In Search of the Castaways by Jules Verne

2025 marks my ten year anniversary of starting off my reading with a Jules Verne novel. That feels crazy to me, but time flies I suppose. It still feels right to begin the year with a grand adventure, especially this year, as I am working to get back to reading like I used to again. As such, I picked up where I left off last year and continued my journey through the Extraordinary Voyages series with In Search of the Castaways. This is the fifth book in the series, coming in between From the Earth to the Moon and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, both of which I have read in previous years. I have long since run out of Jules Verne novels that I have heard of before, so I went into this one blind. As I read, I discovered that this book is actually three books in one, each detailing the adventures of the characters in different places around the world. That's why it's taken me so long to finish and write about it!

The story begins with the Scottish noble Lord Glenarvan and his new wife Helena enjoying their first voyage on their brand new pleasure yacht. In the course of their trip, Glenarvan and his crew catch a hammerhead shark and decide to examine its stomach contents to see if it ate anything interesting (and it is a mark of my familiarity with 19th century adventure novels that I didn't bat an eye at this). They end up finding a bottle in the shark's stomach with a message inside. The message is damaged, but the group manages to read enough of it to understand that a man named Captain Grant was shipwrecked a few years ago and has been taken captive, along with two of his fellow sailors. After doing a little detective work with ship registers and geography, they determine that he must be somewhere along the 37th parallel, likely in South America. Glenarvan takes this information to the English authorities right away, and runs an ad in the newspaper in an attempt to connect with Captain Grant's family. 

His efforts with the English come to nothing; they refuse to send a search party citing the expense and the unlikelihood of Grant still being alive. The newspaper ad, however, is more successful. Sixteen year old Mary Grant and her younger brother Robert turn up. They assumed their father was lost at sea years ago and are desperate for more information about what might have happened. Upon hearing that he may still be alive, but there is no one to help him, they fall into despair. Glenarvan and his wife, moved by the children's distress, decide to launch a search expedition for him themselves. They ready their yacht, assemble a crew, and all set sail together for South America.

Joining them on their journey are a colorful cast of worthy adventurers. John Mangles, the captain of the yacht, is an expert sailor that knows his business. His first mate, Tom Austin, is similarly experienced and helpful. Muscle and wisdom is provided by Major McNabbs, a military hero and cousin of Glenarvan. At fifty years of age, he is described as unflappable and even-tempered in the extreme. Nothing surprises him and he is able to endure anything. His bravery and athleticism are unmatched. This group is rounded out by the addition of a surprise guest - Jacques Paganel. Paganel is a famous French geographer that is always getting into mishaps, one of which is accidentally boarding Glenarvan's yacht instead of the steamer he was meant to get on. By the time he realizes his mistake, it is too late to turn back and he decides to just join the group and lend his geographical talents to their mission.

From there, the adventurers travel from one place to another on a search and rescue mission that spans several continents and thousands of miles. The first book details their adventures across South America, the second book sees them travel through Australia, and the third book chronicles their journey through New Zealand. On each leg of the journey they run across dangers like earthquakes, floods, and landslides. They also encounter dangers from other people, like escaped convicts and tribes of cannibals. Clues of Captain Grant's whereabouts are scarce and easily misinterpreted, and this keeps them constantly on the move, hoping each time that their most recent theory will be the correct one. Each time, the bravery and quick thinking of the group sees them through, although their journey takes a toll on their spirits. Eventually, their travels lead them to a little known island in the Pacific where the mystery of Captain Grant will finally be revealed.

This novel was a little different as it did not contain any science fiction elements. It is purely a geographical journey with a lot of information about the different terrains, animals, and people of each continent they visit. As is usual with a Jules Verne novel, his information is factual for the time period. Also as is usual, his depiction of the indigenous peoples of each area are certainly outdated and reflective of the attitudes of the time period. This is, unfortunately, an inescapable part of reading a lot of older novels. To Verne's credit, however, there are positive depictions of native people included as well. In particular, their adventures in South America bring them into contact with a man named Thalcave, whose knowledge and abilities are an integral part of the group's survival. He was definitely one of the more interesting characters.

