3 out of 4 stars
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Written by Zarqnon the Embarrassed and illustrated by Frank Louis Allen, Of Zots and Xoodles: Theodil Creates a Universe is one of it’s kind. It is fascinating to note that both the author and the clinically blind illustrator belong to the autistic spectrum. So this book gives us a mystifying look at the world through their eyes. It was indeed a treat to read the undeniably educational and witty story of Theodil.
The story revolves around Theodil, who sets out to create the universe with dot-like zots and noodle-like xoodles. He uses these to create gravity, light, time, and matter. In a “room before rooms, within a space before space, at a time before time”, he presents his findings in front of a disbelieving committee. The book underlines the philosophical need for multiple time frames, empirical and dark matter as well as constants in light and gravity. It also put forwards the concept of a dual big bang as the origin of the universe.
One of the first things that drew my attention towards this book was the name of the author. J. W. McLaughlin assumes the very unusual pen-name Zarqron the Embarrassed just because it amuses him. This is our very first clue about the author’s penchant for breaking conventions. He himself asserts that he likes “things that are unique and that break the typical". This is very much evident in his writing. He shuns the conventional form of prose. Through the use of alliteration, rhyme, personification and myriad other literary devices, the author succeed in creating a lyrical language that teleports the reader to a time before time and a place before place. The author brilliantly injects new meanings to or sayings by cleverly changing the spellings. Here, it is worth mentioning that I found an uncanny resemblance with the writing style of Dr Suess. In fact, the name Theodil is also somewhat similar to Dr Suess’ first name Theodor.
However, the very flowery prose employed by the author becomes a major drawback as well. The reader can easily lose track of the story if he does not employ his full concentration while reading. Sometimes, the long-winding sentences can make it difficult to understand the meaning at one go. Also, the excessive use of jargons and complicated scientific terms can make it somewhat difficult for people with no scientific background to understand. This is why I absolutely loved the illustrations used in the book. They not only complement the prose perfectly but also add more meaning to it and makes the abstract ideas more concrete.
This short read gave me a lot of information to ponder on. It was an innovative approach to present a solution to the oldest question nagging mankind, that is, how was the universe created. The author masterfully juxtaposes the detailed descriptions of Theodil's experiments with the skeptic comments of the committee. This not only makes the book more interesting but also presents the complicated business of creating the universe in a simplified manner. I absolutely loved the abrupt whip-cracking ending. It was perfect for this short yet unique science fiction.
Keeping in mind the pros and cons, I would like to rate Of Zots and Xoodles: Theodil Creates a Universe, a whooping 3 out of 4 stars. I could detect little to no errors in the entire book and found it to be well edited and proofread. I believe this would make a perfect bed-time story for teenagers with a scientific bent of mind. This would help create a sound scientific foundation. However, little kids may find the book difficult to understand because of the complicated narrative style. I recommend this book to everyone who are science enthusiasts by nature or hold an innate curiosity about the creation of the universe.
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Of Zots and Xoodles
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