Questions About The Invention of Hugo Cabret

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Answered Questions (27)

Hey guys did you like the book or the movie?

David I think this is one of the rare cases where the book and movie are both equally good. The movie was absolutely fantastic. Probably my favorite Scorses…moreI think this is one of the rare cases where the book and movie are both equally good. The movie was absolutely fantastic. Probably my favorite Scorsese movie. It has an innocence and magic to it that his other movies (at least the ones I've seen) lack due to how gritty and serious they are. The book has all the same qualities.(less)

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Do you think this book was steampunk or a later era in France?

Aubrie This is historical fiction, taking place in France during the 1930s. Georges Méliès was an actual man with a knack for "magic" and prop work in his fi…moreThis is historical fiction, taking place in France during the 1930s. Georges Méliès was an actual man with a knack for "magic" and prop work in his films, as many film-makers and even photographers did back then because there was no such thing as Photoshop. Everything was done by hand in a dark room. Now, such movie tricks are usually done with CGI, though there are still experimental film-makers and photographers that still work by hand like he did. I think readers are most confused by the automaton, which they see as futuristic technology. It's actually not, but there was a "Golden Age of Automata" which happened during the last fifty years of the Victorian era, which most of the Steampunk aesthetic is based from. Automatons have actually been built since ancient times and are still in production, though now it's mostly for artistic purposes.(less)

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Is this a Graphic Novel?

Johnny Not really, but it's reminiscent of one at times. There are plenty of sequential pages of what could well be called full-page comic book vignettes, re…moreNot really, but it's reminiscent of one at times. There are plenty of sequential pages of what could well be called full-page comic book vignettes, resulting in a 500-sumtin' page book that you can read in 2h30min or so at a good clip.(less)

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How many pages are in this book and how long do you think it will take?

Aless There are 525 pages and it took me about 4 hours to read in one day.

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Would you recommend watching the movie first of reading the book?

Cricket Muse I watched the movie and then read the book and then found the audiobook, which was so excellent I looked through the book again and will watch the mov…moreI watched the movie and then read the book and then found the audiobook, which was so excellent I looked through the book again and will watch the movie again. All three versions complement each other, yet in this case I would suggest listening to the book with the book in hand because they provide accompanying sounds that match the illustrations making the pictures more dimensional. Watching the movie helps appreciate Selnick’s story, and the movie brings the second part of the book to life as it captures the genius of George’s Melies. (less)

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