I did enjoy the story overall, but it definitely started to feel a bit long by the third book. There's only so much geographical information one can absorb over the course of a story without getting bored. Luckily, there were enough story elements included to keep things engaging for me, but all the adventuring and danger did get repetitive. I would not say that this is a must-read novel, but it does have that classic Jules Verne feel to it. So, if old school adventures are your thing, this might be a enjoyable reading experience for you. I would place this novel in the middle of the pack if I were to rank all the Verne novels I have read so far. Even so, it was a fun way to start the year off. I'm looking forward to what will come next now that I can read more again!

2025 Reading Challenges Tally:

Goodreads Reading Challenge: 1/40

Clear the Shelves 2025: 1

Reading Resolutions: 2025

 

Happy 2025! It would be an understatement to say that I'm feeling excited about reading this year. With my degree finally finished I can get back to being my bookish self from now on. I'm hoping to get back to reading and blogging like I used to, so I'm setting my goals a little bit higher than I have in the past few years. That being said, I know I have to take my time easing back into the swing of things. I'm still mainly going to focus on reading books from my shelves. I'm really hoping to clear off some shelf space this year because I have a whole lot of hobbies and I need the room!

My Goodreads goal for this year will be 40 books. This is more than my goal of 30 from last year, but not outrageously higher. I'm interested to see how quickly (or not) I can reach this.

My other reading goal will be to read books from my own shelves. I still have an absolutely insane number of unread books in my TBR pile and I want to continue chipping away at the stack. Last year I did manage to read 24 of them, so this year my goal will be to beat that. I will keep track of my progress here.

So those are my modest goals for 2025 as I attempt to rediscover my reading self. I'm looking forward to getting back to some familiar territory. I feel like a stranger to myself these days. It's time to come back home.

Clear the Shelves 2025

 

Once again, I will be trying to read books from my own shelves in 2025. I'm hoping for big numbers this year! I at least want to beat my total of 24 from last year. I will keep a list of everything I read in this post:

1.

End of 2024 Reading

The best possible thing has finally happened. After two and a half very long years of hard work and sacrifice, my master's degree is finally finished. I have my degree in remedial reading and language arts. I know more about reading disabilities and intervention than I ever thought I would and I finally feel a little more confident in my work as a reading specialist at my school. 

While all of that is inarguably wonderful, perhaps the most wonderful thing of all is the fact that I can now get back to being myself. I've been so tired and out of it for so long that I barely remember back to when regular reading and blogging about it was part of my life. Spending so much time learning about how people read took me right out of the magic of reading for pleasure. It might take me a bit to get warmed up here, but I'm coming back to all this.

In the fall and early winter, I did read a bit here and there. I didn't write any real reflections on the books, so I thought I would just list the titles here with my star rating for the sake of completeness.

Gilded by Marissa Meyer (4/5 stars)
Cursed by Marissa Meyer (4/5 stars)

A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcie Little Badger (4/5 stars)

I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys (4/5 stars)

Gallant by V.E. Schwab (4/5 stars)

Beasts and Beauty by Soman Chainani (5/5 stars)

Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel (5/5 stars)

An Arrow to the Moon by Emily X.R. Pan (4/5 stars)

Miles Morales Suspended by Jason Reynolds (4/5 stars)

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead (5/5 stars) 

Dig by A.S. King (5/5 stars)

It's exciting to think about planning my reading goals for next year. I could do a challenge again. I could read more than a book or two a month again. It feels so nice to have these possibilities open. I definitely don't regret getting my degree, but I am so, so, so happy it's finished. See you all in 2025!

2024 Reading Challenges Tally:

Goodreads Reading Challenge: 25/30

Clear the Shelves 2024: 23

Summer Reading Roundup Part 2

 

I have been enjoying my summer so much this year. I didn't have to take a class, I wasn't being paid to do any extra school work, and nobody really needed me for anything. It was bliss. I got a bit of reading done, of course. This post is a continuation of my thoughts on my latest reads.

I've had Winger by Andrew Smith sitting on my shelf for years now. In my ongoing efforts to clear off shelf space, I finally picked it up. I read Grasshopper Jungle by this author way back in 2016 and really enjoyed how it blended science fiction and realistic teen coming of age elements. This book was quite different from that one, but still enjoyable nonetheless. 

