3.0

Reading this made me realise how I vividly remember the beginning of the 2005 film with Johnny Depp and Freddie Highmore, and yet have no memories of how it ended LOL

I really liked the prose; it was very narration-y, in the sense that it was written as if someone typed it while another person was telling it out loud. Very bubbly, evocative, and notably kid-friendly. It was also very vivid, and I can now say the movie was a very true adaptation—I didn't need to imagine what I was reading because the scenes from the film kept popping up in my head the whole time.

I liked how whimsical and wildly imaginative a book it was, oompa loompas included! I really liked the poem-y songs. They were fantastic. As were the little drawings. Such a cute, fun detail.

Now, Willy Wonka's character was a lot more unlikeable than I remembered him to be. Kinda self-centered and borderline dismissive. I'm not sure if that was meant to be the point (like the kids other than Charlie being spoiled little turds), or if it's more of a personal impression.

I kinda expected the cliff-ending, given that this story is supposed to be a duet, but it still low-key caught me by surprise. A bold choice to end a children's story on a cliff (do they even work to hook kids?)

All in all, I enjoyed it, but had a hard time staying invested and interested because of how unlikable everyone but the Buckets were. Still, I might re-watch the movie for nostalgia's sake.