erinmandel's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
What a fun story! It was easy to like the eccentric characters, and I really rooted for Mr Fogg. I think in our day and age, he might’ve been labeled neurodivergent.
The prose was fairly simple, which made it easy to read. Sometimes, it felt like Verne was listing off facts from an encyclopedia, which could get boring. I was especially delighted by his description of a mango (strangest mango I’ve ever heard of) and his insistence that somehow betting was more civilized and respected than gambling.
Obviously, considering the time period, there was racism and white supremacy in this novel, but that was to be expected. While it’s of course horrible to paint Native Americans and some Indian tribes as murderous cannibals, I must confess I found the picture Verne paints of Americans (rash, corrupt, violent daredevils) hilarious. I was suprised he at least seemed to respect the beauty of other countries, and that he added a female character, who not only seemed to have a little influence and more lines than you’d expect, but also was Indian herself (though, only acceptable because of he European education, so yeah, white supremacy).
This book made me laugh on multiple occasions, though sometimes it might’ve not been the writer’s intention but my modern knowledge making some “facts” very funny to read.
It also made me appreciate how much more accessible the world has gotten, and how much we’ve learned from that (and destroyed).
All in all, I believe this truly deserves the title of classic, and what I have learned is: if you’re rich, male and white, anything is possible.
The prose was fairly simple, which made it easy to read. Sometimes, it felt like Verne was listing off facts from an encyclopedia, which could get boring. I was especially delighted by his description of a mango (strangest mango I’ve ever heard of) and his insistence that somehow betting was more civilized and respected than gambling.
Obviously, considering the time period, there was racism and white supremacy in this novel, but that was to be expected. While it’s of course horrible to paint Native Americans and some Indian tribes as murderous cannibals, I must confess I found the picture Verne paints of Americans (rash, corrupt, violent daredevils) hilarious. I was suprised he at least seemed to respect the beauty of other countries, and that he added a female character, who not only seemed to have a little influence and more lines than you’d expect, but also was Indian herself (though, only acceptable because of he European education, so yeah, white supremacy).
This book made me laugh on multiple occasions, though sometimes it might’ve not been the writer’s intention but my modern knowledge making some “facts” very funny to read.
It also made me appreciate how much more accessible the world has gotten, and how much we’ve learned from that (and destroyed).
All in all, I believe this truly deserves the title of classic, and what I have learned is: if you’re rich, male and white, anything is possible.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Racism, Classism, Drug use, Gun violence, Racial slurs, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Misogyny
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
folly's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Colonisation
awoodalla's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-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? No
3.75
Very much of its era but an enjoyable fast paced book with some interesting misadventures.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Colonisation
Moderate: Kidnapping
howdoyouwords's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Drug use, and Racism
rosegoes3's review against another edition
adventurous
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.75
This would have been 5 stars for me, but the celebration of British Imperialism, racisim, and orientalism were a no for me
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Classism, and Colonisation
Minor: Drug abuse and Blood
ok7a's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Misogyny, Colonisation, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Murder, Classism, and Gun violence
headachesince03's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Minor: Cannibalism, Colonisation, Misogyny, Murder, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Mass/school shootings, Animal death, Racism, Sexism, Body shaming, Cultural appropriation, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Drug abuse, Genocide, and Kidnapping
a_novel_experiment's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Colonisation
liviamello's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I just found out that this was one of my grandfather's favourite books.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Drug use, and Racism
Moderate: Xenophobia, Kidnapping, and Violence
Minor: Animal death
annaellbee's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
4.0
A delightful, albeit problematic, adventure story. Undeniably imperialist in its core -- in the technological praises of British colonialism and at least two specific incidents involving 'savage' natives -- yet, I do think the book is actually a bit more critical in certain details than it obviously seems. Certainly, Phileas Fogg, as the quintessential English gentleman, is always portrayed as polite, generous, and honorable, but he is also noted as a man who has absolute zero interest in the people, food, customs, history, even the landscapes of all these countries that he travels to. It is, instead, the loveable servant Passepartout who truly observes, engages, and experiences these cultures of the world, as the reader does along with him.
P.S. Don't trust any edition with a hot air balloon on the cover.
P.S. Don't trust any edition with a hot air balloon on the cover.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation