Around the World in 80 Days

I’ll admit: I approached this audiobook skeptical. *Around the World in 80 Days* can feel like a museum piece—all steamships and top hats—but this production *cracks* it open. Toby Jones’ Phileas Fogg is the star: his voice is a metronome of repressed chaos, each “Hmph” and “Most irregular” landing like a comedic dagger. When he deadpans, *“I see no reason to alter my plans”* while his ship is literally sinking, you’ll snort-laugh. The supporting cast matches him beat for beat—Don Gilet’s Inspector Fix is a delightful weasel, his French accent slipping into smugness as he trails Fogg like a bumbling Javert. The abridgment is where opinions may divide. Purists might miss some of Verne’s digressive charm (the Bombay temple scene feels rushed), but the trade-off is a relentless pace that mirrors Fogg’s obsession with schedules. The production choices are bold: sound effects are used sparingly but effectively (the *clang* of a prison door in Calcutta is chilling), and the music swells only at key moments, like the frenetic San Francisco bull-market scene. My one gripe? Aouda’s arc gets short shrift—Vineeta Rishi brings fire to the role, but her character’s agency is still frustratingly 19th-century. That said, this is an audiobook that *moves*, perfect for commutes or lazy afternoons when you want adventure without the slog. If you’ve ever rolled your eyes at “classic” literature, let this one change your mind.