The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
THE HITCHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY
BY DOUGLAS ADAMS
PUBLISHED: 1979
AVERAGE RATING: 4.19
216 PAGES
★★★★★
READ: MARCH TO APRIL
Marlene also read and reviewed this book. If you want to read her review as well, click HERE
This book has been a mystery to me for about three years now. The first time I heard about The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, it was a friend of mine who kept referring to the movie, laughing every time he mentioned it. We were going to watch it together, but never got to it. Then Marlene read it, and I knew I had to as well. Then I finally got the whole series as a Christmas gift from my mom's boyfriend. He loves the book himself, and told me I'd finally figure out why he keeps answering "42" every time I ask him a question. That was true. He also said that I'd figure out whether I'd like the book or not just by reading the introduction in it. That was also true.
Seconds before the Earth is demolished to make way for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is plucked off the planet by his friend Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised edition of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy who, for the last fifteen years, has been posing as an out-of-work actor.
Together they begin a journey through the universe, filled with action and surprises. They meet up with fellow travellers and has The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy to aid them.
THE PLOT ★★★★★
The plot is probably the best thing about the whole book. Adams shows us "our" Universe as one filled with extraordinary species, planets, systems and things we couldn't even imagine. To set the main character as a human being who survives the total destruction on Earth and has to adapt to a whole new reality in a universe filled with things he didn't even know existed, is just amazing. They meet up with Zaphod Beeblebrox, a kind of crazy ex-hippie who happens to be the president of the Universe. He has an entire plan of his own (or does he...?), which makes the plot takes swings and turns we wouldn't ever guessed.
CHARACTERS ★★★☆☆
There really are some amazing characters in this book. My personal favorites are Ford Prefect and Zaphood Beeblebrox, which I think is the most developed characters of them all. Their actions fit to their characters and they are genuinely funny to read about. I also love Marvin, the chronically depressed robot.
But when it comes to the main character Arthur Dent, I feel like something is missing. He is most definitely the character we are supposed to relate the most to, but I find him a bit boring and helpless. The helpless part can probably be forgiven, since this book takes place during Dent's first days surviving in the Universe. But, I still feel he could have been given a bit more characteristics. Maybe this gets better in the next books though.
WRITING STYLE ★★★★★
The writing style in this book is also one of the things I loved the most. This book is just so ridiculously funny, I seriously laughed out loud several times during my reading. It's just genius. The story is on point at all times, and Adams still manages to write it in a way that just makes it all either goofy, awkward or funny. At the same time he also manages to explain everything that needs to be explained, or explain why it does not really need to be explained at all. Seriously, I have no complains here at all.
DRAMATURGY ★★★☆☆
This book is kind of fast-paced. There's something new happening at all times, and sometimes I felt like I'd just understood the action that takes place, and then we suddenly find ourselves in a whole new situation. It works for me, and on the positive side it never ever gets dull. But it also makes this book one of those that you have to put down after a while, because it is so much information and places and action at the same time, you'd get tired of reading the whole thing in one go.
ALL IN ALL ★★★★★
I'm just really pleased, actually. This book was everything I wanted it to be, and it was so nice to read a funny, easy book that doesn't need a lot of thinking and speculating (although I love that as well, it's good to have something easy to read once in a while). This is my exact type of humor, and I had a really good time reading through the pages. I'm already looking forward to start on the next in this "trilogy"!
