Essay Questions

How are the Gremlins presented in this novel, and how is this different from Roald Dahl's original children's story?

Roald Dahl's first children's story, titled The Gremlins, was about mischievous and unpredictable creatures called the gremlins, who were relatively harmless. However, Some Time Never, his adult novel also based on the gremlins, presents these creatures as being much more sinister and malevolent. In this novel, they are plotting to eradicate mankind.

What does this novel suggest about humanity and warfare?

In this novel, the Gremlins try to wreak their revenge on humanity and reclaim their status as rulers of the world. They resurface during the chaos of WW2 and soon conclude that humanity will eventually destroy itself anyway. As such, here Dahl is suggesting something about the self-destructive nature of humanity, and how it can only lead to our demise.

How was this novel received critically?

Some Time Never was Roald Dahl's first adult novel and was met with mostly critical reviews. It was considered to be a failure overall, and critics generally commented that Dahl was better suited to writing children's books. Indeed, Dahl's first children's novel The Gremlins, about a similar subject, was met with much better reception. This being said, this novel is significant because it is the first novel about nuclear war to be published in the US, and touches on contemporary events such as Hiroshima and Nagasaki.