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mehsi's review against another edition
2.0
Even though generally David Walliams books are hit and miss, I just keep reading them, hoping to find another one that is good. Did I like this one? At times, yes, but mostly no.
Stella was a great character, it wasn't her fault. She was the reason why I gave the book 2 stars at all. Even though her life is turned upside down, even with the loss she has suffered, she keeps on fighting. But she also shows emotion, we can see that she is terribly sad, and afraid. Yet, with the help of Soot, she continues her fight against her auntie and her auntie's evil plan. Even though she grew up in this big house, she wasn't that spoiled. Maybe it had to do with the fact her parents were practically poor, thanks to the awful auntie. Still it was refreshing to see a girl in a big mansion not being a total princess about everything.
Soot was an interesting character, though I knew what he was, his role and everything else, from the start. It was just so obvious that it would be odd had it been something else entirely. He was a good friend to Stella, though I felt sorry for the idea that she would lose him so soon. His accent was a bit annoying and it took me some time to get through the parts that featured him talking.
Aunt, urgh, most horrendous character ever. Dear Lord, I do wonder why no one took action against her, why no one could see how she was, how no one had any idea. Her brother (Stella's dad) was just way to generous, he should have said no from the start, instead of letting it go on like this.
She is terribly evil, like a devil has possessed her. It was just creepy and disturbing, she was a horrendous character, not only in attitude but just generally as well. She had no value, but being a villain and a bad person. It would have been nice if there had been some growth, though I guess with the fact she was evil from the beginning, there is no helping her.
The Owl, Wagner, was an interesting addition to the story, though he was horrendous in the beginning, mean, bleh and all that (but I mostly blame Auntie for that), I liked how he was at the end.
The revenge plan? It was fun, but was that toilet part necessary? It felt silly, unnecessary and quite disgusting to read it. Pee and poo "humour" isn't something I want to see in books.
The story itself, it felt like it could have easily be done with 100 or so pages less, now it felt unnecessary and overkill. Which is a shame. And at times the story was just really disgusting (the whole feeding Stella food that was mix and pulverized by an owl? Ewwwwwww.
Because that is also what the problem is with the books, they are over-the-top, overkill and trying way too hard to be funny. Trying to be funny is one thing, when it works, but this just feels like someone is trying to hard to make sure people laugh, trying to insert any silly situation or puns.
The ending was just a bit too dramatic and too much for me. I had hoped for something else, but instead even the ending had to be silly and weird like the rest of the book. It was also a bit disgusting.
The illustrations are still fantastic and I still really like them, and they are still another big reason why I still read these books.
Would I recommend this book? If you don't mind an over-the-top, trying to hard to be funny plot and a terrible character, then sure, read this one.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
Stella was a great character, it wasn't her fault. She was the reason why I gave the book 2 stars at all. Even though her life is turned upside down, even with the loss she has suffered, she keeps on fighting. But she also shows emotion, we can see that she is terribly sad, and afraid. Yet, with the help of Soot, she continues her fight against her auntie and her auntie's evil plan. Even though she grew up in this big house, she wasn't that spoiled. Maybe it had to do with the fact her parents were practically poor, thanks to the awful auntie. Still it was refreshing to see a girl in a big mansion not being a total princess about everything.
Soot was an interesting character, though I knew what he was, his role and everything else, from the start. It was just so obvious that it would be odd had it been something else entirely. He was a good friend to Stella, though I felt sorry for the idea that she would lose him so soon. His accent was a bit annoying and it took me some time to get through the parts that featured him talking.
Aunt, urgh, most horrendous character ever. Dear Lord, I do wonder why no one took action against her, why no one could see how she was, how no one had any idea. Her brother (Stella's dad) was just way to generous, he should have said no from the start, instead of letting it go on like this.
She is terribly evil, like a devil has possessed her. It was just creepy and disturbing, she was a horrendous character, not only in attitude but just generally as well. She had no value, but being a villain and a bad person. It would have been nice if there had been some growth, though I guess with the fact she was evil from the beginning, there is no helping her.
The Owl, Wagner, was an interesting addition to the story, though he was horrendous in the beginning, mean, bleh and all that (but I mostly blame Auntie for that), I liked how he was at the end.
The revenge plan? It was fun, but was that toilet part necessary? It felt silly, unnecessary and quite disgusting to read it. Pee and poo "humour" isn't something I want to see in books.
The story itself, it felt like it could have easily be done with 100 or so pages less, now it felt unnecessary and overkill. Which is a shame. And at times the story was just really disgusting (the whole feeding Stella food that was mix and pulverized by an owl? Ewwwwwww.
