I can see why this story enchanted people - the landscape and sense of exploration is great. Verne's love of science and discovery is clear, as the writing really showcases his excitement. The sense of promise, and the idea that new discoveries and ideas breed new possibilities, is hard to resist.

I couldn't get fully into the story, however, as I didn't feel very attached to any of the characters and they struck me as a bit 1-dimensional. The doctor is just 'standard smart man' with no real interest or emotion beyond a desire for discovery (it's not even really a desire for knowledge - he just seems to want to go on this journey because it's what everyone's doing, and he's had an idea about how to do it that no one else has thought of). His hunter friend is just that - a hunter and a friend i.e. burly sidekick with gun. Joe is a slightly patronisingly cast helpful cheerleader. I won't even bother going into the characterization of the African natives; it was published in the 1860s, and has displays all the troubling view of non-Europeans that you can expect from the era.