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kelimar32 's review for:
Journey to the Center of the Earth
by Jules Verne
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
As with most Sci fi fans in the western world I grew up hearing about Verne’s early contributions to the genre, written in a time when the genre of Sci fi wasn’t even really a full thing yet.
Considering how much I’d heard, the book’s ongoing status as a literary classic, and the general aura of accomplishment surrounding Verne’s authorial career I expected much more of this book.
There are many other literary classics which deserve a readers time more than Journey to the Centre of the Earth. The Time Machine for example is a far more enjoyable read.
Journey starts strong with a humorous reluctant hero narrator dragged into adventure by his warden / adoptive uncle. But once we reach the actual underground expedition the book slowly descends into a monotonous crawl. This frustration is further compounded by the Professor Uncle’s complete but also completely successful incompetence. I’m not sure if it was intended to read as humour at the time. But as I neared the third act I often found myself transported into the shoes of the narrator, dragged along on an adventure I no longer wanted by a man who refused to plan. Constantly threw himself and others into what should be lethal endeavours, and then would sit back smugly when despite all logic things worked out exactly as he said they would. Every. Single. Time.
Save yourself the trouble, go read a different classic of your digging around in the roots of the genre.
Considering how much I’d heard, the book’s ongoing status as a literary classic, and the general aura of accomplishment surrounding Verne’s authorial career I expected much more of this book.
There are many other literary classics which deserve a readers time more than Journey to the Centre of the Earth. The Time Machine for example is a far more enjoyable read.
Journey starts strong with a humorous reluctant hero narrator dragged into adventure by his warden / adoptive uncle. But once we reach the actual underground expedition the book slowly descends into a monotonous crawl. This frustration is further compounded by the Professor Uncle’s complete but also completely successful incompetence. I’m not sure if it was intended to read as humour at the time. But as I neared the third act I often found myself transported into the shoes of the narrator, dragged along on an adventure I no longer wanted by a man who refused to plan. Constantly threw himself and others into what should be lethal endeavours, and then would sit back smugly when despite all logic things worked out exactly as he said they would. Every. Single. Time.
Save yourself the trouble, go read a different classic of your digging around in the roots of the genre.