A review by alexutzu
Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne

adventurous informative medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

I have been trying to get into a Jules Verne book for ages. This was not easy to do because of various extensive descriptions that slowed the pace, but it was nevertheless one of his most dynamic books in my eyes. I still had to skim through some parts, though.

I felt that this story had different goals: some parts seemed satirical, others were basically constituting a travel journal. The characters developed in various ways throughout the journey, but I could not avoid thinking that they were rather problematic and not totally likeable. Some comparisons and discussions about different cultures weren't great either.

All in all, I liked the plot twist, but the romantic side of the story did not make much sense to me. Some details related to the journey caught my attention, but the lengthy descriptions and the character behaviours didn't help me with getting immersed in the story.

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