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mairiairi's review against another edition
5.0
WAY WAY WAYYYY better than the movie, all the way! I loved it... much much more interesting than the movie. The movie was halfway to crazy.
starrynight's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
pkadams's review against another edition
3.0
Ian Fleming writes a much better story than the movie ever was - even with Dick van Dyke in the lead. Fleming sizes his adventure just right for a child and it was just the right length too. Although the plot is no James Bond story, he didn't skimp on the writing.
maidmarianlib's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Certainly a classic, playful and fun.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Kidnapping
corncobwebs's review against another edition
Sometimes people ask for road trip audiobook recommendations, and I just realized that this one would be perfect. The only two things I didn't like were:
1) Rigid gender roles where the males take on the action-oriented roles (except for CHITTY-CHITTY-BANG-BANG herself, but there was kind of a weird explanation about why she was "female");
2) The way the family gets weirded out when the dad threatens (?) going to Africa instead of France. And everyone is super white and British, and I always think that omission is a kind of subtle racism.
Still, it was a pretty decent adventure story (I wouldn't expect anything less from the creator of James Bond!) that would probably appeal to a variety of ages and tastes.
1) Rigid gender roles where the males take on the action-oriented roles (except for CHITTY-CHITTY-BANG-BANG herself, but there was kind of a weird explanation about why she was "female");
2) The way the family gets weirded out when the dad threatens (?) going to Africa instead of France. And everyone is super white and British, and I always think that omission is a kind of subtle racism.
Still, it was a pretty decent adventure story (I wouldn't expect anything less from the creator of James Bond!) that would probably appeal to a variety of ages and tastes.
susie_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
timv's review against another edition
4.0
I started reading this book with 4th and 5th grader because I bought it on sale. I wasn't sure they would enjoy it. I need not have worried. It had my son belly laughing. We found the strongly opinionated character of the car delightful. We especially enjoyed the dramatic chapter titles. It was a zany, entertaining read for sure. (For the record- they both voted 5 stars, but they are a little more liberal with full marks than I am.)
stacikristine's review against another edition
5.0
This was such a fun audiobook! My kids (9, 6, 5) loved it.
circlesofflame's review against another edition
3.0
I had no idea the book was so different from the film. In the book, you have some of the same elements, the car, Potts' creation of sweets sold to the sweet producer, but we also get the twins' mother, more intuitive actions from the car to take them on adventures, a cave full of explosives and a French gangster plot for the children to foil.
The book should be considered on its own merits and, if you do so, it's a nice adventure story with unexpected details thrown into the mix. However, it's really difficult to separate the reading experience to that enjoyed when watching the well-known adaptation and I think with that comparison it fares poorly. I usually wouldn't say this of a film that really takes the bare bones of a story to make something entirely different, but I think it works. The film is stronger than the book in my opinion and even the able narration of David Tennant can't make me consider it more highly.
The book should be considered on its own merits and, if you do so, it's a nice adventure story with unexpected details thrown into the mix. However, it's really difficult to separate the reading experience to that enjoyed when watching the well-known adaptation and I think with that comparison it fares poorly. I usually wouldn't say this of a film that really takes the bare bones of a story to make something entirely different, but I think it works. The film is stronger than the book in my opinion and even the able narration of David Tennant can't make me consider it more highly.