George's Marvellous Medicine Print
Sunday, 11 January 2009 20:24

Author: Roald Dahl

     George's granny is a mean old lady who enjoys being unpleasant to people... When his parents go shopping one Saturday morning leaving him in charge, George seizes the opportunity to show Granny how it feels to be on the receiving end for a change... Instead of giving her a dose of her usual medicine, he creates a vile but brilliant medicine of his own with astonishing and hilarious results.

    Roald Dahl is a genius author and George's Marvellous Medicine is possibly his finest book. Whilst being laugh out loud funny with a deliciously disgusting portrayal of Granny and her despicable behaviour, there is also a more serious message to the story which is that if you treat people badly, eventually you may have to pay for your actions... Although George's antics are clearly mischievous, the reader cannot help but cheer him on. In fact, not only will you support George you may find yourself squirming on his behalf as his parents get home and giving a jump of joy when he doesn't get punished. One of my favourite parts of the story is the reaction of George's dad, Mr Killy Kranky, who congratulates George and wants him to make more medicine for the animals on the farm!

    Dahl's use of language is nothing short of brilliant, it is rude and a little bit naughty, but very very funny. Using rhyme, alliteration and lots of description the reader is given a wonderful picture in their head. The result is very exciting:

    "A rich blue smoke, the colour of peacocks, rose from the surface of the liquid and a fiery fearsome smell filled the kitchen. It made George choke and splutter. It was a smell unlike any he had smelled before. It was a brutal and bewitching smell, spicy and staggering, fierce and frenzied, full of wizardry and magic."  (Pg 32-33)

 

    I would absolutely recommend this book to both girls and boys alike.

5 / 5

 


 




 


Last Updated ( Tuesday, 10 February 2009 23:18 )