Tag: Gods

Neil Gaiman – Fortunately, the Milk | Review

Title: Fortunately, the Milk

Author: Neil Gaiman

Type: Fiction

Page Count/Review Word Count: 161

Rating: 4/5

 

Neil Gaiman - Fortunately, the Milk

Neil Gaiman – Fortunately, the Milk

 

I always find Neil Gaiman’s books to be a little hit and miss, but this was definitely one of the hits for me. It’s a cute little children’s book with illustrations from Chris Riddell that could easily be autobiographical.

It basically tells the story of a dad who nips out for a pint of milk for breakfast and takes forever to get back. When his kids ask what kept him, he tells them a story about “globby green aliens, intergalactic police, pirates and angry volcano gods demanding human sacrifice”. It’s cute, and the illustrations really add to it and make it much more enjoyable.

I’m not a child and so I guess I’m not the target audience, but I do think that most children would love this. It’s just a shame that he wasn’t popping out for vegan milk instead.

 

Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman

 

Click here to buy Fortunately, the Milk.


Douglas Adams – The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul | Review

Title: The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul

Author: Douglas Adams

Type: Fiction

Page Count/Review Word Count: 250

Rating: 4/5

 

Douglas Adams - The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul

Douglas Adams – The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul

 

The first thing to note here is that this is the second book in the Dirk Gently series, and I actually think it’s my favourite of the two. Part of that is because there’s a Norse mythology vibe to this and some hilarious cameos from the gods, with Thor in particular standing out to me.

My main issue, if you can call it that, with the book is the fact that it’s sometimes difficult to follow the plot. But that’s par for the course when you’re following a holistic detective, because everything seems random but it is in fact connected. Stuff that doesn’t make sense at the start is all explained by the end, but when you’re halfway through it, it can be a little confusing.

Still, Adams’ writing style is easy to absorb and he kept on making me smile, even if I didn’t necessarily laugh out loud. It amazes me how he’s able to tell a story while simultaneously cracking joke after joke, even about things that shouldn’t be funny. I particularly enjoyed the references to the lurking fridge (I’ve had a few of those myself) and the way that Dirk kept getting attacked by eagles. I think there’s a metaphor for life in that somewhere. I’m just not quite sure exactly where it is or what it means.

 

Douglas Adams

Douglas Adams

 

Click here to buy The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul.