Book Review - Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne

Why I chose the book

I chose the book because I like adventure stories.

Summary of the book

This book is about a fictional character named Phileas Fogg who lived in the 19th Century. He kept a low profile, for nothing is known about him except for the fact that he was a member of the Reform Club. The club had many rich people. He visited the club every day to play a card game called whist. He showed no emotion and had the same routine every day. His routine had to be so precise such that he sacked his butler because the temperature for his shaving water was 84 degrees Fahrenheit instead of 86 degrees. That was when he hired Frenchman Passepartout to be his new butler. Passepartout’s reason for becoming a butler was that he wanted to lead a quiet, routine life.

Phileas Fogg was playing a card game called whist with other people as usual at the Reform Club when they started discussing the newly built railway in India, and whether or not it was possible to travel around the world in 80 days with the opening of the railway through India. Phileas was challenged by his whist mates to go around the world within 80 days as he claimed it could be done. Phileas accepted the offer and suggested that the wager would start that very night. Just when Passepartout was settling down, Phileas Fogg came back to announce that they would go on a journey around the world. On the way, they would overcome many dangers and logistical problems. They would also rescue a young English-educated Indian lady called Aouda, who would later marry Mr Fogg.

Main characters of the book who interest me

Phileas Fogg

He was the hero and chief protagonist in the novel. He was introduced to us as a prudent and emotionless Englishman whose wealth was a source of mystery to all. His routine was so exact, it was to mathematical precision. He was challenged by a fellow whist player to go around the world in eighty days. Phileas took up the challenge and his rational, calm and generous personality, as well as his discipline, in overcoming many obstacles impressed me.

Passepartout

He appeared in the initial pages of the novel itself, as the newly employed French butler of Mr. Fogg. He was an honest, yet comical Frenchman, who was loyal to his master and yet appeared as a hindrance to his master’s plans to travel around the world. Passepartout endeared himself to me with his warmth, his sense of humor, his bravery and the fact that he never failed to get into comical situations.

Detective Fix

There was a major bank robbery in England around the same time that Mr. Fogg left for his journey round the world. Detective Fix was one of the many other detectives who sought to find the culprit so they could get a percentage of the stolen money as a reward. He came to the wrong conclusion that Phileas Fogg was the bank robber and was merely pretending to go around the world when his real purpose was to flee the law.

Aouda

Aouda was described as a young, beautiful Parsee Indian princess who was orphaned at an early age. She was made to marry an old Rajah. When he died, fanatical Hindus tried to burn her as a sacrifice to the Goddess of love and death, Kali. This was a tradition which was cruel and prohibited by the British. She was rescued by Phileas Fogg’s travel group. She followed them back to England with the purpose of finding her relative whom she was unable to find in Hong Kong. She eventually became Phileas’ wife at the end of the journey.

My Opinion

I like this book because I like adventure genres. This book is also about testing one’s will and determination to the limit and the strife to achieve the impossible. Moreover, the storyline was well-plotted. The writer managed to capture my interest using his vocabulary. Jules Verne also managed to keep me in utter suspense until the end of the story. Thus, to me, this is a really good book.

My Recommendation

I would strongly recommend the book to all, for this book is filled with suspense and action. Once I started reading it, I couldn’t even put down the book. It is indeed a real classic.