The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Brian Selznick

The story I am about to share with you takes place in 1931, under the roofs of Paris. Here you will meet a boy named Hugo Cabret, who once, long ago, discovered a mysterious drawing that changed his life forever. But before you turn the page, I want you to picture yourself sitting ion the darkness, like the beginning of a movie. On screen, the sun will soon rise, and you will find yourself zooming toward a train station in the middle of the city. You will rush through the doors into a crowded lobby. You will eventually spot a boy amid the crowd, and he will start to move through the train station. Follow him, because this is Hugo Cabret. His head is full of secrets, and he's waiting for his story to begin. 
-Professor H. Alcofrisbas 


Hugo Cabret is an orphan, a clock keeper, and a thief. He lives in the walls of a Paris train station, and he has many secrets. But when his world interlocks with an eccentric girl and a bitter old toy-shop owner, his secret is about to be revealed. A cryptic drawing, a notebook, a stolen key, an automan, and a hidden message from Hugo's father make up much of the mystery.

This was the book before Wonderstruck, and I must say that I did like certain elements of Wonderstruck better. For example, the three main characters in The Invention of Hugo Cabret were really nasty to one another. The girl was mean to Hugo, Hugo was mean to her, and the toy-shop owner was horrible towards Hugo. Eventually, you came to understand why (sort of), but I had about zero sympathy with any of them throughout the story. Still, I loved the drawings and the references to old surrealist silent films. The Invention of Hugo Cabret also has a fairly satisfying ending, so I'm still going to give it 4 stars.

Read The Invention of Hugo Cabret:

• if you like mysteries
• if you are interested in silent film
• if you like graphic novels
• if you like black and white drawings

523 pages.

Very Good! I would recommend this book!