4 out of 4 stars
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“Theodil walks into the room as the committee stares with a myriad of stares and glares - each pondering their own level of disbelief at what they are about to witness." The opening lines of Of Zots and Xoodles: Theodil Creates a Universe strike at the heart of the message of this book: everything we think we know was once a hypothetical, frowned-upon by nay-sayers. In this book, author Zarqnon the Embarrassed uses humor and science to tell the story of how the universe could have come to be. Creating matter, light, gravity, and time, Theodil embarks on an impressive presentation as his skeptical audience clamors dubiously in the background.
This book is tonally quite similar to Douglas Adams’ A Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, while the internal rhyme that frequently guides the narrative reminds me of Dr. Seuss. Upon first reading the author’s note, in which it is revealed that his background in science, I wondered whether the book was going to be riddled with scientific language that would go over my head. What I found instead was that the author’s use of nonsensical words in place of scientific terms tended to simplify his points and make his concepts more accessible. Furthermore, the book followed a familiar creation story arc, which added to its accessibility.
Another enjoyable element of this book is the accompanying illustrations and figures. Illustrator Frank Louis Allen has a liberated style. Some of his drawings resemble zentangles, while others remind me a bit of Theodor Geisel’s (Dr. Suess) work if it had been monochromatic. Evidently, this author and illustrator were very well paired, as the images in the book felt absolutely appropriate at every point of the story. Later, as the author begins to embark on more scientific descriptions, the figures also become more scientific. Cumulatively, the drawings in this book give the reader a clear picture of what is happening during Theodil’s presentation to the committee.
Another component of the book that is especially interesting is the running commentary of the audience while Theodil is working. Largely negative, but sometimes awed, this congregation of unknown spectators chorus their second-guessing and criticisms, unacknowledged as Theodil quietly continues to work. Watching his every move (although "there were those who couldn't see Theodil - because people were in front of them, they were sitting the wrong way, they were too busy playing badminton, they had their eyes closed" [9]) they never run out of opinions. This dynamic brings a lot of humor to the book, and is very well-executed.
Of Zots and Xoodles: Theodil Creates a Universe is a lighthearted approach to mankind’s deepest philosophical questions. There was not a single part of this book that I did not enjoy. The writing is excellent and the editing errors are few and far between. I am happy to award this unique and entertaining book 4 out of 4 stars. If you enjoy science, philosophy, Douglas Adams, Dr. Seuss, or any of the other elements I mentioned in this review, this book is for you! I cannot imagine who would dislike this book, as it seems to have something for everyone.
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Of Zots and Xoodles
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