My first Jules Verne and I was a little disappointed. I was generous to give it three stars. The Professor was so self-absorbed, never considering anyone else’s opinions. The story of their journey was interrupted by long, rambling scientific discourse - much of which went over my head. And then Axel’s imagination and daydreams that also interrupted the flow of the story. In fact, I felt there was very little to the actual story. Some other things just didn’t make sense either … after two months together Axel didn’t try to learn how to communicate with Hans. What was Hans’s take on the whole matter? Spoiler alert…
How the heck did they actually come out of the volcano?? And how did their raft not burn up on the way up the volcano shaft? And if they lost everything, how did the Professor still have his money to pay Hans? I guess I needed more of the story and less of the science. And then for the Professor to take credit for everything when Axel was actually the one who deciphered the code AND figured out the compass?!
I was also surprised by the amount of evolution in the book, especially since it was also mixed with references to God and creation.
One of my favorite parts had nothing to do with the story. In the illustrations, which were the original ones, there was a forest of mushroom type trees. The makers of Zelda could have taken inspiration from that illustration:)