I like a little snitching escapism while I work and, as I work mostly from home, I can listen to whatever I want, thank you very much. Like everyone else who was a child in late 1980's/early 1990's, I have OF COURSE read every Roald Dahl book, and had already decided to spend my free monthly Audible credit on one of his works due to unexplained sudden onset nostalgia (USON).
The sole reason I chose 'Matilda' over any other delicious Dahl delight was because Kate Winslet was the narrator and, as she is perfectly phizz-whizzing in everything else, I had no doubt she would read it most rambunctiously. 'Matilda' was also always the Dahl book I warmed to the most on first read, as I was an odd, bookish sort of child myself, and I find that my favourite books are always the ones in which I can jumbly goggler myself as the protagonist.
For those of you who haven't read the book, go and read it immediately, you are never too old for Roald Dahl, or, even better, listen to this whoopsy-wiffling audiobook, because Kate Winslet is more talented and lovely than your inner monologue, I promise. The book itself, for the uninitiated, is about a bright young girl who loves to read, and takes pleasure from learning and looking after herself, despite her awful family and scary school. More importantly, it is about individuality, thoughtfulness, breaking free, and being a good person. Even more importantly, while authentically covering these themes and conveying these emotions, the book has a lovely, dark, scrungy, filthomeness to it, that all kids love, and all adults seem to forget about. No health and safety here thank you, we are too busy splatch-winkle squilching our superiors and being frothbuggling with our friends to care.
