I finished reading Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea by Jules Verne. I bought it in Gold Coast because it was really old and had this gorgeous deep red hardback cover that was falling apart, and so I bought it, and I read it until school started, and then I read it at random intervals and last night I finally finished it.

I think it is one of my favourite books ever.

I'm not sure if it's the concept or the brilliant delivery (I can't imagine how much better it must be in French), but Jules Verne wrote a science fiction classic and it was amazing.

Firstly, the entire story revolves around a engineering marvel, the Nautilus, which is basically a submarine. And even though I freakin' know what a submarine is, the way it was written, I was thinking wtf is this amazing machine. Jules Verne wrote TTLUTS before submarines were invented so for him it really was a fictional creation, that eventually became reality. But to know that what it was, was actually a submarine, is such a letdown because Verne describes and portrays it in such a futuristic way! Scientifically he got lots of things wrong, meaning the Nautilus, down to every detail, cannot physically operate in reality. However, despite these technicalities, if you lose yourself in the wonder of it all, it really is amazing.

Secondly, the biggest mystery is that of Captain Nemo, the enigmatic captain of the Nautilus, who goes through the story with no hint of his real name, his nationality or his background. But we do know that he is a man who has voluntarily severed all ties and communication with civilization, that he has built his home in the Nautilus and settled under the surface of the sea to live his life. At the end of the book it is revealed that he has been harbouring a frightful vengeance against a particular nation, and that it stems from how something that happened there (perhaps war, or genocide or something) killed his family.

On board the Nautilus, Captain Nemo and all his crew speak a language created to be incomprehensible to anyone not of the vessel. Throughout the book you know nothing about where any of these men come from, who they are or what their story is. And so, nearing the end, when the battle with the giant poulpes take place, and one tentacle seizes one of the crew, I nearly cried. It is from the point of view of the protagonist, Pierre Annorax, a prisoner on board the Nautilus:

"What a scene! The unhappy man, seized by the tentacle and fastened to its blowholes, was balanced in the air according to the caprice of this enormous trunk. He was choking, and cried out, "À moi! à moi!" ("Help! help!"). These French words caused me a profound stupor. Then I had a countryman on board, perhaps several! I shall hear that heartrending cry all my life!" 

and

"Amidst the struggle it was the cry of despair uttered by the unfortunate man that had wrung my heart. The poor Frenchman, forgetting his conventional language, had spoken the language of his country and his mother to utter his last appeal! Then I had a countryman amongst the crew of the Nautilus, associated body and soul with Captain Nemo, avoiding, like him, contact with men!"

I wanted to die... it was so sad. I always get over-emotional about fictional characters. I'll be depressed about a book for days on end. But this was the most powerful part for me, I think. To know that you have a connection with somebody, something beyond just mere acquaintances, right when they are about to die. That you are tethered to your country, your motherland, no matter how hard you try to resist it, I think, that is important too.

I really loved this book. Jules Verne was a great writer in his time and I think he's still considered one now. And now I really regret not reading this book before I took the TTLUTS ride at Disneyland. UGH. And it really cemented the fact that science fiction is one of my all time favourite genres. Even though I've never read/watched the more famous ones e.g. star trek, star wars. But I find my own sci-fi treasures and jewels, and I love them very much

Top genres (no order)
science fiction
magical realism
fantasy

I don't really like books that are too real or relevant to my reality because if it's sad, I become SO depressed I wish I never read it at all