I remember watching Johnny Depp turn into this amazing character in the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory movie back in the day, but it turned out that I had never actually read the book. So when the opportunity presented itself in the form of a copy I borrowed from my niece, I couldn’t resist. After all, it was a Roald Dahl book, and he happens to be one of my favorite childhood authors.

In the past, I had read Matilda, an exceptional book written by him. I had also seen Steven Spielberg’s The BFG, which did absolute justice to Roald Dahl’s beautiful imagination. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was no different. Not only was it magical, but it was also a very satisfying read.

The fact that it is about a poor boy, left destitute by his circumstances and living in a very small house with his parents and shrivelled grandparents, already creates a situation that could make anyone feel extremely sorry for them. It feels as though you are starting the book at ground zero, and anything that happens next is bound to be better than what they already have. The graph can only go up.

The book has such a brilliant setup and buildup that, while Charlie despairs in the beginning, you can feel his longing as though it were your own. You genuinely want Charlie to improve his life, as well as the lives of his parents, through something extraordinarily magical.

The backdrop is already enchanting, shaped by an elusive dream. There is a certain Mr. Willy Wonka, whom Charlie’s grandparents absolutely adore, and whom Charlie longs to meet. The wondrous things Charlie hears about this unique man, his extraordinary factory, and the profession he loves to his very core are written so brilliantly that, as a reader, you can sense where it is all going.

The initial despair is so powerful that, when the big moment finally arrives, you find yourself jumping out of bed with joy. At the same time, you can already see the obnoxious elements that Roald Dahl has so beautifully placed throughout the book: the other children, who are Charlie’s exact opposites, rich and privileged, with their insatiable wants and devious behaviour.

It is heartbreaking because it feels as though you are encountering these same elements in society. You know you have seen such ugliness around you, and that is what Roald Dahl wants you to feel. He wants us to experience life itself and its very essence: life isn’t always fair, and it might not seem fair for quite a while.

That is what happens to Charlie in the beginning as he moves through this phase of despair. Roald Dahl gives this kind character hope in the form of a one-in-a-million chance to experience Willy Wonka’s magical world.

What can I say about the magical experience that begins right at Willy Wonka’s imposing factory gates and continues along the winding passages that carry the entire group into a world unseen from the outside? Not only does the author create a longing in our hearts, but he also makes us crave chocolate. The writing is so fluid and expressive that, at times, you simply want to order some chocolate for yourself.

There are so many different rooms with mind-boggling signs that give wings to your imagination. You constantly find yourself wondering: does a place like this really exist?

Not only are the things Willy Wonka has created fascinating, but the world he has built inside another world is also worth beholding. Characters you have never heard of reside there. The Oompa-Loompas are constantly singing, working, and having a good time. They help Willy Wonka bring his ideas to life, yet they are themselves a fantastical creation, something that makes you want to be transported into that world and see them for real.

You can see the book’s deliberate direction from far away. One by one, the children are unable to resist the temptations of the world around them because of their own personalities. One by one, they suffer the consequences and are removed from the contest, leaving behind the kindest child of them all: Charlie, who has seen so little and had so little throughout his life.

Eventually, Charlie wins the entire contest. Not only that, but he also gets the opportunity to become Willy Wonka’s successor. This means that his family’s troubles are finally over.

In a way, the book teaches us that being kind, curious, and a good child can work wonders. It can make dreams come true not just for you, but for your parents as well.

I absolutely loved Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I would recommend it to everyone, whether you want to give it to your children or hand it to someone who remains forever mesmerised by Roald Dahl’s brilliance as an author and storyteller.