Dirk Danger Loves Life

An uncomfortable mixture of cheesy humor and maudlin seriousness makes Canadian author Rothe’s odd little bildungsroman an uneven debut. If he didn’t make it repeatedly clear that he does not partake, one would be tempted to label the narrator—with his lame sense of humor and general aimlessness—a terminal stoner. So there’s no neat explanation for his complete lack of direction. Randomly responding to a (fake) weight-loss ad one day (phone number: 555-CHUB), he soon finds himself under the tutelage (and roof) of one Dirk Danger, who decides to help him turn his life around. Quirky with a capital Q, Dirk designs a series of strange but effective lessons for his protégé to overcome his limitations. Motivations and past come to light as the narrator is made gradually less useless, and the tone shifts from jocularity to awkward weightiness as a tragic tale emerges. The characters, though only faintly human, still manage to demand a degree of affection and sympathy, and Rothe chose well in grounding his tale in the irresistible trope of positive transformation. Unfortunately, these satisfying elements don’t redeem the often forced, ill-conceived whole. (Nov.)