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bonnybonnybooks 's review for:
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
by Jules Verne
Like [b:Moby-Dick or, The Whale|153747|Moby-Dick or, The Whale|Herman Melville|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327940656l/153747._SY75_.jpg|2409320], the underlying story is good, but it is bogged down by the author's numerous random "scientific"/"historical" asides (some of which is real science and history, and some of which is pseudoscience and pseudohistory). This would have been much more fascinating in the 19th century when it was published, when the audience would never see ocean creatures or travel to the exotic locales described in the book. But with access to YouTube and airplanes, I have a much lower tolerance for having all kinds of fish be explained to me.
The part that surprised me the most were the moments of humor. Verne is a witty writer, and there were some lines that actually made me burst out laughing, like this indignant remark by the bold harpooner Ned Land:
"My friends," I said, "we mustn't despair. We've gotten out of tighter spots. So please do me the favor of waiting a bit before you form your views on the commander and crew of this boat."
"My views are fully formed," Ned Land shot back. "They're rogues!"
"Oh good! And from what country?"
"Roguedom!".
The part that surprised me the most were the moments of humor. Verne is a witty writer, and there were some lines that actually made me burst out laughing, like this indignant remark by the bold harpooner Ned Land:
"My friends," I said, "we mustn't despair. We've gotten out of tighter spots. So please do me the favor of waiting a bit before you form your views on the commander and crew of this boat."
"My views are fully formed," Ned Land shot back. "They're rogues!"
"Oh good! And from what country?"
"Roguedom!".