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3.76 AVERAGE
3.76 AVERAGE
3.5 stars
One night Phileas Fogg bets his life savings that he can circumnavigate the globe in just eighty days and sets off immediately to prove it. Taking only a bagful of cash and his valet Passepartout, they travel through exotic lands and are even chased by a police officer for most of their journey, though Fogg never realizes this. They make new friends and take any means of travel available to achieve their goal.
This is my second Verne novel and I've noticed that he likes to focus on mileage quite a bit and I'm wondering if this is a thing for all his stories... Passepartout and Fogg are interesting foils for each other Fogg being imperturbable and Passepartout being excitable helps keep the journey entertaining.
One night Phileas Fogg bets his life savings that he can circumnavigate the globe in just eighty days and sets off immediately to prove it. Taking only a bagful of cash and his valet Passepartout, they travel through exotic lands and are even chased by a police officer for most of their journey, though Fogg never realizes this. They make new friends and take any means of travel available to achieve their goal.
This is my second Verne novel and I've noticed that he likes to focus on mileage quite a bit and I'm wondering if this is a thing for all his stories... Passepartout and Fogg are interesting foils for each other Fogg being imperturbable and Passepartout being excitable helps keep the journey entertaining.
Delightful! 4.5 stars. I'm not sure why I hadn't read this already, but now I'm putting more of the Extraordinary Voyages series on my reading list!
What a delight to listen to Jim Dale's narration! It kept us enthralled while on a long car trip and had us frustrated that we didn't have access to a world map or globe. This would be the perfect book to begin a study of geography and world cultures. As the audio version points out in the afterward, Verne's characterizations of people and cultures are rarely accurate and lack any real depth, but we often found his descriptions quite funny. We probably wouldn't revisit this book if we were reading it, but we'll definitely listen to the audio again! This time will keep a globe handy and make frequent stops on the Internet highway to explore the countries visited.
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Although I like the premise--going around the world. However, it felt more like Verne portraying England as amazing and everywhere else...not. This includes showing barbaric rituals and getting into fights as soon as he sets foot on US soil.
I think that might be the only thing I got out of this book: England rocks, English colonies, better than non English colonies but not as good as England itself...and America...really lame.
I think that might be the only thing I got out of this book: England rocks, English colonies, better than non English colonies but not as good as England itself...and America...really lame.
It's as if Verne set himself the challenge of writing the flattest, least curious, least interesting protagonist in all of fiction. If so, in Phileas Fogg he may have succeeded. Fogg has no discernible interior life, no reaction to any of the fabulous places he visits during his circumnavigation, nothing. Maybe Verne is satirizing the stoic English gentleman type, in which case, well done.
Any interest in the plot is generated by Fogg's servant, Passpartout, and the detective, Fix, as they play a sort of cat and mouse game around the world. One other item of interest is the critical role Passpartout's watch--especially his refusal to reset it as they cross time zones--plays in the resolution of the story.
To end on a good note, here's a nice bit of writing by Verne in describing his main character:
Fogg, who was "not traveling, but only describing a circumference, took no pains to inquire into these subjects; he was a solid body, traversing an orbit around the terrestrial globe, according to the laws of rational mechanics."
That's a perfect description of Phileas Fogg.
Any interest in the plot is generated by Fogg's servant, Passpartout, and the detective, Fix, as they play a sort of cat and mouse game around the world. One other item of interest is the critical role Passpartout's watch--especially his refusal to reset it as they cross time zones--plays in the resolution of the story.
To end on a good note, here's a nice bit of writing by Verne in describing his main character:
Fogg, who was "not traveling, but only describing a circumference, took no pains to inquire into these subjects; he was a solid body, traversing an orbit around the terrestrial globe, according to the laws of rational mechanics."
That's a perfect description of Phileas Fogg.
Wouldn't have expected it of a classic such as this but some parts actually had me on tenterhooks. Even believed through most of the book that Fogg was the thief. Thoroughly enjoyed the story, sappy ending and all!
Entertaining. Was a cool look at travel in the 1870’s. The characters lacked any type of development though.
Il primo libro che leggo di Jules Verne e posso dire che mi è piaciuto moltissimo. Le avventure del gentleman Phileas Fogg, l'uomo più preciso e sedentario del Regno Unito, come lo definisce il suo nuovo e fedele domestico Gambalesta/Passepartout, mi hanno incuriosito e intrattenuto pagina dopo pagina, e le illustrazioni di questa edizione hanno reso la lettura ancora più piacevole.
Ho apprezzato molto anche il modo in cui Verne gestisce la storia attraverso ripetuti colpi di scena, che rendono il romanzo più che degno di essere definito 'di avventura', un'ottima caratterizzazione dei personaggi (Passepartout in primis) e uno stile mai pesante ma anzi spesso ironico. Bello, bello, bello.
Ho apprezzato molto anche il modo in cui Verne gestisce la storia attraverso ripetuti colpi di scena, che rendono il romanzo più che degno di essere definito 'di avventura', un'ottima caratterizzazione dei personaggi (Passepartout in primis) e uno stile mai pesante ma anzi spesso ironico. Bello, bello, bello.