The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

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The Invention of Hugo Cabret
by Brian Selznick

I saw Brian Selznick at the National Book Festival (September, 2011) and totally became a fangirl of his. I love the ideas he gets for his books, and how he changes the very nature of storytelling by bringing in new elements like illustrations that don't just enhance the story but become part of it (i.e., you can't skip the illustrations because that's skipping key moments that are part of a story). It works SO well in a story like this which is partially about art and film--visual mediums. It's like you're both reading the story and watching the story.

Form aside, it's a wonderful story. Hugo is a brave, diligent little boy with one great hope and lots of mysteries surrounding him. There's an automaton he's desperate to fix because it's a tie to his dead father, an old man who caught him stealing and now possesses the means to fix the automaton, a young girl who insists on knowing all his business in order to help him, and an uncle who is dead drunk (literally) somewhere.

Hugo's adventures are meaningful, creative, vivid, and exciting. But they're not sensational. They're simple and quite and emotional because they're significant and moving. They're not roller coaster rides and they're not meant to be. You're supposed to take your time and enjoy the images and meaning. And you can't help but fall in love with Georges Melies and his work. I really hope this book (and the movie, which is wonderful but significantly different from the book) brings a new appreciation of old movies.