Because that is also what the problem is with the books, they are over-the-top, overkill and trying way too hard to be funny. Trying to be funny is one thing, when it works, but this just feels like someone is trying to hard to make sure people laugh, trying to insert any silly situation or puns.
The ending was just a bit too dramatic and too much for me. I had hoped for something else, but instead even the ending had to be silly and weird like the rest of the book. It was also a bit disgusting.
The illustrations are still fantastic and I still really like them, and they are still another big reason why I still read these books.
Would I recommend this book? If you don't mind an over-the-top, trying to hard to be funny plot and a terrible character, then sure, read this one.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
lcvesbooks's review against another edition
4.5
i read it a few years ago, but i loved it. david walliams never disappoints.
katykelly's review against another edition
3.0
I'm glad that children love these books. David Walliams is helping keep libraries and bookshops busy with children requesting his titles, just as J. K. Rowling has done, this generation are enjoying their books and hopefully spring-boarding to other authors and titles that will fire their imaginations.
But I'm not going to give any author unconditional praise if it's not due. But I was disappointed by lots of things in this latest Walliams offering.
The good?
A wonderfully wordy opening scene (expect KS2 teachers to use this in Literacy lessons on descriptive language), setting the snowy scene in Saxby Hall.
A bright and brave female heroine in Stella, young heiress of a large country house, orphaned but determined not to let her evil aunt Alberta steal her house from her.
A very amusing butler in the ancient Gibbon, muddling up everything nicely. Even though he is underused.
A family tree, very nice to see in a children's book.
Tony Ross's fantastically sharp and complementary illustrations.
Quite liked the Owl (Wagner), Alberta's sidekick, but again, underused.
More 'Dahl-like' moments - a Mr-Twit beard moment in describing Aunt Alberta, a feel of James and the Giant Peach in some of the sad Saxby family history, some Miss-Trunchbull-like pranks)
The mystery element (though it does seem out of place in a children's book) is good - wills, deeds, blackened greenhouses, shifty policemen, secret chimney passages. Some good twists.
Aunt Alberta - at times she's funny (her retellings of Fairy Tales for her niece), but she's also like the villains of Demon Dentist and Ratburger in that she's more stereotype than real, though she's better characterised than either of them. She seems to be based on Miss Trunchbull, even in the drawings, and does get some juicy moments.
The 'Raj' epilogue is wonderful. From the moment I realised the time period I knew we wouldn't be seeing Raj. And he's my favourite (recurring) character.
Alright. The not-so-good?
Well... I'm sorry to say it, but I didn't often find it very funny. There is more humour in the first few chapters, then it quickly becomes exposition, story and action and barely a funny line or thing happens (exceptions for Gibbons every appearance and Stella's pranks on her aunt). It's the first Walliams book that doesn't feel like he's tried to make children laugh. The word play is gone, revolting foods (apart from the owl's), authorial interjections and footnotes, it actually had me puzzled.
Soot. Yes, it's a name. A chimney sweep that Stella meets when imprisoned in her house by Aunt Alberta, he is Stella's sidekick and helper, but the Cockney rhyming slang and accent are a bit tiresome (that may be just me though!).
The time period. For the first time, Walliams has set his book in the past. 1933. Though you'd barely know it from the book. I only realised from looking at the family tree dates, the book itself hardly mentions anything that sets it in a period. The old car and telephone are the only clues.
Death! Torture! I was pretty surprised at the amount of this in the book. This book is intended for 7 year olds, and there's a car crash, poison, murder (death by fire), and a torture wrack. If I was reading this to my child, I'd be worried at their reaction as it's very sad and upsetting more than once.
It's more contained than other Walliams books. By this I mean, his usual zany humour just doesn't make as many appearances as it has in the past. There's a lot of exposition to get through, and it does make the book more serious as a result. There are also fewer settings and characters (it all takes place, like a stage play) in Saxby Hall and the grounds, with very few characters (which I felt it missed - other children, other adults). It's almost a two-hander - little girl versus evil aunt.
While it's definitely an improvement on Demon Dentist (which for me just went off the rails), and contained more emotion, it's simply not as laugh-out-loud funny as Gangsta Granny or as heartfelt as my favourites - Billionaire Boy and The Boy in the Dress. The dark aspects I'll be interested to ask our young library customers about. It may wash over them. But if your child was upset by the ending of Gangsta Granny, you might want to read this yourself first.
This is the opinion of a mum, a library assistant and a keen reader. I am sure almost every child out there will disagree with me. And you know what? I'll still be happy to order it for customers because I know they'll be back for more.
But I'm not going to give any author unconditional praise if it's not due. But I was disappointed by lots of things in this latest Walliams offering.
The good?
