Around The World In 80 Days by Jules Verne - 4 stars ****This is one of those books that I have heard so much about, yet have never actually read it. Upon seeing it in Oxfam, I decided to buy it and actually make my own mind up about the well loved classic.
Everyone knows the story - Phileas Fogg, a wealthy British man, makes a bet with a group of men at his local social club that he can travel around the world in 80 days. An easy task nowadays, but given that the novel is set in the 1870s, when rail travel was relatively new, and aside from that travel was done via ship and carriage, means it is quite a challenge.
Accompanied by his trusty servant Passepartout, and picking up an Indian princess along the way, the motley crew encounter various setbacks and trials upon their journey, not least that they are pursued by Police Inspector Fix, who is convinced that because of his swift departure, Fogg is behind a major bank robbery that occurred in London the night before he made his bet.
I really enjoyed this book - it is an easy read that is fulfilling, funny and interesting. It is very factual in style, often sections sound like they could be taken from a guide book or non-fiction writing, but this was refreshing for me, as the type of books I read can be very heavily descriptive and wordy. This was straightforward and uncomplicated, and I felt like I had learnt things after reading it!
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