Matilda
Roald Dahl
●
1988
⚠️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.
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
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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
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%)
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.
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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.
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0
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.
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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
0
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
0
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
0
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
0
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.
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