I vividly remember the sense of wonder that enveloped me during my very first reading.

Perhaps it was the concept of the space hotel that truly captured my imagination.

I was several decades younger back then, and my mind was more open to the extraordinary.

This particular story was a very straightforward adventure, and I found myself completely engrossed from start to finish.

In fact, I managed to read the entire thing in less than 75 minutes.

The simplicity of the plot allowed me to quickly immerse myself in the world of the story, following the protagonist's every move with eager anticipation.

It was a refreshing and enjoyable read that left me with a sense of satisfaction and a longing for more adventures of a similar nature.

Even now, all these years later, that initial sense of wonder still lingers in my memory, serving as a reminder of the power of a good story to transport us to new and exciting places.

✩ 2.75 stars
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This movie is utterly bizarre and pointless. It seems to lack any real purpose or direction. The story line jumps around in a chaotic manner, leaving the viewer confused and disengaged. The characters are one-dimensional and uninteresting, and the acting is subpar at best.

Well, there’s 3 hours and 27 minutes of my life that I’m never getting back. It’s a real waste of time. I would not recommend this movie to anyone. There are so many other great movies out there that are worth watching instead. Save your time and money and skip this one.

Overall, I was extremely disappointed with this movie. It had the potential to be something good, but it failed to deliver on every level. I hope that the filmmakers learn from their mistakes and produce something better in the future.

"A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men." This quote seems quite fitting when considering the recipe for Wonka-vite, which is indeed darling and clever. However, all in all, I did not enjoy this novelette as much as some of his others. I felt that the various pieces within the story were slightly disjointed. While Wonka's sarcastic comments were much appreciated, Grandma Georgina was not an enjoyable character for me. And there was simply not enough of Charlie! The portrayal of the president was just ridiculous. Nevertheless, I'm still interested in reading all of Dahl's works, so at least I got this one out of the way. It's part of my 2017 Reading Challenge, and it has illustrations, which is a plus.

Warning: Mild spoilers

Authors need to have a sense of when to conclude. This particular sequel truly should not have been penned. In Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl presented a brilliant concept and a charming story. However, in this sequel, he seems to lack both. We read it solely because the author has a captivating way with words, and we already have a soft spot for Willie Wonka and Charlie.

If you've read the first book in the series (otherwise, why are you reading this review?), you'd be aware that it concludes with the entire Bucket family (two sets of grandparents, Mrs. and Mr. Bucket, and Charlie) and Willy Wonka departing for his factory in the glass lift (which can perform numerous amazing feats). Well, they don't quite reach there. Due to the antics of one grandparent, the lift shoots off into orbit. There, it encounters "Space Hotel U.S.A", the very first hotel in outer space, officially launched by the good old United States. And just when we thought a story was emerging, things start to fall apart. The plot meanders all over the place, much like a spilled bowl of spaghetti.

We encounter the "Vermicious Knids", malevolent monsters from outer space; a dim-witted U.S. President and his zany cabinet; and Willy Wonka's remarkable chocolates that can miraculously increase or decrease people's ages. We take a journey to Minusland, where those who regress too far into their youth end up. The story progresses haphazardly until it arrives at a completely contrived ending that hints at another book in the series (which was attempted, but fortunately, Dahl abandoned after the first chapter).

I wouldn't label the book as a complete failure, though. The idiotic President Lancelot R. Gilligrass, the Vice President Miss Tibbs who is also his nanny and the real power in the White House, the sword-swallower from Afghanistan teaching the president to swallow his words, the Financial Adviser struggling to balance the budget on his head, the trigger-happy army chief who loves to blow things up... this entire ensemble was uproariously funny! (I know what you might be thinking - but no, this was written in 1973.) And the names of the Russian President (Yougetoff) and the Chinese Premier and Assistant Premier (How-Yu-Bin and Chu-On-Dat, respectively) are worthy of Goscinny and Uderzo. I would have preferred to learn more about these wonderful characters rather than the overdone chocolate factory.

I remember vividly as a child being rather disappointed by this book, considering how deeply I had loved Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Now, looking back, I can clearly understand why I wasn't overly thrilled with this second installment. As a kid, I had no interest in anything related to sci-fi or space travel. There might have been a few rare exceptions, but for the most part, I deliberately avoided those kinds of books.

This book is truly strange. It's almost as if two books have been merged into one. The first 92 pages or so are somewhat like a Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy for kids. It's that odd and outlandish, with the same sort of matter-of-fact absurdity. Willy Wonka could easily take the place of Zaphod Beeblebrox, Charlie would be Arthur Dent, and Grandmas Josephine and Georgina could co-star as Marvin the pessimistic robot. However, I'm not sure who would be Ford Prefect. Maybe Grandpa Joe?

The remainder of the book, after they crash back into the Chocolate Factory, is an entirely different story about pills that Willy Wonka has invented, which can either increase or decrease your age. It's all very clever, but it lacks the charm and magic that the first book possessed. At the end, when Dahl brings the two story lines back together, it seems like an afterthought, as if he suddenly thought, "oops, better tie everything together and end this thing."

There are indeed some very funny moments in the book, mostly involving word play, but they seem to be written more for adults than for children. The humor and subtext are just too subtle for kids to fully appreciate.

So, basically, I have no recollection whatsoever about this book.

I'm not even certain if I truly read it way back when (I assert it was in 1979!).

At any rate, it is just as wild and wacky as all the other books by Dahl, and as such, it is truly delightful.

It was an absolute joy reading it aloud to my son.

The story was filled with fantastical elements and characters that captured both of our imaginations.

My son's eyes widened with excitement as I brought the words to life.

