Review: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy #1)

Author: Douglas Adams

Started reading: April 18th 2021

Finished the book: May 9th 2021

Pages: 193 / 06:12:09

Genres: Science Fiction, Humor, Classics

Published: October 12th, 1979

Source: Storytel

Goodreads score: 4.22

My score:

Synopsis

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 this dynamic pair begin a journey through space aided by quotes from «The Hitchhiker's Guide» ("A towel is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have") and a galaxy-full of fellow travelers: Zaphod Beeblebrox, the two-headed, three-armed ex-hippie and totally out-to-lunch president of the galaxy; Trillian, Zaphod's girlfriend (formally Tricia McMillan), whom Arthur tried to pick up at a cocktail party once upon a time zone; Marvin, a paranoid, brilliant, and chronically depressed robot; Veet Voojagig, a former graduate student who is obsessed with the disappearance of all the ballpoint pens he bought over the years.

My thoughts

I know loads of people were so excited about me reviewing this book, and I will probably disappoint them, but trust me I TRIED! I listened to the whole book in Dutch and ended up not liking it at all, I'll explain in this review why. 

Then I went to a huge bookstore and kept seeing this book and I started wondering: What did I not see about this book that was so great?
I decided to re-listen to the book in English, which was MUCH better and I highly recommend it. But... I just did not understand the middle part of the story at all.. I feel like the book is great until chapter 15 or so, and then it just goes downhill and nothing makes sense anymore...

Pros

• Choice of words: The choice of words and made up words in this book are awesome. It's so unique and that really ads a different and extra layer to the book. The story overall is unique as well and I can see why people would love the series and are enjoying it.
• Humor: The book does belong in the humor genre. It did really make me smile and the jokes were funny and some of the puns were too. It's definitely a funny book and I would maybe smile even more if I liked all the other parts too.

Cons

• Translated version: I can't believe that this translation got published. Loads of sentences were double in the story, I see more people talking about this. Next to this, I just felt like the story was much better in the original English version, since I listened to that too, for 20 chapters. If you want to listen to this book, I recommend the original English version and not some translated one.
• Long sentences: Oh boy, some sentences were SO LONG that I had no idea what it started with and I had to listen back to just make sense of it. Maybe it's the writing style, and maybe people feel like it fits the story, but it just made it a huge mumble jumble for me.
• Focus: I could not focus. And the audiobook is not the problem, I've given multiple audiobooks 5 stars. Maybe all the things together made me not able to focus and I had to listen some parts up to 5 times before I could register it. That's the point that you just know that this is maybe not a book for you...
• Story: I could not really care about any of the characters. I wouldn't mind if they died and the story overall just didn't feel thrilling at all. I loved the story the first 15 chapters or so, and after that I didn't understand what was going on and lost interest pretty quick.

Overall

I can absolutely understand that people LOVE this book and this series. I tried to love it, but it wasn't for me. I had a hard time understanding, focusing and liking the story overall. I'm always sad if I see loads of people loving a book, a Classic, if I may call it that, and me not liking it...

Other opinions on this book

"One of the greatest achievements in comedy. A work of staggering genius."

- David Walliams

"Extremely funny, inspired lunacy and over much to soon."

- The Washington Post Book World.

Thanks for reading!

I'd love to talk books; please let me know what you think about this book review.