Winger follows a fourteen year old boy named Ryan Dean West through his sophomore year at a boarding school. He is very smart, and, due to him skipping a grade in his younger years, is viewed as a kid by many of his classmates. The story follows his struggle to fit in with his peers and his budding romance with his best friend, Annie. This is a coming of age story, and a solidly realistic one. It's filled with the immaturity and selfishness you'd expect from a teen boy, but it's surprisingly heartfelt as well. 

There was one aspect of it that bugged me a bit. Right at the end of the novel, a jarringly serious and tragic event occurs . It didn't really match the tone of the rest of the novel and there was not enough time to watch the characters process it. I can see how it fit into the story and how Smith tied it into his overall themes of growing up, but I thought it could have been incorporated into the story better. As it was, it kind of smacks you in the face and then the story is over. I would give this one 3/5 stars.

Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult follows Ruth, a labor and delivery nurse in Connecticut. She is a strong nurse, but her reputation and integrity are called into question when a white supremacist family delivers a baby in her hospital. They request that Ruth, who is African American, not be allowed to touch their baby. The hospital complies with their wishes and instructs Ruth not to care for the infant. Later, when the infant dies after a routine procedure, the family blames Ruth and decides to sue her, claiming that she let their baby die on purpose in an act of revenge against their family. The story is presented from three perspectives, that of Ruth, the infant's father, and the lawyer who takes Ruth's case. 

I enjoyed this novel and thought it touched on difficult topics like racism, privilege, and relationships with grace and wisdom. It's always tricky when a white author takes on a story like this one, but I thought Picoult did a good job presenting Ruth's feelings. The ending was a little bit too ideal in some respects, but overall I thought this was a good read. 4/5 stars.

2024 Reading Challenges Tally:

Goodreads Reading Challenge: 14/30

Clear the Shelves 2024: 13

Summer Reading Roundup Part 1

Summer is here and it has been bliss. The first bit of it has been crowded with some family vacations, but I am back now and reading to sink into a routine of reading and all the rest of my cozy hobbies. Since I last posted, I finished a few more books and wanted to jot down a few thoughts.

 

Girl Mans Up by M-E Giraud follows eighteen year old Pen as she navigates through her way through her last bit of high school as a masculine lesbian. She meets a girl she's head over heels for the pair start dating. She faces difficulties, however, from her traditional-minded parents and insensitive peers. This story featured excellent representation and diversity. It was a heartfelt and realistic look at what LGBTQIA+ teens often go through.  4/5 stars.

The One Memory of Flora Banks by Emily Barr follows seventeen-year-old Flora Banks, a girl with no short term memory. She has not been able to form new memories since she was a small child and lives with her extremely protective parents. When she unexpectedly forms a new memory with a boy she likes, Flora becomes determined to reconnect with him, no matter how far outside her comfort zone she has to push herself. In doing so, she begins to uncover some truths about her situation that she didn't remember and understand what she is capable of doing, despite her difficult situation. This was a very unique and engaging read. It was well-written and very interesting. I enjoyed it quite a bit. 4/5 stars.

Attachments by Rainbow Rowell is a romcom novel follows a young man named Lincoln who is hired as a night shift IT assistant at a newspaper. Part of his job involves monitoring employee emails. In the course of his work, he begins taking an interest in the emails exchanged by two employees, Beth and Jennifer. They send irreverent, funny, and heartfelt messages back and forth about their lives. Lincoln, rather than sending them a warming about the frivolous use of their work email, begins reading the emails nightly. He finds himself falling in love with Beth through her writing, but he doesn't know how to make a relationship between them work, given his somewhat creepy and awkward way of getting to know her. I thought this novel was pretty cute and I did enjoy reading it. As usual, Rainbow Rowell's writing is sharp and funny. It's an older book. so some of her jokes haven't aged particularly well, but overall I liked her writing style. The idea of someone reading your email for months and then approaching you with romantic interest is inherently problematic, but I think Rowell addresses it fairly well in the story. This was a cute read if you don't think too hard about it. 3/5 stars.

