Journey to the Center of the Earth: Book Review

Today, we will be reviewing the classic novel Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne. Keep reading to find out what we thought of this timeless adventure novel and if you should add it to your reading list!

Journey to the Center of the Earth Summary

The year is 1863 and Professor Otto Lidenbrock is in Germany with his nephew Axel. Otto has come across an original runic manuscript and decodes with Axel’s help. The note talks about a journey to the center of the Earth. Otto decided to embark on this journey with his nephew and see it for himself.

Ott and Axel travel to Iceland to the volcano mentioned in the note and travel down with their guide Hans Bjelke. As they make their way and get deeper into the Earth, they discover a world inknown to mankind. But this unmapped world is treacherous and life-threatening. Will they reach the center of the Earth or will they perish along the way?

Commentary

Reading Journey to the Center of the Earth was not easy. It has a lot of boring texts and Victorian science that makes it hard to read at times. The adventure itself is interesting and its influence can be scene on sci-fi novels.

My two problems with the novel are that is can be hard to get into because Verne wants to explain everything to the reader. And it feels pointless because as a reader, you won’t even remember much of it five minutes later unless you study these things.

My second problem with the books is that the characters are not memorable. The most facsinating character in the novel is the guide Hans but we don’t learn too much about him. He should have been the protagonist in my opinion.

Conclusion

I can see why this novel would have been popular for its time but it hasn’t aged well. This may be my least favorite Verne novel. After this article, I doubt I will think of it ever again. It is a novel we don’t recommend and one that you will be fine without reading. Let us know what you think of this novel below!

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook