Crenshaw's Books & Decks

The Twits is just a delightful story about a couple of disgusting but hilarious-to-watch married couple, the Twits. They have a malicious baleful irksome behaviour towards each other and other people, and towards animals in general and the family of monkeys they keep in their garden in particular. You will hate the Twits from the very beginning because they are true mongrels; however, you will also love them because they allow you to hate them fully (they deserve it!) but they also make you laugh.  And, of course, you will cheer for the monkeys, they are the only ones with common sense in the Twit household!

Unlike other books by Dahl, the Twits is less metaphorical and fable-ish and more fun. The main two lessons you will learn in the book are, firstly, that if you are ugly in your soul, that shows in your face; and, secondly, that if you treat other people and animals without respect, you will end badly. The language used is Dahl's usual mix of straightforward narration, play of words, and whimsical adjectives and interjections.

Quentin Blake's illustrations are an essential part of this book. Unlike his illustrations for other Dahl's novels, which are secondary to the novel, those for the Twits are intertwined with Dahl's narration; thus, this book is rightly both Dahl & Blake's. The way Dahl describes the Twits and the way Blake draws them in his usual sketchy nervous-like style really go together in my head. Some of Blake's images in this book are really hilarious, like the depiction of Mr Twit's beard, or the bird pie, just to mention two.

This is mostly a book for children, but adults will also enjoy it. .