.
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Completion Rate
100%
Avg Time To Finish
11.4 days
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Tonight’s fit

Best for readers who enjoy:  Intriguing · Action-Adventure-Fantasy · Steady

Intriguing Academy / School POV: Third-person Omniscient Published by Scholastic Press
Characters
Children School Teacher Teacher Bully
Sub-genre
Action-Adventure-Fantasy Children's Fantasy Magic
Experience
Intriguing Lighthearted Simple Language
Pace
Gentle Adrenaline
Balanced
Tone
Light Dark
Light
Book length
Short Epic
Short
More nuance
Violence
Soft Graphic
Soft
Romance
Background Front and centre
Background
Worldbuilding
Light touch Deep & dense
Light touch
Readability
Breezy Dense
Breezy
Humour
Serious Very funny
Balanced
Target audience
Younger Adult
Younger
Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl

Adult Fiction, Children's Fantasy

Roald Dahl was a British author of popular children's literature and short stories, a poet, screenwriter and a wartime fighter ace. His books have sold more than 300 million copies worldwide. He has been called "one of the greatest storytellers for children of the 20th century".

Books By This Author

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Reader Reviews

3.70
10 ratings
10 reviews
5 stars
2 (20%)
4 stars
4 (40%)
3 stars
3 (30%)
2 stars
1 (10%)
1 stars
0 (0%)
6 January 2026
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Mixed feelings: Matilda

Matilda is the kind of book that hooks you early if you like its vibe. Characters feel distinct, and the dialogue reads naturally. The middle drags and repeats the same tension a bit too long. Not perfect, but it did enough to keep me turning pages.
0
6 January 2026
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Really enjoyed: Matilda

Matilda has a strong core idea — the execution mostly works. The pacing stays moving and the chapters end on good beats. I’d still read more from this author even with the flaws.
0
6 January 2026
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Really enjoyed: Matilda

Mixed feelings on Matilda, but I can see why people love it. The pacing stays moving and the chapters end on good beats. A couple of sections could have been trimmed without losing anything. Not perfect, but it did enough to keep me turning pages.
0
6 January 2026
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Mixed feelings: Matilda

0
6 January 2026
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Loved it: Matilda

⚠️ Spoilers: minor plot detail mentioned below. Matilda has a strong core idea — the execution mostly works. The pacing stays moving and the chapters end on good beats. There’s a specific turning point late in the book that changes the tone hard — that moment will make or break it for you. Overall, I’d recommend it to the right reader.
Spoiler ahead Click to reveal this review.
0
6 January 2026
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Loved it: Matilda

0
6 January 2026
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Mixed feelings: Matilda

Matilda is the kind of book that hooks you early if you like its vibe. The atmosphere is the standout — it’s easy to sink into. The ending resolves fast compared to how much it builds up. If you’re on the fence, try a sample — you’ll know quickly.
0
6 January 2026
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Really enjoyed: Matilda

Matilda has a strong core idea — the execution mostly works. The atmosphere is the standout — it’s easy to sink into. Not perfect, but it did enough to keep me turning pages.
0
6 January 2026
User Avatar

Really enjoyed: Matilda

⚠️ Spoilers: minor plot detail mentioned below. Mixed feelings on Matilda, but I can see why people love it. The atmosphere is the standout — it’s easy to sink into. There’s a specific turning point late in the book that changes the tone hard — that moment will make or break it for you. Not perfect, but it did enough to keep me turning pages.
Spoiler ahead Click to reveal this review.
0
6 January 2026
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Didn’t work for me: Matilda

I went into Matilda with pretty normal expectations and it surprised me. The ending resolves fast compared to how much it builds up. Not perfect, but it did enough to keep me turning pages.
0