A review by will_cherico
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne

adventurous informative mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I love 20,000 Leagues under the Sea. It's one of the perfect adventure stories, an amazing blend of scientific discovery and exploration that's fascinated me since I was a kid. Pierre Aronnax was a protagonist unlike many I had read before, physically unremarkable but with a mind and sense of wonder that drives him throughout the story. His friendship with Conseil and Ned Land is such a healthy depiction of male friendship (and perhaps romantic love? Who's to say) that authors still struggle to replicate today. The episodic format of the story means that Jules Verne was able to jump from one part of the ocean to another, embracing each part of the ocean he finds himself interested in. From the South Pole to the lost city of Atlantis to just looking at a remarkable school of cuttlefish, each discovery feels just as grand and breathtaking as the last. 
And how can I talk about 20,000 Leagues without talking about Captain Nemo? He's one of my favorite archetypes in literature: the vengeful, hyper-intelligent, misanthrope with just enough hints at his tragic past to make him sympathetic and captivating. His directionless wrath against the imperialist nations that have caused him such grief is such a core emotional part of the story, and while he doesn't seem like much at first Jules Verne knows how to drip-feed us just the right amount of Nemo to keep us loving and intimidated by him.
This book is incredible. Mobilis in mobili.