I am really enjoying reading the classics, so here are the next three classics I got to this time. Beauty and the Beast by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve, The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum and Mathilda by Roald Dahl.
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Title & Author: Beauty and the Beast by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve
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Synopsis
There was once a very rich merchant, who had six children, three boys and three girls. As he was himself a man of great sense, he spared no expense for their education, but provided them with all sorts of masters for their improvement. The three daughters were all handsome, but particularly the youngest: indeed she was so very beautiful that in her childhood every one called her the Little Beauty, and being still the same when she was grown up, nobody called her by any other name, which made her sisters very jealous of her. This youngest daughter was not only more handsome than her sisters, but was also better tempered. The two eldest were vain of being rich, and spoke with pride to those they thought below them. They gave themselves a thousand airs, and would not visit other merchants’ daughters; nor would they indeed be seen with any but persons of quality. They went every day to balls, plays, and public walks, and always made game of their youngest sister for spending her time in reading, or other useful employments. As it was well known that these young ladies would have large fortunes, many great merchants wished to get them for wives; but the two eldest always answered that, for their parts, they had no thoughts of marrying any one below a duke, or an earl at least. Beauty had quite as many offers as her sisters, but she always answered with the greatest civility, that she was much obliged to her lovers, but would rather live some years longer with her father, as she thought herself too young to marry.
It took me a while to get through Beauty and the Beast by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve. I kept losing interest and it was written in a slow pace. I wish it had been faster paced, because it felt like a long and boring book, for one with only 208 pages.
Title & Author: The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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Synopsis
Swept away from her home in Kansas by a tornado, Dorothy and her dog Toto find themselves stranded in the fantastical Land of Oz. As instructed by the Good Witch of the North and the Munchkins, Dorothy sets off on the yellow brick road to try and find her way to the Emerald City and the Wizard of Oz, who can help her get home.With her companions the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman and the Cowardly Lion, Dorothy experiences an adventure full of friendship, magic and danger.
I loved The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum so much. It was easily written and fast paced. The characters are different from each other and well defined. Every action the scarcrow, tin-man and lion make are defined by what their dearest wish is. I really liked that, because it is not a 100% visible, especially for children.
Title & Author: Mathilda by Roald Dahl
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Synopsis
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, Mrs. (“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.
She warms up with some practical jokes aimed at her hapless parents, but the true test comes when she rallies in defense of her teacher, the sweet Miss Honey, against the diabolical Trunchbull. There is never any doubt that Matilda will carry the day. Even so, this wonderful story is far from predictable. Roald Dahl, while keeping the plot moving imaginatively, also has an unerring ear for emotional truth. The reader cares about Matilda because in addition to all her other gifts, she has real feelings.
I think Mathilda is great. I love Roald Dahls writing. He writes witty and the story is well paced. There is some character development, but as with most chidlren’s stories not much. Both Mathilda and miss Honey learn a lot over the course of the story.
Let me know what you thought of these books!
If you have any requests for which book I should talk about next, please let me know in the comments down below.
For now, let books enrich your life!