The Girl Who Raced the World
When her mother dies, Maggie is left with nothing but a letter for a stranger named Jean Passepartout. Faced with life in an orphanage, she seeks him out and finds herself caught up in the adventure of a lifetime. Passepartout is valet to Mr Phileas Fogg, who has just entered into a wager to prove he can circumnavigate the world in eighty days, and as Maggie’s life is filled with the wonders of travel, she quickly realises that there is more than just the wager at stake.
‘The Girl Who Raced the World’ is, quite simply, fabulous! Based on the classic novel by Jules Verne, it is manages to capture the spirit of ‘Around the World in Eighty Days’ whilst adding plenty of originality and spark, making it an excellent read for readers (young and old!) in search of an excellent adventure.
Whilst the story differs from the original in several key ways, Phileas Fogg and Passepartout remain main characters pursued by Detective Fix, who believes Fogg robbed the Bank of England and is using the wager as a clever way to escape capture. The main difference is that this story is told from Maggie’s point of view, allowing readers to empathise with her situation and worries as she finds herself faced with life in an uncaring orphanage, having lost her mother, and then placed in a situation where she doesn’t know who she can trust. Maggie is a great character. Plucky and loyal, she values others and makes firm friendships on her journey as she strives to do the ‘right’ thing. Over the course of the story, she finds her family, her place in the world, and the reader is cheering her on every step of the way!
Action-packed and pacy, the plot romps along at a pleasing pace with plenty of tension and drama on the way. Well written and full of historical details, it would make an excellent class story, offering much to discuss along the way as well as much to enjoy. This really is one not to be missed- and I really hope there is another adventure (or two or three!) to come for Maggie and her friends!
The Girl Who Raced the World
Nat Harrison
Piccadilly Press ISBN: 978-1835871386