Okay... here I go... I have a confession to make.... before the news of the much-hyped Johnny Depp starring movie of the same name, I never really had an interest in reading Roald Dahl. I had once mentioned before in one of my mundane self-absorbed reviews that I had not read him before and I saw no reason why I should. But one of my favourite actor made me think again. And am I not glad that I did?
THE BOOK...
THE BUCKETS
Charlie Bucket lives with his parents and grandparents in a dilapidated house on the edge of a big city. Mr. Bucket(charlie’s dad) works in a toothpaste factory and screws on the caps on the tubes.
’’but a toothpaste cap-screwer is never paid very much money, and poor Mr Bucket, however hard he worked, and however fast he screwed on the caps, was never able to buy one half of the things that so large a family needed.’’
they were poor... VERY POOR! so poor that they could hardly eat stomachful.
But while the rest of the family somehow accepted this life of hardship they all agreed that Charlie, the young boy, who was so good at heart deserved a lot more and a lot better than this life.Charlie definitely deserved a lot better than to live right outside the largest and the most wonderful chocolate factory in the world and yet get to eat chocolate only once a year (on his birthday).
WILLIE WONKA
Willie wonke, willie wonka
the amazing chocolateer.’’
Mr. Wonka owns the best chocolate factory in the world and he has created chocolates that are just out of this world! he’s thought up of every kind of sweet imaginable in his amazing chocolate factory like
wriggle sweets,
hair toffee,
luminous lollies,
rainbow drops,
a chocolate icecream that never melts,
a bubblegum that never looses its taste ... the list could go on and on...but no one has ever ever been inside the factory and no one has ever met Mr Wonka!
THE GOLDEN TICKET
Mr. Bucket thought it was just a ’’dotty ’’ marketing strategy. Mr Willie Wonka had decided to let five lucky children who could manage to find the five golden tickets that he had put into five everyday chocolate bars (so the bars could be anywhere and anyone) to come inside and see the magic of the wonka factory.but when miraculously Charlie Bucket finds one of the golden tickets and wins a trip of a lifetime he could have never dreamed what surprises were in store!
WHO SHOULD READ THIS BOOK...
Obviously children by age and the children at heart would find the book simply unputdownable. Same would be the fate of the chocolate lovers.. ardent or remote. This book is sure to give you hunger pangs...the cravings obviously towards some rich creamy sugar loaded delights.
Jokes apart this book is a must read for all those of you who like me, never found a reason to read Dahl once you have skipped him in your childhood. This is because even though its very subtle the way dahl brings out the faults and insecurities of modern life and parenthood is absolutely mind boggling . Also all of you who have read Matilda its a must read for you too, and if you like this book as much as I did I’m sure you would follow it up with ’’CHARLIE AND THE GLASS ELEVATOR’’... why elevator you’d know once you read ’’the chocolate factory’’.
WARNING
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO READ THIS BOOK OR EVEN PICK IT UP IF YOU ARE ON A DIET... THE BOOK, THE AUTHOR AND THIS HUMBLE RECOMMENDER (I am sure there is no such word... but i’m taking a cue from dahl’s tradition of gobblefunking) DO NOT TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY IF THERE IS AN INCREASE IN YOUR WAISTLINE AFTER YOU HAVE FINISHED READING THE BOOK.
For all of you who are still wondering what is gobblefunking (the art of making up words) or any other such things check out the official website;
http://www.roalddahl.com
Happy reading! and a Very Happy New Year to all of you!