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boipoka 's review for:

4.5
adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Ha, reading Coleridge's fever dream, uh, I mean alien repair manual, in high school finally paid off! And let's face it - Kubla Khan makes way more sense now!

Jokes aside, this was a really fun read. Adams' absurdist humour is something you'll either love or hate - and I happen to adore it. If confusedly scratching your head while laughing helplessly at the absurdity of life isn't your thing - well, you're not gonna enjoy this book. If it is your thing, strap in for the adventure of a lifetime, with the fate of humanity hanging in the balance. To really appreciate the plot, I think it's necessary to have at least a "read the Wikipedia article" level of familiarity with Coleridge's Kubla Khan and Rime of the Ancient Mariner - they're woven into the fabric of this story. I laughed my ass off when I realised exactly what the slimy sea creatures of the Ancient Mariner are in this version. 

However, I do wish we saw more of the electric monk. He was my favourite character by far - and he made only a very short cameo!