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sowalsky 's review for:
The Mysterious Island
by Jules Verne
Apart from its enormous entertainment value, "The Mysterious Island" is notable for laying bare to the reader, in concise and lucid language, many of the industrial processes which transformed the world throughout the 19th century. Whether smelting ore, constructing mills, manufacturing batteries, or domesticating wildlife, the five (eventually six) castaways on Lincoln Island form themselves into a sort of living, breathing tableau from a museum of industrial history. Happily, none of this is at the expense of the story, which combines the science with elements of a classic castaway tale and a dose of mystery thrown in for good measure.
Although all of the characters are stylized and, therefore, stereotypical in many ways, the character of Neb deserves particular attention. All of the "colonists" of Lincoln Island are escaped prisoners of the U.S. Confederacy during the Civil War. This immediately tips us off to Verne's sympathies, and it is abundantly clear that he supported the Union, not neglecting the issue of abolition. Neb, thus, is a former slave who, upon being freed, has chosen to remain with Cyrus Harding, his "master." Consider that this is from a progressive-minded writer who clearly opposed slavery. Neb is never condescended to, his observations and conjectures are listened to with all seriousness, and on numerous occasions he proves himself in every way the equal of his peers. But the prejudices still creep in, despite the best intentions. Neb becomes the colony's un-official cook, taking over the kitchen, the implication being that it comes "most naturally" to him. He is also depicted as the most superstitious of the bunch, despite the fact that he can read and write (i.e., it can't merely be chalked up to lack of education). And, in the end, he dotes over Cyrus Harding to the negligence of his own welfare, indicating a blind, fanatical devotion. Evidently, deep-set racial prejudices are hard to shake, and it encourages present-day readers to reflect on the content of their own characters.
It is easy to level other criticism against "The Mysterious Island" as well. Lincoln Island is presented as a near-perfect microcosm of the Earth. Very few resources are lacking, and for those that are, reasonable substitutes always seem to be at hand. The island provides them with water, food, and dubiously convenient natural shelter. The suspension of disbelief is challenged on numerous other counts. For example, the castaways happen to have brought an intelligent and faithful dog with them, who proves invaluable with regard to both hunting and security. Similarly, through a series of unlikely events, the castaways are able to domesticate a wild orangutan, training him to serve as a sort of valet. Even the presence of Cyrus Harding (not "Smith" in this edition) is remarkable, as the depth and breadth of his technical knowledge apparently know no bounds. Harding is the equivalent of a 19th century Renaissance man, despite the fact that, by the time this book was written, it was practically impossible to obtain such mastery over so many specialized areas of knowledge. And, as Isaac Asimov notes in his afterword, the colonists never rub each other the wrong way (let alone fight), and the subject of women is never mentioned.
Interestingly enough, none of these criticism mar the novel much, even to a contemporary reader. Verne so effectively intertwines science, adventure, mystery, social commentary, and character development, that the flaws just cited are only regarded as afterthoughts. The reader is swept up. As regards the mystery, Verne allows it to percolate very slowly and, in the end, it provides closure to a story arc which he had initiated many years earlier. Elements of the ending may come off as predictable, even trite, from our perspective, but it's always best to consider how readers in 1874 might have responded.
Exciting, provocative, and worthy of the mystery in its title. One of the best Verne novels I've read.
Although all of the characters are stylized and, therefore, stereotypical in many ways, the character of Neb deserves particular attention. All of the "colonists" of Lincoln Island are escaped prisoners of the U.S. Confederacy during the Civil War. This immediately tips us off to Verne's sympathies, and it is abundantly clear that he supported the Union, not neglecting the issue of abolition. Neb, thus, is a former slave who, upon being freed, has chosen to remain with Cyrus Harding, his "master." Consider that this is from a progressive-minded writer who clearly opposed slavery. Neb is never condescended to, his observations and conjectures are listened to with all seriousness, and on numerous occasions he proves himself in every way the equal of his peers. But the prejudices still creep in, despite the best intentions. Neb becomes the colony's un-official cook, taking over the kitchen, the implication being that it comes "most naturally" to him. He is also depicted as the most superstitious of the bunch, despite the fact that he can read and write (i.e., it can't merely be chalked up to lack of education). And, in the end, he dotes over Cyrus Harding to the negligence of his own welfare, indicating a blind, fanatical devotion. Evidently, deep-set racial prejudices are hard to shake, and it encourages present-day readers to reflect on the content of their own characters.
It is easy to level other criticism against "The Mysterious Island" as well. Lincoln Island is presented as a near-perfect microcosm of the Earth. Very few resources are lacking, and for those that are, reasonable substitutes always seem to be at hand. The island provides them with water, food, and dubiously convenient natural shelter. The suspension of disbelief is challenged on numerous other counts. For example, the castaways happen to have brought an intelligent and faithful dog with them, who proves invaluable with regard to both hunting and security. Similarly, through a series of unlikely events, the castaways are able to domesticate a wild orangutan, training him to serve as a sort of valet. Even the presence of Cyrus Harding (not "Smith" in this edition) is remarkable, as the depth and breadth of his technical knowledge apparently know no bounds. Harding is the equivalent of a 19th century Renaissance man, despite the fact that, by the time this book was written, it was practically impossible to obtain such mastery over so many specialized areas of knowledge. And, as Isaac Asimov notes in his afterword, the colonists never rub each other the wrong way (let alone fight), and the subject of women is never mentioned.
Interestingly enough, none of these criticism mar the novel much, even to a contemporary reader. Verne so effectively intertwines science, adventure, mystery, social commentary, and character development, that the flaws just cited are only regarded as afterthoughts. The reader is swept up. As regards the mystery, Verne allows it to percolate very slowly and, in the end, it provides closure to a story arc which he had initiated many years earlier. Elements of the ending may come off as predictable, even trite, from our perspective, but it's always best to consider how readers in 1874 might have responded.
Exciting, provocative, and worthy of the mystery in its title. One of the best Verne novels I've read.