The 13½ Lives of Captain Bluebear by Walter Moers

“From the Encyclopedia of Marvels, Life Forms and Other Phenomena of Zamonia and its Environs by Professor Abdullah Nightingale.

“The universe is as flat as a slice of sausage, you see.” pg 159 “This universe that she polishes so assiduously,” I said, “What in the world does that stand on?” “The universe doesn’t stand on anything, it lies,” Weeny put in. “The bucket stands on the back of the Great Cleaner who polishes the universe to all eternity,” Knio replied self-confidently. “And what is the bucket standing on?” I demanded, trying to floor him. “The earth is a bun floating in a bucket of water,” he asserted defiantly.

He had an appallingly crude conception of the physical world. Telling one is like dressing up reality in its Sunday best.” pg 19ĭuring Bluebear’s time at the Nocturnal Academy: “One night, Knio and I had an argument about the nature of the universe. They taught me that a good white lie is often considerably more exciting than the truth. Some parts that I enjoyed and there were so many to choose from-ĭuring the life with the Minipirates: “I must, however, admit to having been influenced by their richly embroidered tales and extravagant flights of fancy. I enjoyed the fantastic nature of it but I didn’t like the long lists of creatures that read more like crazy encyclopedic entries than an actual story with characters. And, like in Dahl’s book, I felt like the author was always hinting about a greater truth behind the story, as if The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear was more a gigantic allegory than a children’s book. Moers writes page after page of strange creatures, worlds, and circumstances that are only connected because Bluebear passes through them. It reminded me of Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator by Roald Dahl. Captain Bluebear tells the story of his first 13-1/2 lives spent on the mysterious continent of Zamonia, where intelligence is an infectious disease, water flows uphill, and dangers lie in wait for him around every corner.

The 13½ Lives of Captain Bluebear by Walter Moers