Matilda

by Roald Dahl

Libby audiobook 4 hours

read by Kate Winslet

Published: 1988 (this version, 2013)

Genre: children's fantasy

I've read this before and have seen the movie, but it's been a long time. I enjoyed it more than I expected. 

I didn't remember Mrs. Phelps, the librarian. I loved that she was compassionate, encouraging, and discreet. She was an excellent character!

The voice work was fantastic, of course. Kate Winslet! It was weird, though, that Miss Honey seemed to have an Irish lilt. And Miss Trunchbull was so darn loud. I kept having to turn the volume down, then I couldn't hear the next part. The producer should have taken better care of volume control. It was frustrating.

When Miss Honey invites Matilda into her home for tea, I couldn't help think that there's NO WAY a teacher can do that nowadays. Later in this scene, I liked that Matilda become aware of Miss Honey's poverty. I think it's been too long since I last read this, because my brain kept "seeing" the movie and the actors. 

I find that I like the book version much, much better. (Though I adore the work that Danny DeVito and Rhea Pearlman do as Matilda's awful parents.)