Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea — Jules Verne

Quick Summary

A sea monster, “a huge thing”, having been reported by several ships around the world, an expedition is organized on the Abraham Lincoln, an American frigate, to purge the seas of this disturbing monster. On board were Frenchman Pierre Aronnax, a professor at the Paris Museum, and Conseil, his faithful servant.

Once in sight of the monster, two huge waterspouts pour over the frigate’s deck, rushing Aronnax, Conseil and Canadian harpooner Ned Land onto the back of the monster… which turns out to be a fabulous submarine, the Nautilus, designed and commanded by a strange character, Captain Nemo, who seems fiercely hostile to all mankind!

My Thoughts

What could be better than discovering Jules Verne with his most popular book, and probably one of the best? “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea” is the first book I’ve read by this author.

And the first thing I’d like to talk about is the writing. I’ve read this book in French, and find it wonderfully well written. Sure, it’s old writing, the book dating from 1870, but it’s writing whose narration, words and expressions used are just perfectly suited to the story. It’s also very descriptive, which isn’t necessarily unpleasant, but it does take some getting used to.