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entrancedbywords's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Back in 2020 I brought this book when I saw the musical live when it came to Australia. FYI, the musical is amazing!! Saw it twice.
What kid didn't grow up with Roald Dahl books? Though in all honesty I can't remember if this particular story came across my young mind when I was a kid. I do remember a few other of Dahl's stories instead.
I hit play to the musical while reading this, totally forgetting that the musical is more modern to the book.
At times you can picture Gene Wilder's Wonka while other times the book is nothing like any adaptation out there. The songs by the oompa loompas are a bit more darker and less riddle based than what people know.
Though clearly I'm quite slow but this reads that Wonka sets it up that the kids go wild while Charlie was always planned to win. It's kinda hard to explain but the only one Wonka purposely acts nice to Charlie and tries to dismiss the others as much as Wonka can.
What kid didn't grow up with Roald Dahl books? Though in all honesty I can't remember if this particular story came across my young mind when I was a kid. I do remember a few other of Dahl's stories instead.
I hit play to the musical while reading this, totally forgetting that the musical is more modern to the book.
At times you can picture Gene Wilder's Wonka while other times the book is nothing like any adaptation out there. The songs by the oompa loompas are a bit more darker and less riddle based than what people know.
Though clearly I'm quite slow but this reads that Wonka sets it up that the kids go wild while Charlie was always planned to win. It's kinda hard to explain but the only one Wonka purposely acts nice to Charlie and tries to dismiss the others as much as Wonka can.
mackenzienicoleireland's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
danoreading's review against another edition
5.0
Reread this one in preparation for the Wake Reads Together program that I'm doing at the library... it had been years since I picked this one up. I forgot how delightful it is.
eacampion's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
tarin's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
dullshimmer's review against another edition
4.0
I've said this in some of my other reviews, but I didn't grow up reading any Roald Dahl books. I was familiar with some of his works through movies based off the books though and that was my experience with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, as I had grown up seeing Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. I must say that in this case I'm not entirely sure which version I think is better. There are things I like better about each, but we're talking about the book here, so I'll focus on that.
The book is just kind of interesting. It starts off rather somber, focused on Charlie Bucket and his family as they struggle in poverty and are caught up with the rest of the world in Willy Wonka's contest to get a golden ticket and enter Wonka's factory for a tour. This somberness is broken up by looking at the winners who are probably some of the most annoying children you have probably ever encountered.
Once inside the factory things just kind of go nutty. Wonka's factory is a place where the normal laws of science don't seem to work. He's able to create all kinds of crazy things. Which really make for some great imaginative ideas and rooms to explore in the factory. They also serve as tests for the children in some ways, which over the course of the books the annoying children fall prey to their weaknesses and have to be fixed in some way.
The negative side of this is that the book kind of feels like a stringing along of random events to get rid of certain kids. Mr. Wonka is also a very strange character who is kind of rude and ignores any attempts at bringing realism into the book. The ending also just kind of happens, but is very strange and not much of an ending. It is a fun imaginative book in some ways, but it's also a bit too strange and some of the ideas don't hold up quite so well, like the Oompa Loompas.
Overall, it was an interesting read, but I just didn't like it as much as some of the other Dahl books I've read so far like The BFG and Matilda. I'm not entirely sure why as both of these books do have fantastical elements to them, but somehow they have a more cohesive story in my opinion and I find that more enjoyable. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is interesting and has some really interesting and imaginative ideas, but lacks in the story department for me.
The book is just kind of interesting. It starts off rather somber, focused on Charlie Bucket and his family as they struggle in poverty and are caught up with the rest of the world in Willy Wonka's contest to get a golden ticket and enter Wonka's factory for a tour. This somberness is broken up by looking at the winners who are probably some of the most annoying children you have probably ever encountered.
Once inside the factory things just kind of go nutty. Wonka's factory is a place where the normal laws of science don't seem to work. He's able to create all kinds of crazy things. Which really make for some great imaginative ideas and rooms to explore in the factory. They also serve as tests for the children in some ways, which over the course of the books the annoying children fall prey to their weaknesses and have to be fixed in some way.
The negative side of this is that the book kind of feels like a stringing along of random events to get rid of certain kids. Mr. Wonka is also a very strange character who is kind of rude and ignores any attempts at bringing realism into the book. The ending also just kind of happens, but is very strange and not much of an ending. It is a fun imaginative book in some ways, but it's also a bit too strange and some of the ideas don't hold up quite so well, like the Oompa Loompas.
Overall, it was an interesting read, but I just didn't like it as much as some of the other Dahl books I've read so far like The BFG and Matilda. I'm not entirely sure why as both of these books do have fantastical elements to them, but somehow they have a more cohesive story in my opinion and I find that more enjoyable. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is interesting and has some really interesting and imaginative ideas, but lacks in the story department for me.
marloesisalive's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I loved it. It is a unique story and no one has ever been aple to rival it as far as I know. When you read the book you are more sure that Charlie is the true winner. Did Wonka set the other’s up? Who knows
mags549's review against another edition
5.0
I've been going through and reading books that classic movies are based off of, so I picked this up since it was half off,
The fact that the oompa loompa's songs were way longer than in the movie was unexpected, but also really fun! The Gene Wilder movie is probably the closest to its book than any book adaptations I've seen, even the boat scene and how the people reacted were similar. However, in both versions of the movie Charlie does something to mess up and then redeems himself. In this book, he is the only one to follow all the rules that Wonka gives them, which is how he ends up winning in the end.
Still, a fun read!!!
The fact that the oompa loompa's songs were way longer than in the movie was unexpected, but also really fun! The Gene Wilder movie is probably the closest to its book than any book adaptations I've seen, even the boat scene and how the people reacted were similar. However, in both versions of the movie Charlie does something to mess up and then redeems himself. In this book, he is the only one to follow all the rules that Wonka gives them, which is how he ends up winning in the end.
Still, a fun read!!!
zuzubaloox's review against another edition
2.0
After Willy Wonka declares that he is opening his factory, after years of being seemingly closed, to five lucky children, Charlie hopes that he gets a winning golden ticket - despite his family being poor. Will Charlie be one of the lucky five? And what will he witness in the chocolate factory?
I found this book to be boring. It is quite preachy in nature, and although it is supposed to be about a chocolate factory, a huge portion of the book is used to describe the humiliation and maiming of young children. TV watching is made to be a bad thing and children should wile away their days reading.
The children, aside from Charlie who is poor, are described and made out to be spoilt rotten brats. Four of the children depict sins - Augustus being gluttony, Veruca being greed, Violet is pride and Mike is sloth. It is indicated that each child deserves the outcome they got because of how they are, and despite whether it permanently alters them, it will change them for the better. I'm not sure how it's supposed to change them for the good because there's no real epiphany, no aha moment where theyre shown their wrongs, just maiming, and even then they walk away with a lifetime supply of sweets and chocolate.
The long-drawn-out songs from the Oompa-Loompas was tedious and actually quite boring. They were so long and not at all a pleasure to read.
It's very strange how Grandpa Joe has been stuck in bed for 20 years with three other people, is all but skin and bones and is 96 and a half years old but he can leap out of bed and still run. After 20 years of lying in bed, I'd be very surprised if Grandpa could stand let alone do anything of the rest of the things he does.
Maybe it's just a book that doesn't age well, or maybe it's just a boring book, but the only really interesting aspects of the book are the descriptions of the factory and its numerous, delightful delicacies being made - some sound delicious like that chocolate lake and the chocolate tv, whilst others sound disgusting like the chewing gum that has the taste of a three-course meal.
I found this book to be boring. It is quite preachy in nature, and although it is supposed to be about a chocolate factory, a huge portion of the book is used to describe the humiliation and maiming of young children. TV watching is made to be a bad thing and children should wile away their days reading.
The children, aside from Charlie who is poor, are described and made out to be spoilt rotten brats. Four of the children depict sins - Augustus being gluttony, Veruca being greed, Violet is pride and Mike is sloth. It is indicated that each child deserves the outcome they got because of how they are, and despite whether it permanently alters them, it will change them for the better. I'm not sure how it's supposed to change them for the good because there's no real epiphany, no aha moment where theyre shown their wrongs, just maiming, and even then they walk away with a lifetime supply of sweets and chocolate.
The long-drawn-out songs from the Oompa-Loompas was tedious and actually quite boring. They were so long and not at all a pleasure to read.
It's very strange how Grandpa Joe has been stuck in bed for 20 years with three other people, is all but skin and bones and is 96 and a half years old but he can leap out of bed and still run. After 20 years of lying in bed, I'd be very surprised if Grandpa could stand let alone do anything of the rest of the things he does.
Maybe it's just a book that doesn't age well, or maybe it's just a boring book, but the only really interesting aspects of the book are the descriptions of the factory and its numerous, delightful delicacies being made - some sound delicious like that chocolate lake and the chocolate tv, whilst others sound disgusting like the chewing gum that has the taste of a three-course meal.