My two-star review has nothing to do with Donald Sturrock’s writing. He writes very well, and the amount of research that has gone into this book is staggering.

The two stars are for my experience reading this book. When I was a child Roald Dahl’s books were some of my favourites, especially “Matilda”. Finally some stories where the bad guys were actually bad, and not just misunderstood and in need of a hug! When I started this biography I was curious to learn more about the man who created all these wonderful reading hours for me.

I was very surprised when the more I read about him the less I liked him. Sturrock admits himself that he was very impressed by Dahl’s personality, and he does his best to show him in a good light, but reading between the lines I get the impression that Dahl was not at all an easy person to be around.

He comes across as manipulative and condescending even as a child, especially towards the women in his life, his sisters, his partners, his daughters, even his mother! No respect for rules, self-important and arrogant. Even when he does things that you might argue are good deeds, I get the impression that deep down, he did it to feel good about himself.

He did have a difficult life. Again and again his family and himself were the victims of accidents and diseases. I’m sure this shaped his personality in many ways. But still, I don’t think I would have liked him if I had met him.

I’ll keep celebrating his books, because they really are wonderful!