Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Sukelluslaivalla maapallon ympäri by Jules Verne

15 reviews

ggcd1981's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging mysterious reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

TRIGGER WARNING:
Drowning


Eu não sabia o que esperar ao iniciar Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (Vinte Mil Léguas Submarinas), provavelmente por isso o livro começou forte para mim. A ideia de uma tripulação em um barco do século XIX se juntando para ir em busca de um possível monstro marinho é muito empolgante. A obra possui apenas quatro personagens de destaque são esses: o Professor Pierre Aronnax, o narrador da história; seu leal “servo” Conseil; o lançador de arpão Ned Land; e finalmente o misterioso Capitão Nemo, criador do submarino Nautilus. A medida que eu li o livro, no entanto, a minha “empolgação” inicial foi se ajustando. O livro se mostrou com poucos momentos de ação e me fez sentir em grande parte como se eu estivesse simplesmente observando o dia a dia dos personagens a bordo do Nautilus. Na obra há diversos momentos de mera observação das maravilhas submarinas, dos segredos que o Oceano oculta. Vemos grande parte disso través dos olhos do Professor Aronnax.
Este foi feito prisioneiro juntamente com Conseil e Ned Land ao caírem do barco após a tripulação deste realizar um ataque ao Nautilus. Assim o Capitão Nemo os salvou porem determinou que estes não mais deixariam o submarino. Apesar do ritmo lento houveram momentos de ação, lutas com tubarões, polvos gigantes, culminando na fuga dos prisioneiros em meio a um redemoinho. O aspecto mais interessante da história foi quão intrigante e misterioso o personagem do Capitão Nemo se tornou aos olhos do narrador e também aos meus olhos. Porque ele deu as costas a sociedade? Qual sua história? Qual o real proposito do Nautilus? O que realmente aconteceu enquanto Aronnax, Conseil e Ned Land foram drogados e trancafiados? Nenhuma dessas perguntas foi respondida e isso deixa a obra com um ar mistério. De alguma forma não me sinto decepcionada por não ter descoberto. Acredito que qualquer explicação diminuiria a magnitude do personagem. Como ponto negativo cito o presente racismo e classismo, porém a obra é de 1870 então é esperado que o texto contenha esse tipo de problema. Outro ponto que na verdade apresenta uma dualidade, foi tanto negativo quanto positivo, foi a narração de Aronnax. Essa narração foi negativa por ser desnecessariamente descritiva, o professor descreveu cada planta, peixe, molusco e coral que contemplou, assim como descreveu o funcionamento de todas as maquinas a que teve acesso. Esse elemento deixou a escrita tediosa em alguns momentos, pelo menos para mim. A narração também foi positiva porque o Professor Aronnax passava a surpresa, a empolgação a contemplação maravilhada diante desse novo mundo submarino assim me empolgando também. Achei que a ambiguidade sobre o final de Nemo e do Nautilus foi adequada, teriam eles sobrevivido ao redemoinho ou não? Pergunta cabível para acentuar o ar de mistério sobre o personagem e sua embarcação.
Tirando os pontos negativos apresentados dou a obra um sólido 4.25 estrelas. No momento não decidi se continuarei com a série pois achei a obra satisfatoriamente encerrada. 


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mybestbookshelf's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful informative slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5


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lectrixnoctis's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Jules Gabriel Verne was born in Nantes, France, as the eldest of five children on February 8, 1828. Despite always having a particular interest in literature, he followed his father's footsteps and went to study law in Paris. However, he became involved in an artistic circle and began to write. Up until his death on March 24, 1905, Jules Verne has written over 60 books.

"Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the sea," tells the story of a French marine biologist Pierre Aronnax, his manservant Conseil and Canadian harpooner Ned Land. They are thrown overboard when the monster attacks after joining the hunt for a mysterious sea monster. They find themselves as prisoners of Captain Nemo on the board of the Nautilus, a technologically advanced submarine that was mistaken as the sea monster due to its whale shape. The three companions find themself on the adventure of their lifetime and get to experience the vast and endless beautiful world under the sea.

We follow the point of view of Dr Aronnax, which is highly modelled after Verne himself. Not only do these two share their interest in science. In the first French edition of the novel, Arnnoax illustration was based on Verne himself. The story is parted into two parts. The first one has 24 chapters, and the second part contains 23 chapters. The first-person narrators mostly misread the situation and are therefore unreliable. However, the accurate descriptions of, for example, the sea or the Nautilus are very detailed and lengthy.

One thing that caught my interested the most was Captain Nemo. Like his name, he remains an utter mystery, and we never get to know him and his motives of hatred. The only notable things the reader learns about Nemo is his adoration for the sea and his submarine, which is a prison and also a safe haven for all its passengers. Furthermore, Nemo is a well-read man who enjoys literature, history and even music, and he is stuck in the past despite the technology around him.

Although Verne never got to see the first submarine, he did a beautiful job describing the Nautilus and what humankind could create. Moreover, Verne touches on how humans impact the world environment by mentioning sunken ships and their treasures.

Like many classics, this book does not have any representation of any other than white men. This book has only had four main characters, and all of these are men. When the Nautilus spend some time on the shore of an island, they were attacked by native people called "Savages" in this context. The natives were described as wild and inhuman. 

This novel of Jules Verne is one of his most successful works. It is packed with adventure, political commentary mentioning the European Revolution in 1848, and a scientific utopia. Due to its adventurous nature, this book captured me despite its academically and sometimes dry writing style. However, I do not think that this book is for everybody. If you get bored by reading hundreds of temperatures and navigation data, this book will not be enjoyable.

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josefinceh's review against another edition

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

3.0

I like to preface this with noting that I did listen to this as an audiobook, which usually results in me not paying as much attention to the story as I would if I read a physical copy. 
I feel like this is a lighter option to Moby Dick as far as how in depth Verne goes with the science fact. The story wasn't held up by the factual notes, and Veren's picturesque description of the world he draws is just as intriguing in this book as with his others. This story had a lot of ups and downs, at some parts it was extremely intriguing, and the rest was incredibly slow and just seemed to drag on. 

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hermitqueen's review against another edition

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1.5


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