I have a confession to make: I didn’t read any of Roald Dahl’s books, except Matilda, while growing up and it is my biggest regret right now. The more books I read of the author, the more I fall in love with them and his style. If as a grownup I enjoy them so much, how I would have loved them as a kid!
The latest book of Dahl that I read was George’s Marvellous Medicine. This book is really, really funny, full of crazy stuff that become all the more so if you consider the fact that a poor eight-year-kid is in middle of all the action.
The beginning sets the ground for the things to come by a warning from the author: “Warning to Readers: Do not try to make George’s Marvellous Medicine yourselves at home. It could be dangerous.”
If this is written before the first chapter even starts, you know it is something you are going to read. We see George with his grumpy old grandma, (mum’s mum) who is fussy and attention-seeking. She is at her nasty best with George. So when his parents go out leaving him to take care of her, with mum instructing George to give grandma her medicines, the usually timid boy decides to give her some of his own medicine. His own invention, that is!
He cooks up everything he lays his hands on in the bathroom, bedroom, laundry and kitchen — literally everywhere! Reading this part gives you the shivers as various cleaning products, removing creams, flea powder, seeds, spices and what not goes into a large saucepan, and the final ‘medicine’ into grandma’s mouth! But the whole episode that could have had a sinister touch carries a child-like innocence similar to the eight-year-old hero, George, and this is where the mastery of Roald Dahl as a storyteller lies and what makes him such a popular children’s writer.
Well, grandma blows up like a giant balloon and bursts through the roof! And some farm animals that George gives the same medicine to also turn into giants! Instead of being angry, George’s father likes his invention and tries out George’s medicines on many other animals and cooks up more concoctions.
What follows is what you have to read yourself and find out, but I can assure you there is so much fun packed in such a short story!
Published in Dawn, Young World, December 24th, 2016
