Tag: Fridge

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.


Luize Pastore – Dog Town | Review

Title: Dog Town

Author: Luize Pastore

Type: Fiction

Page Count/Review Word Count: 190

Rating: 4*/5

 

Luize Pastore - Dog Town

Luize Pastore – Dog Town

 

This book is cute, a sort of middle grade/children’s book that follows the story of a young boy and an army of talking dogs as they try to protect their local area from being redeveloped into a concrete jungle. It’s also set in Riga, and it’s written, illustrated and translated by Latvians and published in English, making it a cool way to introduce kids to a different culture through the form of a badass adventure.

In fact, it’s the illustrations in this book which are the best part of it. They’re done by Reinis Petersons, a very talented illustrator who I was lucky enough to meet and who drew a fridge magnet for me. They really help to bring the story to life and I was particularly happy with the maps that are included because they also form a part of the story. It does a great job of making you feel as though you’re really in Riga, and it’s also just a pretty good kids’ book. It’s aesthetically pleasing, too.

 

Luize Pastore

Luize Pastore

 

Click here to buy Dog Town.