Review by thelittlestdragon -- Of Zots and Xoodles
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thelittlestdragon
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- Latest Review: Of Zots and Xoodles by Zarqnon the Embarrassed
Review by thelittlestdragon -- Of Zots and Xoodles
[Following is a volunteer review of "Of Zots and Xoodles" by Zarqnon the Embarrassed.]
Dots and Noodles, Zots and Xoodles, bounce around the pages of this whimsical story, always keeping the reader on their feet. Of Zots and Xoodles by Zarqnon the Embarrassed investigates the science and the stories surrounding the start of the universe. The author explores complex ideas such as time, gravity, matter, antimatter, and light, using witty banter and playful rhymes.
Dr. Seuss meets philosophy meets science in this beautifully illustrated, bite-size book. Although a short read, it is quite a mouthful, and I recommend this book as one to return to time and again. Zarqnon the Embarrassed opens this book with Theodil, the only named character, who is often accompanied by “the child.” Theodil uses dice to slowly create a universe, much to the bickering congregation’s apprehension. They squabble and debate, while he silently works, and the child wonders aloud in reply.
Along with this rhythmic tale are many striking illustrations. In black and white, they squiggle and dot across the page, bringing less clarity and more amusement to the reader. Some are more grandiose, and others more subtle and vague, but all are cleverly done. I spent just as much time admiring and examining the mysterious shapes as I did trying to comprehend the rhymes and remarks of the book. In addition to the creative illustrations, there are also some that look more like math or science book diagrams. Since I am not greatly involved in these fields, I cannot speak to the accuracy of them, but I think someone interested in these subjects will find the diagrams an appealing supplement to the story, possibly making the elusive words more concrete. Overall, these illustrations compliment the book well, and add to the Dr. Seuss-like feel of the story.
I enjoyed this book and its unique take on the theory of the beginning of the universe. It explores a kind of creationist beginning, as well as theories of evolution and science-based approaches in general. Again, as I am not an expert in these fields, I hesitate to pinpoint an exact meaning among the zots and xoodles. I think that lovers of philosophy, science, and Dr. Seuss will enjoy this book, and perhaps extract more meaning from it than I was able to.
The only thing that frustrated me in regards to this book was the plenitude of punctuation errors throughout. I at first took them to be stylistic choices, but upon further reading, found that they were too random to be intentional, and served no real purpose. For example, missing periods at the end of sentences, missing end quotes when a piece of dialogue was clearly over, etc. Because of this frustration, I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. Were this book to be editing for punctuation, I would immediately change my rating to 4 out of 4! It was overall a delightful and whimsical read.
******
Of Zots and Xoodles
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Dots and Noodles, Zots and Xoodles, bounce around the pages of this whimsical story, always keeping the reader on their feet. Of Zots and Xoodles by Zarqnon the Embarrassed investigates the science and the stories surrounding the start of the universe. The author explores complex ideas such as time, gravity, matter, antimatter, and light, using witty banter and playful rhymes.
Dr. Seuss meets philosophy meets science in this beautifully illustrated, bite-size book. Although a short read, it is quite a mouthful, and I recommend this book as one to return to time and again. Zarqnon the Embarrassed opens this book with Theodil, the only named character, who is often accompanied by “the child.” Theodil uses dice to slowly create a universe, much to the bickering congregation’s apprehension. They squabble and debate, while he silently works, and the child wonders aloud in reply.
Along with this rhythmic tale are many striking illustrations. In black and white, they squiggle and dot across the page, bringing less clarity and more amusement to the reader. Some are more grandiose, and others more subtle and vague, but all are cleverly done. I spent just as much time admiring and examining the mysterious shapes as I did trying to comprehend the rhymes and remarks of the book. In addition to the creative illustrations, there are also some that look more like math or science book diagrams. Since I am not greatly involved in these fields, I cannot speak to the accuracy of them, but I think someone interested in these subjects will find the diagrams an appealing supplement to the story, possibly making the elusive words more concrete. Overall, these illustrations compliment the book well, and add to the Dr. Seuss-like feel of the story.
I enjoyed this book and its unique take on the theory of the beginning of the universe. It explores a kind of creationist beginning, as well as theories of evolution and science-based approaches in general. Again, as I am not an expert in these fields, I hesitate to pinpoint an exact meaning among the zots and xoodles. I think that lovers of philosophy, science, and Dr. Seuss will enjoy this book, and perhaps extract more meaning from it than I was able to.
The only thing that frustrated me in regards to this book was the plenitude of punctuation errors throughout. I at first took them to be stylistic choices, but upon further reading, found that they were too random to be intentional, and served no real purpose. For example, missing periods at the end of sentences, missing end quotes when a piece of dialogue was clearly over, etc. Because of this frustration, I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. Were this book to be editing for punctuation, I would immediately change my rating to 4 out of 4! It was overall a delightful and whimsical read.
******
Of Zots and Xoodles
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Of Zots and Xoodles by Zarqnon the Embarrassed
