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Something hit Ben Wilson and he
opened his eyes.
Opening words to
Wonderstruck
by Brian Selznick
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In his new novel Wonder Struck, Mr. Selznick continues the experiment with words and pictures he began in The Invention of Hugo Cabret. The story-line in Wonder Struck is similar but simpler than Hugo Cabret was. The are children on the run, this time a deaf girl and a boy looking for his father. There is a marvelous old building to hide in, this time the Museum of Natural History in New York City. There is a connection with the past that brings about the novel's resolution. The deaf girl's story is told through pictures intermingled with the boy's story which is told in text. She moves forward in time while his story looks back to the past. Their paths cross at the the Museum of Natural History where their connection is revealed.
I was disappointed to find no fresh devices in Wonder Struck. The story is good; it's very well told, too, but Mr. Selznick is using the same sort of visual tricks he used in Hugo Cabret: repeating the same scene but gradually pulling back to reveal details that change what we think of the scene and lots of drawings of children running through large scary urban spaces for example. There is so much ephemera picturing the Museum of Natural History over the years that I was surprised to find none of it in Wonder Struck. No photographs, no antique maps, no diagrams or newspaper articles. Mr. Selznick's drawings are marvelous, he is one of the best illustrators currently working in any format, but I missed the use of photographs that helped bring so much fun to Hugo Cabret.
Mr. Selznick has produced wonderful work in the past. This time he's done something that is very good. If only he hadn't spoiled us with The Invention of Hugo Cabret.
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9 comments:
same reaction here. good, but not as good as Hugo. here is my review: http://wordsandpeace.com/2011/10/14/74-review-wonderstruck/
I felt the same way about Wonderstruck. I loved it but it's not Hugo.
My book club will be reading this book in June. Our youngest member selected it. I like the idea of mixing text and pictures...I haven't read Hugo, so I might enjoy this.
I absolutely loved this book. It didn't hold the magic that Hugo did only because it came second. But I was very enchanted. I don't think I would ever tire of his schtick if that is all he did for the rest of his life.
Hugo was so freaking good that I've been putting off reading Wonder
Struck. It's so hard to live up to a book like Hugo.
I'm going to go with Sandy's position, I think. Though this one is not as good as Hugo, it is very good, the techniques used are all goods ones, the story is a good one. It's good!
I think I may have been too harsh on Wonder Struck the first time around.
Good review.
I loved Hugo but can see why it is a hard book to follow. Your comments about its simplicity make me think I should try reading this one to my boys instead of by myself. I'll try to appreciate it for what it is and not compare it to Hugo.
It's funny that I liked this book even more than Hugo Cabret. When I finished reading it to my class, and turned the last page, they broke into spontaneous appluase. I think it's amazing they were able, in third grade, to follow the simultaneous story lines.
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