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Jonathan is one of the most creative writers I have come
across. This
is my third (after Doodling and Magnus Opum) encounter with this talented author and he never ceases to amaze
me.
Flidderbugs is about two groups of ‘bugs, the Triplifers and
the Quadrigons, who live
– divided – in the
Krephiloff Tree. If you thought that
politics and devious ‘business’ practices were exclusive to humans, be assured
that they find their way into the Flidderbugs’ world too. A very important and divisive issue separates
the two groups – does a leaf have three or four points? It takes the offspring (Kriffle and Fargeeta)
of the elders, who have long held council, to bring a refreshing new outlook to
proceedings and to make them see the error of the traditionally held beliefs; but they have to act quickly – three points
or four on a leaf will make no difference when there is a much more serious and
urgent dilemma needing immediate attention.
I loved the characterisation of dotty professors, dogmatic
seniors, smarmy dodgy ‘business’ characters and homely, doting (Klummerfly soup-making)
mothers. I loved the way the ‘tree’ is
the Flidderbugs’ ‘world’ which brings a new dimension to the phrase ‘What in
the Tree was I thinking of’. I loved the
portrayal of the wheeler-dealer Flidderbug and his shiny, pristine carapace and
sleek, trim antennae, and I especially loved the shambolic professor’s very
logical explanation of the impending disaster, “The vectors of pressure bearing down on the
indices of the central support elements in regard to the key structural
components have reached a point where the proportion of lateral forces
henceways in opposition to the lateral forces forthways have exceeded the most
preferred ratio, leading to a situation in which vertiginous damage will
shortly be unavoidable, resulting in a catastrophic breakdown in said
structural components and raising the potential of a near complete collapse of
the entire encompassing environment.” It’s obvious, really, isn’t it?
This is only (sadly) a short, really easy-to-read story, but
it’s huge on entertainment, charm, likeability, and genius.
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