The Invention of Hugo Cabret: Review

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

      With the recent release of Hugo in our cinemas, I was recommended to read the book prior to watching the film. Across a week of furious writing (and the rare schoolwork) I did so, and found myself entranced by the imagination that was put into the novel, not only through words but also through the pictures.

Some trivia about this imaginative book

• The book has 284 pictures within 533 pages.
• It was the first novel to win the Caldecott Award, in 2008.

Personal response

      The book drew me into a world of logical fiction, with connections to the history of France (Georges Melies was an illusionist as well as a filmmaker, and the facts are included in the novel), and this curious character by the name of Hugo Cabret. He did not have a particularly good childgood, with both the death of his father and uncle, and he was certainly poor, yet he had survival instincts which help him throughout the book.

      In order to escape the orphanage and the Station Inspector's prying nose, he pretends that his uncle never left the station, continuing to keep the clocks around the station on time, as a young gifted horologist even as young as he is. In his spare time he often steals from the toy shop and other such shops, using what he steals from the toy shop to fix a curious automaton in his possession.

      The images that entangle with the writing give a physical assistance to imagining how it was, without a worded description, which thus drives your mind to think up your own description, as well as/or even letting you imagine a moving scene, with the pace of some pictures, particularly during a chase scene.

     The storyline itself was increasingly interesting as it progressed, seeing how Hugo matured across the pages, and the development of his personality with the introductions of other characters, such as Isabelle and her godfather (the owner of the toy shop). Together, he and Isabelle make an intriguing pair, as they unravel mysteries which surprise so many readers I have heard from, and have even experienced myself.

      Faults, faults, faults .. It was too short. I wanted to learn more, I wanted to see more of the characters and how they grew up, and I especially wished to know how Hugo turned out after the epilogue, with just those words on the consequences of the main storyline.

Recommendation
      Would I recommend this book? Absolutely. It has so many elements to it, with the historical and foreign (unless you are French) setting, and then the fantasy and mystery, and so many other threads flowing from it.

Imagination Iota Rating

NOTE: The Rating:
The 'Iota' rating has now been put into place to show how much I enjoy the book in particular. Each book will be rated out of TEN Iotas, as demonstrated above with the Ten Iota Rating. This is to give more originality to the blog, as well as linking to Latin, as so few do in these current times. Thank you.

Tempus Imaginor