dozette
Jules Verne is literally my childhood author, and for this end of the year I wanted something extra indulgent and a good dose of escapism.
And I got it ! This is a great adventure novel. The descriptions of the Southern Pampas, the Australian outback and the New Zealand coast are spectacular. Granted, the first part is the better one and the ending drags on a bit too long, and you must not be afraid of the usual "Vernism" of technical details and the really didactic geography lessons.
Not all characters are created equal here : forget about the children, relish in Paganel’s delightful antics (and his bromance with the major)
Since this deals with colonised countries, there is a hefty dose of racially offensive descriptions of the indigenous people of Australia and New Zealand, which even put back in the historical context, are eyebrow raising on more than one occasion.
(I can’t believe I never made the link with The Mysterious Island for all of my reading)
Jules Verne is literally my childhood author, and for this end of the year I wanted something extra indulgent and a good dose of escapism.
And I got it ! This is a great adventure novel. The descriptions of the Southern Pampas, the Australian outback and the New Zealand coast are spectacular. Granted, the first part is the better one and the ending drags on a bit too long, and you must not be afraid of the usual "Vernism" of technical details and the really didactic geography lessons.
Not all characters are created equal here : forget about the children, relish in Paganel’s delightful antics (and his bromance with the major)
Since this deals with colonised countries, there is a hefty dose of racially offensive descriptions of the indigenous people of Australia and New Zealand, which even put back in the historical context, are eyebrow raising on more than one occasion.
(I can’t believe I never made the link with The Mysterious Island for all of my reading)