Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator
Roald Dahl, 1972
Written a decade after the original book, this sequel to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is very inventive and is a pretty big departure from the original. It's still wacky and fanciful, but more like a science fiction book than the sort of magical world shown in book one.
Charlie is flying in the Great Glass Elevator with Willy Wonka, his parents, Grandpa Joe, and three other grandparents who are sitting in a rickety bed they refuse to leave. But the grandfolks soon revolt against Wonka's weirdness, and a mishap causes the Glass Elevator to fly up into orbit. While in space, they see the flying Space Hotel luxury resort, have a battle with some Vermicious Knids, then finally come back for more adventures at the chocolate factory.
Hmm. I don't always enjoy seeing the rest of the Wonka-verse portrayed in this book, especially the subplot with the Space Hotel. So much of the book seems like an excuse to toss in clever puns and knock-knock jokes, mostly spoken by characters other than the main cast. Even Wonka's angry gobbledygook speech in "Martian" is one long word gag. And there's another downside--I know I shouldn't take it too seriously, but the treatment of the Chinese side characters seems very racist. Then again, almost every side character in the book looks like a total buffoon, including the president of the United States, so maybe it's equal-opportunity childrens' book satire.
But it is neat that the three grandparents besides Grandpa Joe form the new cast of Misbehaving Young'uns. They aren't as ill-mannered as Veruca Salt and the other kids from book one, but they do fill similar roles. Unlike Charlie and Grandpa Joe, they don't believe in Willy Wonka's crazy methods and they frequently label him as a loony. Which, yanno, is kind of an accurate assessment. But in the Wonka-verse, non-believers in the Wonka craziness are usually left out in the cold. The grandparents also complain loudly when Wonka puts a stop to their fun, which is also reminiscent of the chocolate factory brats from the previous book.
I do still love how Wonka refuses to explain anything. He says that the elevator is powered by "skyhooks", but when asked to explain more about skyhooks, he just replies that he's getting deafer every day and ignores the question. And I also like when the cast finally gets back to the chocolate factory, and we get to see some more cool inventions like Wonka-Vite, a pill that makes you younger.
Things that Happen in the Great Glass Elevator that People Think Happened in the Chocolate Factory: 1. The mention of vermicious knids. They are mentioned in the 1971 film Willy Wonka, but not in the book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. In this book, vermicious knids are actually a main villain.
Villains that Look Like Guitar Picks, With Eyes.
2. The phrase "We have so much time and so little to do! No! Wait! Strike that! Reverse it! Thank you!" Again, the line is in the 1971 movie, but not in the original book.
There are some high points to this sequel, but unless you're a dedicated Roald Dahl fan, this might be one book to skip. Grade: B-
Best lines:
-"Charlie," said Grandma Josephine. "I don't think I trust this gentleman very much."
"Nor do I," said Grandma Georgina. "He footles around."
-"Oh my dears!" cried Grandma Georgina. "We'll be lixivated, every one of us!"
"More than likely," said Mr. Wonka.
[To my surprise, lixivated is actually a word: "Lixivate, to wash or percolate the soluble matter from."]
Book Review: Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator by Roald Dahl Link Free Download
