Rating: 3/5
Disclaimer: I received a free ecopy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I remember reading a couple of the Dirk Gently books by Douglas Adams. They were enjoyable. Not quite the same level as the Hitchhiker books, but still pretty good. This graphic novel is based on and follows the spirit of the character.
As a holistic detective, Dirk Gently deals with supernatural phenomena. The story is driven by the idea that everything is connected, and it touches on predestination at times. Dirk admits to running the other way when weird things happen to try to avoid them. So the weird event that holds sway in this book is a family that has lost all means of communication. During his investigation, Dirk picks up an assistant and travels to Africa.
The thing about Dirk Gently is that it is meant to be humorous. Anyone that has read a Douglas Adams book should have an idea of what to expect. The humor in this book is pretty dry, which isn't particularly enjoyable for me. Though I did find myself chuckling more as I read further into the book. Maybe it was just a matter of adjusting to the writing style.
What stuck out for me is the art. It ranged from bugging me to being amazing. One of the things that bugged me was the depiction of Dirk. His hair is ridiculous, which just struck me as being over the top. This didn't match what I visualized from reading the books and it may have contributed to keeping me from getting into the book.
On the other hand, there are moments where the illustrations complement the events of the story superbly. At one point the drawing on the page spirals to match what is happening to Dirk. Later, there is an adult situation and the art frames it really well. There is creativity and playfulness here that makes the book worth picking up. Some of the elements didn't appeal to me though.
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