3 out of 4 stars
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Theodil creates Zots, then Xoodles. Before long, he has created a universe but not without being questions by his audience about his creation process. Why not create the final product in the beginning instead of starting with the smallest parts? Despite being a seemingly all-knowing being, Theodil enjoys playing with his Zots and Xoodles until they form something much more complex, allowing for a philosophical conversation about the history of the universe as a winding road with multiple stops rather than a straight path with one destination.
Of Zots and Xoodles by Zarqnon the Embarrassed is a short although complex book. It explores the idea of creation and addresses the notion of omniscience. The writing style is whimsical yet pseudo-scientific, conveying the message without much explanation. After reading this book, I was able to grasp the meaning in my mind, but relaying it to someone else required more thought because of the complex ideas presented in the text.
I imagine the plot playing out similar to a play, with the Internuncio appearing briefly as an announcer before exiting the stage. As a fan of classic plays (such as Euripedes or Sophocles), I appreciated how Zarqnon was able to bring this setting to mind. I also really appreciate the notion that inventors may have an ideal final product in mind, but they do not always have the foresight to go from idea to product. They must figure out how to get from one point to another, and while it may seem frustrating at times, especially with outsiders criticizing every step, the path itself is a journey to be enjoyed.
The language used in this short book is reminiscent of Dr. Seuss, as evidenced in the title itself. The sentences are filled with alliteration and unusual words, making it fun to read while prompting the mind to work at comprehension and translating it into a different style of speech.. It is interspersed with comic-style images and graphs that appear more scientific to supplement the text, balancing the whimsy of the story with the serious philosophical questions. The only real problem that drew me out of the prose was the constant use of quotations around the word “bubbles;” instead, Zarqnon could have changed it to another word as he did with “dots” and “noodles” which would have made it more consistent.
I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. There are some minor punctuation and grammatical errors, but not quite enough to detract from the quality. I recommend this book to someone who enjoys the writing style of Dr. Seuss mixed with philosophy, perhaps fans of the “Popular Culture and Philosophy” series of books. Zarqnon the Embarrassed's book is definitely for those who like to contemplate about philosophical topics. I would not recommend this book for children—the language may be fantastical, but it is still handles rather complex ideas that they may not quite understand.
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Of Zots and Xoodles
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