Imagine taking a trip around the world, seeing the sights and taking in the variety of cultures. That’s not something many people have experienced; unless you’ve watched The Amazing Race. But before that program, Jules Verne created one of the first “globetrotters” in his book Around the World in Eighty Days. It is a literary masterpiece that was first published in 1873. It’s only around 130 or so pages long but it’s quite an exciting story and definitely worth a look.

Our story begins in London when a member of a reform club Phileas Fogg notices an interesting news article claiming that a trip can be made around the Earth’s circumference in eighty days. Other members of the club disagree resulting in them making a bet for a large sum of money. He and his newly hired servant Passepartout begin their voyage. They face many obstacles on their way and things get even sketchier when Phileas is assumed to be a criminal who had robbed a bank just before his trip. It’s an action-packed adventure that will hold your attention until the last page.

One of the best parts of the book is definitely the memorable characters. Phileas Fogg is a fairly serious man who is also very generous and right to the point. Despite his seriousness he still manages to be memorable for being a man of justice and how heartset he is on completing his journey. However even more lovable is his companion Passepartout. He is a frenchman with a heart of gold! He’s good natured, fun, loyal, and in my opinion, he’s the main reason for the novel’s greatness. The other two notable characters were Aouda; who is a kind-hearted woman who the pair end up rescuing during the journey and Mr. Fix; the goofy yet crafty policeman hired to capture Phileas during the trip. All of these characters are perfectly crafted and make the already interesting story even more fun and intriguing. If not for the memorable events during the trip around the world, I’d say the main reason to read this book is the characters.

One of the other great things about the book is how unpredictable it is. You never quite know what things will happen to our protagonists next, and trust me, a lot of unexpected events occur. It grabs your attention quickly and keeps your eye on the page until the very end. Another perk is it’s a somewhat short read. As such, it’s not entirely too thought provoking but it makes for quite a good book for pleasure. It also has one of the most satisfying and happy endings I’ve ever read in a book. Around the World in Eighty Days while being published in the 19th century is written in dialect that’s easily understandable to readers. Unlike other older books, this one isn’t written with as much detail as novels such as The Scarlet Letter; however, it’s able to convey exactly what it wants the reader to know without fail. At times in other classics, you need to read every sentence twice, but that is not required here.

Around the World in Eighty Days is definitely a novel that will not disappoint readers! With great characters and a story of equal quality, this little gem is worth a read! It’s a great book for when you having nothing to do or if you’re just looking for a good story to read. In my opinion Around the World in Eighty Days is worth more than eighty stars!