A little too contrived and - apart from the basic idea - unimaginative

Vonnegut brings his stories always happy times as far away as ever is an army sent from Mars (Sirens of Titan) or in the entire history of the world is actually just about the rescue of an alien (Slaughterhouse # 5). And normally he writes so brilliantly and skillfully that it is a pure Lesevergügen. In Galapagos him is not so well, you get the impression as if he had experienced in his bag of tricks resorted but the creativity and wit stay this time on the track:

In concept, the book is of course a typical Vonnegut: are the biggest problem of mankind their large brains, without this man would be kept to a minimum level of functionality and so much happier. Over millions of years, he is now developing back into a kind of seal and is preoccupied with food and survival, and - happy. The technical feasibility is, as in most Vonnegut books: he lets people whose meeting is unlikely in an extreme situation meet (3rd world war, ship tour group and random refugees escapes), small details are important and witty prepared, one believes one is the great story on the trail to find out suddenly that all this was only a minor matter, and it now goes on with something else. As written very entertaining and very funny!

If you like Vonnegut, the book is intended also like, but unfortunately it has all the time been feeling as if he were a little rusty in this work and listless. Pity! Who has not read Vonnegut should best start with Slaughterhouse No. 5, not with Galapagos.