Jules Verne - Journey to the Center of the Earth

Title: Journey to the Center of the Earth
Original title: Voyage au centre de la Terre
Author: Jules Verne
Pub. year: 1864
Pages: 320
Editor: Penguin Books

Summary: What a stunning discovery: an old, coded note that actually contains directions for reaching the Earth’s very core! And once he finds it, renowned geologist Professor Liedenbrock can’t resist setting out with his 16-year-old nephew to go where only one man has gone before. Jules Verne takes young readers on one of the most incredible journeys ever imagined, from Iceland’s frozen tundra far down into fantastic underground prehistoric worlds and back up again through the fires of an erupting volcano.

Being French, it's quite impossible have never heard of Jules Verne. But I have to admit I never tried to read one of his books until this month. I think I was a bit scared that it would be really hard to read, with all the science stuff and the 19th century style. Anyway, I decided to give it a go and see if it was readable or not.

And actually it is. It must be for this author to be as well known as he is, that long after his death. So, obviously, it is quite scientific, but not that much and it's not really important if you don't understand some minor details, you get what they're saying because it's written so that you understand the most important of it.

When it comes to the style, well, it is better than what I expected, even if I'm still not fond of the way of talking and interacting from one and a half century ago. And the way that people are written too. It's just too.. distant, not really endeavouring. Maybe it's because he is a pretty quiet man that I was more curious about Hans, the Icelander, than any of the other. But it didn't stop me from reading the book to the end and enjoying it.

I had never really imagined a world deep under my feet, so it was a nice change and a great adventure! Even if we can easily guess the main plot, we are diving into an unknown and curious place that is full of surprises and mysteries.

Quite a good impression then, even if it's not one of my favorite! I have some other Jules Verne books in my TBR pile, so maybe I'll come back to you with some of them, someday. Meanwhile, you can try this one!

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Jonathan Safran Foer - Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

Title: Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
Author: Jonathan Safran Foer
Pub. year: 2005
Pages: 326
Editor: Penguin Books

Summary: Nine-year-old Oskar Schell is an inventor, amateur entomologist, Francophile, letter writer, pacifist, natural historian, percussionist, romantic, Great Explorer, jeweller, detective, vegan, and collector of butterflies.
When his father is killed in the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Centre, Oskar sets out to solve the mystery of a key he disovers in his father's closet. It is a search which leads him into the lives of strangers, through the five boroughs of New York, into history, to the bombings of Dresden and Hiroshima, and on an inward journey which brings him ever closer to some kind of peace.

I've heard about this author and this book for years, but never had the opportunity to read it. When I heard a movie was being filmed, I thought that I should buy the book quickly before the cover changed, and that I wanted to read it first, so I did.

The book is pretty cool, with pictures and a few colored pages to illustrate what Oskar is talking about, and some other special stuff (I don't want to say too much) that gives a lot of fun to the reading. But let's talk about the story, now...

So, we have Oskar, this young boy who's pretty smart and curious about everything. But smart or not, when someone we love dies, we all feel the same kind of feelings, even if we don't react equally. Oskar finds his way to deal with his father death by busying himself with the investigation about the key he found.

Sure, when you read the summary, you can have the impression that it's going to be a really sad book about a kid who lost his father, but this isn't really what is going on here. We don't really focus on how hard and sad he feels. I mean, you know he is, there's clues about it everywhere, but we are focused on Oskar search, so it isn't that bad (obviously, they did add some tear jerker moments in the movie).

I really enjoyed the way he thinks, the questions he asks, the terms he uses... You can feel he is smart but lost, and that leads you to think about stuff you wouldn't have thought about. I like that in a book. I also learned a few stuff I didn't know about the world, which was pretty cool.

But if Oskar is the main character of this story, he isn't the only one. I really liked the parts with his grandparents, it brings a whole new side to the story. I was a bit desappointed not to see that on the screen but it would have been too long to show everything. They both are really endearing people, with their wounds and their flaws, their kindness and their sadness.

So... As you can see, this book quickly joined my favorites and I heartily recommend it!

Quotes :
'It was so dark that it was even hard to hear.'

'Sometimes I can hear my bones straining under the weight of all the lives I'm not living.'

'Why didn't I learn to treat everything like it was the last time. My greatest regret was how much I believed in the future.'

'I hope that one day you will have the experience of doing something you do not understand for someone you love.'

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