The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

 
Title: The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

Pages: 534

How it was obtained: Library

Time spent on the "to read" shelf: 0 days.

Days spent reading it: 2 days.

Why I read it: The concept for the book seemed interesting.

Brief review: The Invention of Hugo Cabret is a unique offering. The story is told through two mediums—written words and pictures. The story is about Hugo Cabret who discovers and begins to repair an early prototype of a robotic machine. The story is fairly basic. It follows Hugo as he repairs the machine and introduces a few characters along the way.  It is clear that Brian Selznick loved early movies and Hugo's adventures depend on people caring about those kind of movies as well.

Overall I thought this book was only alright. It looked very creative as a media presentation, but the story line was just not that great. The pictures, while moving the plot, also were not my cup of tea. I hope Selznick attempts more books like this because it is a good idea, but it just was not executed as well as it could have been. I would recommend to middle school students who might not like to read too much but do enjoy seeing plots unfold through pictures. Not too bad, not too great.

Favorite quote: "Time can play all sorts of tricks on you. In the blink of an eye, babies appear in carriages, coffins disappear into the ground, wars are won and lost, and children transform, like butterflies, into adults."

Stars: 3.5 out of 5.

Final Word: Different.