Rating: 4.5 Stars
Source: Loaned from a friend
Description: Charlie Bucket is barely scraping by eating a diet of cabbage soup with a bar of chocolate once a year on his birthday. When the announcement that reclusive chocolate factory owner is going to let five children tour the factory if they find a golden ticket Charlie barely dares to hope. But with the help of Grandpa Joe Charlie's dream (and more!) come true!
Genre: Children's
Why I Picked This Book: I've enjoyed the movies and always meant to read the book but somehow never did
My Impression:
Pro: When I first picked up the book I thought how can this little book have all the weird and wonderful imagery of the movies? But it really did! Augustus Goop, Veruca Salt, Violet Beuregarde and Mike Teavee are really just as awful as possible. Willy Wonka is eccentric and the Oompa Loompas are vividly drawn even though their only lines are songs inspired by the misbehaving children. The sketches really add to the overall feel of the book. This is a super quick read and one I thoroughly enjoyed. Dahl's world is wonderfully weird and one that was fun to visit.
Con: This isn't really the book's fault but I found that the movies are so ingrained in my head and the story is so vivid that I was constantly comparing the book to the movie.
Overall: I really enjoyed this one though I do wish I had discovered it before I watched the movies. I'm looking forward to reading it aloud to the Tornado in the next year or two as I think he'll really love it. If you haven't read it yet you really should just be sure to have some chocolate ready for when you finish!
Would I Read More of this Series/Author?: I'm already planning on searching the library for Charlie and the Glass Elevator next time I'm there
Would I Recommend this Book?: Absolutely!
Challenges Met?: Alphabet Soup (C), The Reading Assignment, Classics Club, Foodie Reads
Awww this brings back wonderful memories of reading this when I was young! It's hard to get the movie out of your head, definitely. Glad to hear you enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteI really did! I only wish I had read it earlier.
DeleteCharlie and the Chocolate Factory is one of my childhood favourites! Although Mathilda was probably the Roald Dahl book that left the greatest impression on me. Glad to hear you enjoyed it ^^
ReplyDeleteI'll have to read Mathilda. I'm definitely wanting to revisit Dahl's crazy world!
DeleteI blame it on the Oompa Loompas, but I could never handle the movies, and I'm pretty sure the book isn't for me either. Between them, the Doozers from Fraggle Rock,and the Munchkins from The Wizard of Oz, my life was filled with enough nightmares.
ReplyDeleteThe Oompa Loompas actually aren't to big of a presence so you might be able to handle it. They're definitely creepy in the movies though!
DeleteThis is darker then the movie..but I enjoyed it and yes it is hard not to make comparisons to the movie with Gene Wilder.
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely darker than the Wilder movie. I enjoyed all versions.
DeleteHuh. I didn't know there was a book. lol. Looks cute! :D Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know until recently that it was a book either. It's definitely worth a read!
DeleteI think I read this to my kids when they were young, but I could be thinking about watching the movie together! Our two daughters were Oompah Loompas in the play when they about 7 and 9 so I have many images in my mind. LOL
ReplyDeleteGood review, Katherine. It's easy to forget that some of these classic movies were books first.
Oh that's lovely that your daughters were in the play! I love this story !
DeleteI remember reading this when I was younger. But I completely understand how you can't help but compare this to the movies. This is a fun story and it's nice you had a chance to read it.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading it! I just wish I had read it earlier.
DeleteWe read these in school (or maybe they were read to us- not sure) and I have a soft spot for this book. It's been years though... glad you enjoyed it. I think back the it made me very curious about other Dahl books, although I can't remember now which ones I read.
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely interested in reading more of Dahl's books. He paints such a vivid image!
DeleteI read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at least four or five times when I was a child and young adult, which means I really liked it back then, but I haven't read it in ages. For some reason, I never read it to Robin - or if I started, she didn't like it (I can't remember which.) This was my favorite of the Dahl books that I read; I found James and the Giant Peach so weird that I didn't finish it, though I knew plenty of kids who loved it.
ReplyDeleteI don't know much about the James and the Giant Peach story though I did start the movie once. It was a little too strange for me but I'd like to try his other stories.
DeleteI love this book so much! I cannot wait to get to read this with my daughter. In fact I want to start reading all my Dahl favorites now without her just because I'm excited.
ReplyDeleteI'm excited to read this to my little one! It's a great story.
DeleteThis is a classic book but I totally understand what you said about the movie. I didn't like the Johnny Depp version. Gene Wilder was awesome and his original movie relly made me feel the magic like seeing Harry Potter 1 for the first time.
ReplyDeleteI really wish I had read the book before seeing the movie but I still really enjoyed it. I enjoyed the Johnny Depp version but I can see why you didn't. It's definitely bizarre.
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ReplyDeleteI love Dahl, he had such a crazy imagination that I just get lost in his worlds and his words. I'd recommend any of his books and they are all weird and wonderful.
ReplyDeleteThe movie is so ingrained in us though that it is hard not to compare.
It really was hard not to compare but I agree about Dahl's weird and wonderful world! I'm looking forward to revisiting Dahl's world when it's a story I don't know quite as well.
DeleteHopping over from the Foodies Read challenge...
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun choice! I had the same reaction that you did -- the movie is just such a treasure!