Group Classics Read - 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea - Mar & Apr 2017- SPOILERS ALLOWED

[Paul]

Spoilers are allowed in this thread. Please unselect 'Add to my update feed' so other don't see your comments.
Things to consider:
1. Did you like the book?
2. Did you like or dislike the main characters?
3. Do the characters develop?
4. What did you think of the plot and the ending of the story?
5. Do you have any particular favourite quotes or scenes?
6. Would you read anything else by this author?

[Nikki]

My review
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I listened to an abridged audio version and read the book.

It was not for me. The endless lists and facts got in the way for me. I also wanted to know more about Nemo.

I probably wouldn't read anything else by the author although the book did have a feel of "The Time Machine" which I liked as a teenager - less so as an adult.

[Pamela]

Like Nikki, I found all the lists a bit too much. It was like reading a marine biology textbook at times.

However, I did like the adventures they had such as getting trapped in ice, and fighting giant squid. The characters didn't develop much, Nemo was intriguing but we only got glimpses of his character and his story.

I thought the book ended well with quite a lot of drama, and I certainly admire Verne's knowledge and imagination. I would read more by him, as his style was quite readable, if you ignore the lists!

[Rebecca]

I agree with Nikki and Pamela. There were enjoyable bits where there was some action and adventure but I ended up skimming whole passages of lists and details.

I was intrigued by Nemo's story, it's a shame we didn't find out more about him.

[Paul]

I hated this book; and “hated” is a word that does not come easily use when it comes to books.
I hated this with a passion.
As others have mentioned, much of time it just seemed to an endless list – which had little, or no, relevance to the bigger story.
I would have given it one star, but raised it to two just because it showed great imagination to envisage this underwater world. I also think there is a great alternative story in here: what drove and motivated Captain Nemo: as Nikki, Becky and Pamela mentioned, I would have loved to have read his back story.

[Patricia]

Paul wrote: "I hated this book; and “hated” is a word that does not come easily use when it comes to books.
I hated this with a passion.
As others have mentioned, much of time it just seemed to an endless list..."

I followed this up with Gulliver's Travels without thinking about the similarities. Based on your hatred of 20000 Leagues, I'm not going to recommend it to you! Only slightly fewer lists, but the lists didn't bother me in the other book so I'm enjoying it.