A wonderfully wordy opening scene (expect KS2 teachers to use this in Literacy lessons on descriptive language), setting the snowy scene in Saxby Hall.
A bright and brave female heroine in Stella, young heiress of a large country house, orphaned but determined not to let her evil aunt Alberta steal her house from her.
A very amusing butler in the ancient Gibbon, muddling up everything nicely. Even though he is underused.
A family tree, very nice to see in a children's book.
Tony Ross's fantastically sharp and complementary illustrations.
Quite liked the Owl (Wagner), Alberta's sidekick, but again, underused.
More 'Dahl-like' moments - a Mr-Twit beard moment in describing Aunt Alberta, a feel of James and the Giant Peach in some of the sad Saxby family history, some Miss-Trunchbull-like pranks)
The mystery element (though it does seem out of place in a children's book) is good - wills, deeds, blackened greenhouses, shifty policemen, secret chimney passages. Some good twists.
Aunt Alberta - at times she's funny (her retellings of Fairy Tales for her niece), but she's also like the villains of Demon Dentist and Ratburger in that she's more stereotype than real, though she's better characterised than either of them. She seems to be based on Miss Trunchbull, even in the drawings, and does get some juicy moments.
The 'Raj' epilogue is wonderful. From the moment I realised the time period I knew we wouldn't be seeing Raj. And he's my favourite (recurring) character.
Alright. The not-so-good?
Well... I'm sorry to say it, but I didn't often find it very funny. There is more humour in the first few chapters, then it quickly becomes exposition, story and action and barely a funny line or thing happens (exceptions for Gibbons every appearance and Stella's pranks on her aunt). It's the first Walliams book that doesn't feel like he's tried to make children laugh. The word play is gone, revolting foods (apart from the owl's), authorial interjections and footnotes, it actually had me puzzled.
Soot. Yes, it's a name. A chimney sweep that Stella meets when imprisoned in her house by Aunt Alberta, he is Stella's sidekick and helper, but the Cockney rhyming slang and accent are a bit tiresome (that may be just me though!).
The time period. For the first time, Walliams has set his book in the past. 1933. Though you'd barely know it from the book. I only realised from looking at the family tree dates, the book itself hardly mentions anything that sets it in a period. The old car and telephone are the only clues.
Death! Torture! I was pretty surprised at the amount of this in the book. This book is intended for 7 year olds, and there's a car crash, poison, murder (death by fire), and a torture wrack. If I was reading this to my child, I'd be worried at their reaction as it's very sad and upsetting more than once.
It's more contained than other Walliams books. By this I mean, his usual zany humour just doesn't make as many appearances as it has in the past. There's a lot of exposition to get through, and it does make the book more serious as a result. There are also fewer settings and characters (it all takes place, like a stage play) in Saxby Hall and the grounds, with very few characters (which I felt it missed - other children, other adults). It's almost a two-hander - little girl versus evil aunt.
While it's definitely an improvement on Demon Dentist (which for me just went off the rails), and contained more emotion, it's simply not as laugh-out-loud funny as Gangsta Granny or as heartfelt as my favourites - Billionaire Boy and The Boy in the Dress. The dark aspects I'll be interested to ask our young library customers about. It may wash over them. But if your child was upset by the ending of Gangsta Granny, you might want to read this yourself first.
This is the opinion of a mum, a library assistant and a keen reader. I am sure almost every child out there will disagree with me. And you know what? I'll still be happy to order it for customers because I know they'll be back for more.
claires_17's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
malvaljun's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
where_the_pages_bleed's review against another edition
4.0
Well damn the title said Awful Auntie did I believe it? No
joweston's review against another edition
4.0
Another roller coaster ride with David Walliams, though not as laugh out loud funny as the other ones. Personally, I adore the slapstick with a dose of pathos. This was a bit more sinister but still great listening.
sanjastajdohar's review against another edition
3.0
Well, Walliams is not for me, I would say, not because I'm not the target reader, but because I don't like his "humor". So, even though I finished the book out of sheer curiosity to see what kind of weird and sometimes disgusting events he will put in (3 stars for making me curious, otherwise it would be two), I couldn't get into the mood. As with Dahl, it seemes to me I will like only one book by Walliams and not like all the others. I will give him one more chance, perhaps, just to be up to date with children's contemporary authors. So, if you like light cruelty and really dark humor combined with ridiculous plot, this is for you. If not, just look at the pictures, they are great as usual.
colorfulleo92's review against another edition
4.0
This was highly entertaining, and even though it's a short book it took me awhile to finish it. But I had a great time. I really disliked the aunt and loved the end. This is my first adventure with David Walliams but definitely not my last.