This is my favorite book of all time and, like you, I reread it quite often (around once per year, along with Ender’s Game).
I think the book just has a certain whimsy to it that is just so wonderful. While the plot is very serious throughout, the “lapine perspective” is so wonderfully written that it really does give you a sense that roads are mysterious and a floating piece of wood is truly the most clever solution you could find!
One thing that always makes me laugh is how when I am in the middle of reading the book, I genuinely start to use the lapine language in my mind. I’ll subconsciously think of my car as a hrududu and have a reaction where I call myself out for going tharn.
One last disjointed comment. I think I’ve settled my own mind that Bigwig is one of the best written characters of all time. Hazel is definitely the primary protagonist and I love him dearly… but Bigwig is so expertly written because there were so many overt ways that Adams could have written him having conflicts with Hazel but he never actually does. Hazel shows his insecurities toward leading someone like Bigwig but Bigwig always sticks to who he is and doesn’t actually challenge Hazel at any point. I don’t know why but that discipline on Adams’ behalf always made me love Bigwig as a favorite character of all time.
This is my favorite book of all time and, like you, I reread it quite often (around once per year, along with Ender’s Game).
I think the book just has a certain whimsy to it that is just so wonderful. While the plot is very serious throughout, the “lapine perspective” is so wonderfully written that it really does give you a sense that roads are mysterious and a floating piece of wood is truly the most clever solution you could find!
One thing that always makes me laugh is how when I am in the middle of reading the book, I genuinely start to use the lapine language in my mind. I’ll subconsciously think of my car as a hrududu and have a reaction where I call myself out for going tharn.
One last disjointed comment. I think I’ve settled my own mind that Bigwig is one of the best written characters of all time. Hazel is definitely the primary protagonist and I love him dearly… but Bigwig is so expertly written because there were so many overt ways that Adams could have written him having conflicts with Hazel but he never actually does. Hazel shows his insecurities toward leading someone like Bigwig but Bigwig always sticks to who he is and doesn’t actually challenge Hazel at any point. I don’t know why but that discipline on Adams’ behalf always made me love Bigwig as a favorite character of all time.