We laughed and gasped at the various twists and turns in the plot.

It was a wonderful bonding experience for us, and I'm so glad I decided to pick up this book and share it with him.

Even though I had no memory of it before, now it will always hold a special place in my heart as a book that I read to my son and that brought us closer together.

This is the sequel to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Oh my heavens, it was truly not good at all. In fact, it is the only Dahl book I have read so far that failed to interest me in the slightest. It felt contrived, and not in a good way, but rather very badly contrived.

The first half of the book took our hero and Mr. Wonka into space. It was like a terrible Miss Frizzle episode. Horrid, I must say. The premise was that the elevator accidentally went into orbit and they had no control over getting back. After bouncing around with kids and other strange things that go bump in the night sky, suddenly the elevator was able to re-enter the atmosphere and even tow a spaceship along with it. How remarkable, but not in a good way!

The second half of the book was only marginally better. The crew returned to the chocolate factory. However, unlike the original text, this part was completely boring. It was all about being too old, too young, too old again, and then just right. Bah!

This is a daffy and half-assed attempt at continuing a fabulous story. It's even worse than Grease II! I've read that Dahl started a third installment where the cast was headed off to the White House but only completed a single chapter. I think his readers were quite lucky with that. Seriously, what could be the motivation of a young English boy who now owns a marvelous chocolate factory to go to America and deal with a dotty president as depicted here? It's a waste of my time reading this. And to think, I'm supposed to be a Dahl fan! Ha!

A direct sequel to Chocolate Factory, this book is a captivating blend of space adventure and goofy antics. It is truly enjoyable for those who have a penchant for Wonka's character. The story takes readers on a wild ride that combines the charm of the original with new and exciting elements.

I found myself practically enthralled by the Vermicious Knids and the rejuvenation pills in the second half of the book. The Knids, with their strange and otherworldly appearance, added an element of mystery and danger to the story. And the rejuvenation pills provided a humorous and thought-provoking exploration of aging and youth.

I simply couldn't imagine this story working with any other characters. Wonka's eccentricity and charm are at the heart of the story, and without him, it would lose much of its appeal. The other characters, from Charlie to the Oompa-Loompas, also play important roles in bringing the story to life. Overall, this sequel is a must-read for fans of the original Chocolate Factory and anyone who enjoys a fun and imaginative adventure.

Reading this after Project Hail Mary seems fair lmao.

It's quite an interesting contrast. I'd really like to know what exactly goes on in Roald Dahl's brain and how he managed to come up with these truly unique ideas.

His stories are so ridiculously outlandish yet at the same time, they are hilarious. There were also some really insightful parts, like the Nurse's song.

It makes me think that if only I had read this when I was younger, I might have had a completely different perspective and a more vivid imagination.

Looking back, the total time I spent reading this was 1 hour and 53 minutes.

It was definitely time well spent, as it took me on a wild and wonderful journey through Dahl's creative mind.

I can't wait to explore more of his works and see what other amazing things he has in store for us.

This book was, to be quite frank, the weirdest sequel I have ever come across.

I had truly anticipated some more outrageous chocolate factory escapades, perhaps involving a glass elevator. Well, what I got instead was Charlie, Willy, and Grandpa Joe journeying to space and dealing with a rather daft American government.

I must admit that Roald Dahl is an incredibly talented writer, and a great deal of this book is highly amusing. His unique style had me chuckling as an adult, while also making it clear how a child could be equally enamored with it. However, this book didn't quite grip me as much as I had hoped. The grand adventure was indeed cool and seemed truly "out of this world" (pun very much intended), but it lacked the same level of fun as the first book. There was no way I could have predicted the ending.

In that respect, it's probably precisely why this makes such a great kids' book. Kids adore adventure, fun, and comedy, and they will无疑love this book. As an adult, I would rather read it to my kids or reading buddies than enjoy it on my own. I am eager to complete this series and explore more of Roald Dahl's works because of his sheer genius.

Alas, it remains a classic and is beautifully written. I would highly recommend it as a children's novel or for those who have a penchant for a good classic book.

Two out of five stars.

Charlie and The Great Glass Elevator may not be a remarkable sequel to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in terms of the story.

Nevertheless, it does present several highly amusing situations, creative word usage, and absurd story elements. In fact, I would assert that one of the most outstanding aspects of reading Dahl's books aloud is the uproarious word play that becomes immediately apparent.

Read any of Dahl's books aloud and the reward becomes evident very quickly. Here, the Great Glass Elevator exhibits the characteristics of a space vehicle with comparable maneuverability. Wonka has taken Charlie's family to relocate them to the chocolate factory, but their path gets redirected to a space hotel?!? The President of the United States has received a message that the hotel is under attack by Russians, aliens, or something else?

Somewhere along the way, the glass elevator manages to return to the chocolate factory where we witness the grandparents being enticed by anti-aging pills and receiving an invitation to the White House. The story is humorous, mainly consisting of senseless silliness. The sequel is not an essential read, but you will definitely chuckle at the Oompa Loompa lyrical wordplay humor and the preposterous situations.

This was such a fun story!

I listened to the audiobook via Overdrive and the narrator did a truly fantastic job of bringing the characters to life!

The story is silly, but sometimes in our busy lives, we just need a light children's story to make us laugh and forget our troubles for a while.

If you're thinking about rereading this wonderful tale, do yourself a huge favor and listen to the audiobook. You'll be amazed at how the narrator's voice and expression can add a whole new dimension to the story. It's like experiencing it all over again in a completely different way. So go ahead, give it a try and let the magic of the audiobook transport you into the world of this charming children's story.