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A review by mkmcelroy
Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne
3.5
Writing a review for a classic is always more difficult for me, especially when I know the book’s general premise and plot going in. I picked up the book hoping to explore the text’s status as a classic more so than truly getting immersed in the plot. The book delivered some key features I was hoping for while not quite hitting the mark on others.
I want to start by saying that I definitely see how it achieved the status and popularity it did. There writing, for one, held up fairly well and included some beautiful descriptions sprinkled throughout the book. It’s exploration of early scifi themes was also incredibly enjoyable. The dynamic between Lidenbrock and Axel forces the reader to consider the true implications of defying conventional wisdom with no easy answers presented. The exploration of that theme kept me the most engaged throughout the book.
Other factors slowed the pacing of the book to a frustrating degree. For my personal taste, the level of detail surrounding scientific minutiae was a bit too heavy handed as the book went on. Some aspects and facts repeated unnecessarily and made the book drag the further into it I got. A bigger factor that impacted the pacing was the proportion of time spent at the “center” of the earth rather than the journey to get there. I of course, expected the journey to be a large part of the book. But the time spent in largely featureless underground tunnels felt unnecessary. This aspect wasn’t quite as frustrating in the moment, as I had my hopes set on a big payoff when they reached the center. But I found the degree of exploration at the center to be less involved than I’d hoped.
Overall I’d give this book 3.5 stars. There were some truly great elements that made the book shine and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to anyone looking for a short, more straightforward classic. And while it not a book I’ll likely read again, it still left me interested in exploring Verne’s later works.
I want to start by saying that I definitely see how it achieved the status and popularity it did. There writing, for one, held up fairly well and included some beautiful descriptions sprinkled throughout the book. It’s exploration of early scifi themes was also incredibly enjoyable. The dynamic between Lidenbrock and Axel forces the reader to consider the true implications of defying conventional wisdom with no easy answers presented. The exploration of that theme kept me the most engaged throughout the book.
Other factors slowed the pacing of the book to a frustrating degree. For my personal taste, the level of detail surrounding scientific minutiae was a bit too heavy handed as the book went on. Some aspects and facts repeated unnecessarily and made the book drag the further into it I got. A bigger factor that impacted the pacing was the proportion of time spent at the “center” of the earth rather than the journey to get there. I of course, expected the journey to be a large part of the book. But the time spent in largely featureless underground tunnels felt unnecessary. This aspect wasn’t quite as frustrating in the moment, as I had my hopes set on a big payoff when they reached the center. But I found the degree of exploration at the center to be less involved than I’d hoped.
Overall I’d give this book 3.5 stars. There were some truly great elements that made the book shine and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to anyone looking for a short, more straightforward classic. And while it not a book I’ll likely read again, it still left me interested in exploring Verne’s later works.