We Are Okay by Nina LaCour follows a young woman named Marin that lives with her grandfather on the California coast. As the story begins, we learn that Marin went through some sort of traumatic event at home and abruptly left for college in New York. She didn't take anything with her and hasn't spoken to anyone from her old life since. She is clearly very deeply hurt and struggling to function normally at school. As the plot develops further, we learn more details about what happened and watch Marin try to come to terms with her part any move forward. This book is definitely better if you head into it without knowing specific details, so I won't spoil any here. I thought this book was very touching and engaging. Definitely worth the read. 4/5 stars.

So that wraps up my latest reading. I'll be back with the rest of my summer reading in a later post. I hope everyone is having a happy and relaxing summer!

2024 Reading Challenges Tally:

Goodreads Reading Challenge: 12/30

Clear the Shelves 2024: 12

Spring Break Reading

 

Last week was my spring break and I took the opportunity to luxuriate in lots and lots of reading. It was so nice to slip back into my old habits for a little while! I always feel more like myself when I'm lost in a good book. Now that I'm back to the usual grind of work and school, I don't have time to write long reviews. I figured I'd just jot down a few thoughts on the four books I read here.

My first book was St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves by Karen Russell. This was a short story collection, which is not a format I typically read, but I really enjoyed this one. Each of the short stories had a magical, surreal quality to them and were very well written. I felt like each one could have been turned into a longer novel successfully. I was always left wanting to know more. My favorite story out of the collection was the eponymous "St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves," which focused on a school dedicated to civilizing the human children of werewolves. It was a story with a totally wild premise that spoke to very real ideas about identity and belonging. I really enjoyed Karen Russel's weird and imaginative style and would definitely read something by her again. This was a 4/5 book for me.

My next book was Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple. This irreverent novel focused on an anxiety-ridden woman named Bernadette that simply disappears from her home following a series of increasingly awkward misunderstandings that paint her in a bad light. The story is presented as a collection of documents collected by her precocious adolescent daughter as she attempts to figure out where her mother disappeared to and why she left. I thought this was a really quirky and interested read. I was totally engaged in the mystery of where Bernadette might have gone and found myself sympathizing quite a bit with her with her situation, as implausible as it was. Semple's writing was an entertaining mix of being funny, sarcastic, and heartfelt. This was another 4/5 read.

Next, I moved on to Mosquitoland by David Arnold. This young adult book follows a teenage girl named Mim who runs away from her father and stepmother when she learns that her mom is battling some sort of mystery illness several states away. She buys herself a bus ticket and sets off on a journey. Along the way, she reflects on the events from her past that have led up to this moment and meets a colorful cast of characters that teach her all sorts of things about life, both good and bad. When she finally reaches her mom, things aren't the way she expected and she must find a way to reconcile her old memories with her current reality. I thought this novel was pretty good, but it had a few typical YA tropes that bugged me a bit. The protagonist was uncannily smart and mature for her age and she was able to operate in the adult world more independently than is realistic. When I run up against these elements in fiction for teens I always roll my eyes a bit, but this story was still heartfelt and interesting. Arnold's writing was clever and the story was engaging. I could see bookish, sensitive young people falling in love with it. This was a 3/5 read for me.

The last book I finished was Every Day, another young adult novel focused around an interesting premise. The main character of this novel, A, wakes up in the body of a different person each day. He can access most of that person's memories and spends the day living that person's life. When he falls asleep, he wakes up in the body of a new person and repeats the process. He's been doing this for his entire life, just living day to day as all sorts of people. His normal routine is interrupted, however, when he falls in love with the girlfriend of one of the bodies he wakes up in. He can't keep himself from seeking her out each day, in a new body, and trying to form a relationship with her. Suddenly, he has something in his ever-changing life that he wants to remain constant and this opens up all sorts of feelings and challenges for him. This was a very engaging read, although it did also suffer a bit from the trope of teenagers going around doing whatever they want with very little parental oversight. I did still enjoy it though, especially the aspect of A exploring the different lives he ends up in each day. This was another 3/5 read for me.

So that covers everything I finished during spring break! I'm so looking forward to summer when I have more free time to read again! It can't come fast enough.

2024 Reading Challenges Tally:

Goodreads Reading Challenge: 8/30

Clear the Shelves 2024: 8