"Matilda" - Roald Dahl

It's been ages since I've last read "Matilda" and recently I picked it up as a reread. At the beginning of this year, I listened to the audiobook performed by Kate Winslet. And while I liked the production, I can't say that I liked it as much as I did as a child. Which is understandable as it is middle-grade. However, I did find that the story was less impactful than the film, which was also unfortunate.

The film definitely expands on the themes further than the book, as well as adding in some fun scenes that were missing from the text.

My main issue with the text is the verbal abuse and neglect from the parents, that is never really explicitly told that it is wrong. Which has the potential to be quite damaging to children who do have abusive parents. It has the power to validate this behaviour in the eyes of a child, as being a norm. I wish that the parents got more of their comeuppance or that Miss Honey was more honest with Matilda. I think then that the story's messages about bullying would be more effective.

Otherwise, it was a fairly good story. But perhaps, I would find myself recommending the film over the book.

"Good Omens" - Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman

I think I am in the minority when I say that this book did absolutely nothing for me. Some of the humour was funny but other than that the actual story was rather stale. The book started off stronger than it finished, although the story did struggle quite a bit to gain its traction.

The book is a biblical comedy, that follows an angel and a demon who unite to try and stop that apocalypse.

I felt like this book had the potential to be complex or even poignant, commenting on what is goodness and what is badness, when an angel and a demon are friends. And in the very first chapter it does manage to give us a glance at these themes. But they aren't commented on for nearly the rest of the book, which is a shame.

I felt like this book didn't serve a purpose at all. I didn't get anything out of it, and I wouldn't have missed out on anything should I not have read it. Which is unfortunate to say the least.

I'm a little sad that my first book of Terry Pratchett's did not impress me, as I was interested in reading some of his other works. And "Good Omens" has made me pause before picking up anything else by him, as I struggled to read through this one. And I wouldn't have finished if I had not listened to the audiobook for the later half of the book.

Neil Gaiman on the other hand is always "hit-or-miss" with me. I love "Coraline" but disliked "The Graveyard Book". "American Gods" and "Norse Mythology" were both mediocre at best in my opinion. I am really interested in reading "Neverwhere", the illustrated edition looks absolutely stunning. But I worry that if "Neverwhere" does not pique my interest, that it will be the last Gaiman book I probably pick up. His ideas are always interesting, but the delivery is seldom impressive.

What I can say is that I did find the show of "Good Omens" to be far better than the book. I recently watched the programme for the first time after reading the book, and was far more pleased by the direction that the tv show took. Again, my problem seems to lie with Gaiman's delivery. The same thing can be said about "American Gods" whose show improved the text substantially.

In any event, if you like biblical humour, why not give "Good Omens" a go?