Title: A Fantasy of Dr. Ox
Author: Jules Verne
Genre: Fiction, Novella
About the Book...
In the Flemish town of Quiquendone to say things are done by its citizens at a leisurely pace is an understatement. Decisions about making minor decisions carry out over a day if not longer, emergencies are treated with languid regard, and even discussions about having discussions drag out. Or at least that's how it is until Dr. Ox arrives to install gas lighting for the town. What the residents don't realize is that the new lighting is providing a means of experimentation and that courtesy of Dr. Ox their lives are going to suddenly speed up.
Written in 1872, this is a satirical novella about science and the carrying out of experiments.
What I Think...
In the past I haven't been a huge fan of Verne, but finding this one among the Alma Classics 101 Page books and being intrigued by the description, I thought I'd give it a go.
Written in 1872, this is a satirical novella about science and the carrying out of experiments.
What I Think...
In the past I haven't been a huge fan of Verne, but finding this one among the Alma Classics 101 Page books and being intrigued by the description, I thought I'd give it a go.
I wouldn't put this book in the category of world's greatest classics, but it was interesting. It's fairly straightforward and simple in terms of plot, which makes somewhat predictable, although not in a bad way. As I had hoped the excessive droning on about scientific aspects, which is part of why I tend to avoid some of Verne's books, was lacking. Instead it was light and, at times, quite funny! In all its silliness, though, it definitely makes one think about the ethics behind experimentation on unsuspecting subjects that isn't that far off from many views held today. It also presents some interesting ideas about the functioning of a society and what happens when they're forced outside of the norm.
To Sum it All Up...
A quick and amusing read, which even over a hundred years after having been published still proves relevant in the message it presents to the reader.♥
This sounds rather charming - and makes one wonder why there hasn't been a film adaptation yet (perhaps as a children's movie?).
ReplyDeleteThere are elements to a highly languid lifestyle and way of approaching one's existence that appeal to me greatly (especially in this highly digital era we find ourselves living in), but as someone who tends to make swift decisions (or to agonize mercilessly for ages if I'm unable to do so), that aspect is less appealing and so I might welcome the good doctor's new lighting experiment.
Thank you very much for this delightful review. I adore it when you share what you've been reading with us.
Autumn Zenith 🧡 Witchcrafted Life
I hadn't thought of it, but it is somewhat surprising there hasn't been a movie version of it. It seems like it would have been just the sort of thing someone would have wanted to make into a cartoon in the 60's or 70's.
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