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3.76 AVERAGE
3.76 AVERAGE
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
I was inspired to re-read this after watching the first episode of the recent BBC adaptation which utterly changed the story.
When I first read this book, as a kid, I loved it. Fundamentally, it is a race against time. Phileas Fogg, an English gentleman of fixed habits who is almost catatonic in his reserve, bets that he can travel around the world in eighty days and sets off with his newly hired manservant Passepartout, whose role in the novel is to provide comedy and to do stupid things which will cause delays. On the journey Mr Fogg acquires a tail, a detective called Fix (never Mr Fix!) who believes Mr Fogg is a bank-robber and follows him in the hope that he will land in an English territory where an arrest warrant might be served. During the journey, the travellers rescue a lady from the clutches of murderous savages who becomes the love interest. But the excitement is provided mainly when missed connections require the improvisation of unorthodox means of travel.
There is also quite a lot of 'travel writing', describing the scenery and customs of foreign lands.
The fundamental problem to a modern reader (or a BBC scriptwriter) is that the book was written at the height of the British Empire and the indigenous peoples visited are invariably described in blatantly racist terms. In addition, the only female character is essentially passive.
When you add the fact that a large part of the excitement requires that the reader/ viewer realises that in Victorian days steamships and locomotives were cutting edge travel, it makes me wonder why they bothered to adapt this book; why not simply take the premise of a race around the world and write your own tale?
But the first episode added a shoot-out in which Passepartout's brother was trying to assassinate the French president. I suppose the BBC believe that the average viewer is unable to be gripped by the fundamentally simple tensions set up by Jules Verne.
Unusually for Jules Verne, this isn't scifi. It was a classic in its time and it is still a good read but it reveals racist and sexist attitudes that were typical of its time but make uncomfortable reading today.
When I first read this book, as a kid, I loved it. Fundamentally, it is a race against time. Phileas Fogg, an English gentleman of fixed habits who is almost catatonic in his reserve, bets that he can travel around the world in eighty days and sets off with his newly hired manservant Passepartout, whose role in the novel is to provide comedy and to do stupid things which will cause delays. On the journey Mr Fogg acquires a tail, a detective called Fix (never Mr Fix!) who believes Mr Fogg is a bank-robber and follows him in the hope that he will land in an English territory where an arrest warrant might be served. During the journey, the travellers rescue a lady from the clutches of murderous savages who becomes the love interest. But the excitement is provided mainly when missed connections require the improvisation of unorthodox means of travel.
There is also quite a lot of 'travel writing', describing the scenery and customs of foreign lands.
The fundamental problem to a modern reader (or a BBC scriptwriter) is that the book was written at the height of the British Empire and the indigenous peoples visited are invariably described in blatantly racist terms. In addition, the only female character is essentially passive.
When you add the fact that a large part of the excitement requires that the reader/ viewer realises that in Victorian days steamships and locomotives were cutting edge travel, it makes me wonder why they bothered to adapt this book; why not simply take the premise of a race around the world and write your own tale?
But the first episode added a shoot-out in which Passepartout's brother was trying to assassinate the French president. I suppose the BBC believe that the average viewer is unable to be gripped by the fundamentally simple tensions set up by Jules Verne.
Unusually for Jules Verne, this isn't scifi. It was a classic in its time and it is still a good read but it reveals racist and sexist attitudes that were typical of its time but make uncomfortable reading today.
I hate to be this person, but...this is not as good as the 2021 Masterpiece miniseries I just watched? I am now even more impressed by what a good job was done with that adaptation, which enriches not only the characters but also the plot, adding significantly more drama (and significantly reducing the racism!). I mean, I suspect that all adaptations of this book are, shall we say, loose -- did you know that no hot air balloon appears in the novel? Some stories take on lives of their own once they're out in the world, and this is very much one of them.
Possibly because, while Verne's idea is great, his execution is rather thin. His novel is still a fun adventure and a quick read, but his Fogg is an emotionless cipher -- I believe this is meant to be Verne's parody of an Englishmen -- and almost every problem he and Passepartout encounter is solved via money. Verne still accomplishes some good gags -- I'll admit I laughed at the Mormon missionary on the train -- but there's not a ton here. And maybe, in a way, that's why this story has been so often and so ably embellished.
