THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET
by Brian Selznick
I was lucky enough to get this book as a Christmas gift. The friend who bought it for me had worked on the film version by Martin Scorsese (which she says is nowhere near as good as the book, by the way).
I've heard of it, as a Caldecott Medal winner, but know nothing about the story so I thought I'd give an overview of the actual book and then post a review next time.
Firstly, I love the heft - it's a big ol' brick of a book. Then when you look inside...
It's crammed full of stunning illustrations. Even the print pages have a black border which makes them look precious and special. It looks like a picture book/chapter book amalgam which is interesting in itself.
If the substance is anywhere close to the style, I'm in for a massive treat. The blurb says...
With 284 pages of original drawings, and combining elements of picture book, graphic novel and film, Brian Selznick breaks open the novel form to create an entirely new reading experience. Here is a stunning cinematic tour de force from a boldly innovative storyteller, artist, and bookmaker.
I expect loads of you have already read it and possibly seen the film too. I'd be interested to hear what you think. Book? Film? Both?
Anyway, a lovely, lovely gift and I can't wait to dive in.
'An entirely new reading experience...'? Looking forward to hearing if this is an accurate description!
ReplyDeleteIt's a thing of beauty. I'll show you when we can get together again.
ReplyDelete