Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator by roald dahl

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 14,2025

Two stars, and I'm rather disappointed with this one.

I have a deep love for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The story, the characters, and the factory - everything about it is simply awesome. Naturally, I had high expectations for The Great Glass Elevator. However, not only were these expectations not met, but I was also left disappointed.

There are two significant issues I have with this book.

First, all the characters that I adored in The Chocolate Factory have become either incredibly annoying or extremely boring. Mr. Wonka and all the grandparents who are still in bed - I despise them. They are frustrating to the extreme and act so stupidly that it's absurd. Every time they said or did something, I disliked it because of this.

Second, the story gives the impression that it was originally composed as two separate short stories and then later combined by having the events occur on the same day. The two parts never truly connected, and this frustrated me.

Overall, I did like the plot itself. It was interesting enough, but both sections were short and not as magical and amazing as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I almost wish I hadn't read this book because it has added a flavor to my experience with Charlie and the other characters that I don't appreciate.

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BroDudeManDude

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 14,2025

I read this with my daughter.

The follow-up to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was indeed original. It took a different path and explored new ideas. However, ultimately, the story was not that good. It felt a bit all over the place, lacking a clear and cohesive narrative.

Despite this, the writing was still very funny. The author's unique style and sense of humor shone through, making it an enjoyable read. We had several moments of laughter while going through the pages.

Overall, I would rate it 3 stars. I expected a bit more from this follow-up. I was hoping for a more engaging and well-structured story that would live up to the charm and magic of the original. But perhaps my expectations were too high. Nevertheless, it was still a fun read that my daughter and I shared together.

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JoeGP

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 14,2025

The book in question is not as enjoyable as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

It is filled with a significant amount of politically incorrect dialogue. This aspect of the book is quite concerning.

Due to this, I made the decision not to read it aloud to my students. I believe that such content may have a negative impact on their impression and understanding.

I want to ensure that the materials I present to them are positive, inclusive, and respectful. Reading aloud a book with politically incorrect dialogue could potentially introduce ideas that are not in line with the values I want to instill in my students.

Therefore, I opted for a different choice that would better serve their educational and moral development.

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lorenj

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 14,2025

I just can't believe that this is from the same author who penned the wonderful "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory."

Where on earth are those hilarious characters? Instead of the charming Wonka, Charlie, and Grandpa Joe, we now have the rather strange Wanka and half-headed nitwits.

The rest of the Bucket family seems to have lost all their dignity too. And as for Dahl himself, I truly have no idea what he was thinking when he wrote this.

Where is the wry, intelligent, and sometimes dark humor that we loved in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"? This doesn't even qualify as slapstick; it's just a poor imitation.

While "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" spoke to a global audience, "Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator" simply won't reach the same wide range of readers. It's a real disappointment.

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changeisevident

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 14,2025

This was a bedtime readaloud to the kiddos.

Frankly speaking, if they hadn't been enjoying it so much, I wouldn't have bothered to finish it.

All three of them said they liked it better than Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. So, we had a rather interesting hour-long conversation about the perils of recency bias. Just kidding!

But in all seriousness, this book is not that great.

I do remember enjoying it when I was a kid. However, adults should be cautious.

The plot is a complete mess, and the jokes just don't land. Especially those that are borderline-racist.

Despite having some good moments here and there, the overall impression is that Dahl seemed more focused on capitalizing on the success of Willy Wonka rather than telling a coherent story.

It's a bit of a letdown, really.

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asdf234fda_a1

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 14,2025

I don't think Nina liked this one as much as the original.

She seemed to have great difficulty in paying attention throughout most of it.

It was only when they finally got back to the Chocolate Factory that her interest seemed to be piqued.

The overall verdict?

Well, it simply needs more candy.

Perhaps if there were more sweet treats and confections incorporated into the story or the experience, Nina would have been more engaged from the start.

As it stands now, the lack of sufficient candy seems to be a significant drawback in her eyes.

It's clear that for Nina, the allure of the Chocolate Factory and its delicious offerings is what really makes a difference.

So, if they want to capture her attention and make her enjoy it as much as the original, they definitely need to add more candy.

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Lorelei

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 14,2025

This is a prime illustration of 'never let them know your best move'. I was completely clueless about where this book was headed. It had its moments of fun, yet it was also a touch too disorderly for my taste.

Additionally, there were certain elements of racial stereotyping. Of course, this was a product of that era when such depictions were unfortunately common in many books. I wasn't a fan of that aspect at all. It detracted from the overall enjoyment of the reading experience.

While the story had its engaging parts, the presence of these negative elements made it a bit of a mixed bag for me. I found myself simultaneously entertained and slightly put off by some of the content.

It makes me wonder how different the perception of this book would be if it were written today, without the prevalence of such outdated and inappropriate stereotypes.

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TheLazylonewolf

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

July 14,2025

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is one of my all-time favorite movies, especially the one starring Johnny Depp. This is a significant achievement for me as I rarely manage to complete either a movie or a TV show. I have been aware of this second book for quite some time now and have always wondered why they didn't create another movie based on it. Unfortunately, I'm still not sure. It's an entertaining story, as is often the case with Roald Dahl's works. Quentin Blake's illustrations are simple yet classic and great. However, I will not hold this storyline as dear to my heart as the one about the factory. Nevertheless, I hope that one day there will be a movie based on this book as well. But probably not with the same actors.

This story has its own charm and potential. The adventures and characters in it could make for an exciting movie. It would be interesting to see how a new adaptation would bring this story to life on the big screen. Maybe a different director and cast could bring a fresh perspective and make it a memorable film. I look forward to the possibility of seeing this story in movie form and experiencing the magic all over again.

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Charlie Bucket #2

Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator

roald dahl

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