Possibly because, while Verne's idea is great, his execution is rather thin. His novel is still a fun adventure and a quick read, but his Fogg is an emotionless cipher -- I believe this is meant to be Verne's parody of an Englishmen -- and almost every problem he and Passepartout encounter is solved via money. Verne still accomplishes some good gags -- I'll admit I laughed at the Mormon missionary on the train -- but there's not a ton here. And maybe, in a way, that's why this story has been so often and so ably embellished.
Is it weird to say that the one thing I didn’t like about this book was the travel?
I mean, I knew there would be travel. I was looking forward to descriptions of places and cultures - and there were some. Buuuuuut, it was also a lot of describing the trains, boats, and sledges that they traveled on. I could’ve lived without that.
Loveable and well outlined characters. What a fun little romp!
I mean, I knew there would be travel. I was looking forward to descriptions of places and cultures - and there were some. Buuuuuut, it was also a lot of describing the trains, boats, and sledges that they traveled on. I could’ve lived without that.
Loveable and well outlined characters. What a fun little romp!
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I wasn't expecting great representation or anything, but the racism was still so so bad. Very pro-colonialism, and I also just got sick of reading this. The book was fun at first but felt so bland by the end.
I did really like the part where they got over a broken bridge by just going really fuckin fast in a train and flying across it. Also Phileas Fogg is kinda a sick name.
I did really like the part where they got over a broken bridge by just going really fuckin fast in a train and flying across it. Also Phileas Fogg is kinda a sick name.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Colonisation
adventurous
lighthearted
slow-paced
The only thing you learn from this book is not to be like it's protagonist - he circuits around the world without stopping to see anything beautiful in it. I can understand and admire stoicism but such lack of interest in beautiful things is repulsive.
The entertainment value of the book was only like two stars which was further reduced by its racism - author actually sounds more racist than the characters and also gets some of the facts wrong. English actually profited from Opium use by Chinese. But the worst part was where the Indian heroine was beautiful because she was 'Europeanised' by her education.
*Spoilers Ahead. Be Cautioned.* Not to mention, for all their being so civilised, it didn't occur to any of the lead characters to know that they have gained a day when they had crossed the International Date line and, in fact, it didn't occur to them for weeks. This is despite the fact that our protagonist is constantly updating his watch to keep local time.
The entertainment value of the book was only like two stars which was further reduced by its racism - author actually sounds more racist than the characters and also gets some of the facts wrong. English actually profited from Opium use by Chinese. But the worst part was where the Indian heroine was beautiful because she was 'Europeanised' by her education.
*Spoilers Ahead. Be Cautioned.* Not to mention, for all their being so civilised, it didn't occur to any of the lead characters to know that they have gained a day when they had crossed the International Date line and, in fact, it didn't occur to them for weeks. This is despite the fact that our protagonist is constantly updating his watch to keep local time.
adventurous
funny
slow-paced
I loved this book! I was never super interested in this story, but I watched the new BBC Masterpiece mini series starring David Tennant, and that made me want to read the book. While there are very major differences between the book and that adaptation, I loved both.
I love how everytime there is a set back Phileas Fogg just takes it as a natural course of nature, and says he had already taken that into his calculations, and yet, he still forgot about the international date line. All the adventures that happened on his journey were very fun and enjoyable to read about.
Reading this at the same time as The Hobbit made me see similarities that I wouldn't have otherwise seen. The main character in both is very English, and does everything that is expected of them, and never anything that isn't.... until, of course, they do.
I love how everytime there is a set back Phileas Fogg just takes it as a natural course of nature, and says he had already taken that into his calculations, and yet, he still forgot about the international date line. All the adventures that happened on his journey were very fun and enjoyable to read about.
Reading this at the same time as The Hobbit made me see similarities that I wouldn't have otherwise seen. The main character in both is very English, and does everything that is expected of them, and never anything that isn't.... until, of course, they do.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This book has become one of my top favorites! It's the perfect mix of adventure, humor, suspense, and loveable characters. with a happy ending.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug use, Alcohol
Minor: Death, Colonisation