Group Re-Read 2.0 #35 The Proposal

[RYTX]

Synopsis
What's on your mind...?
Marco still can't be sure if his mother is alive or dead. While it's tough to deal with, it hasn't effected him too much. Until now. His dad is dating again-and it's pretty serious; there's talk of marriage. Marco's finding it hard to cope with and it's causing problems with his morphing- a gorilla crossed with a fish isn't much help in a fight. And with the Animorphs trying to break up the Yeerks newest efforts to build The Sharing, Marco's mishaps may attack attention. Attention that could get them killed....

Questions
   1. This book shares a few things in common with #12. What do you think of the similarities and differences in plot? How does using a self-help personality differ from using a teen idol in the Yeerks recruiting efforts?

   2. The Animorphs use Tennant's own pets to spy on him via a ****atiel morph. What did you think of this animal in this book? Do you think the descriptions of it's attitudes and abilities were accurate, undersold or exaggerated? How does it compare to the Animorphs standard use of bird morphs?

   3. Marco's had a pretty stressful life: he's in a war, has nearly been killed several times, found out his mother is the host of the most powerful of the Yeerk Vissers, thought his mom died about 3 times up to this point with him orchestrating a couple of the situations that put her life in danger. Yet it seems that his dad involved with another woman is key to his loss of control. What do you think this says about Marco, and the nature of personal conflicts and tactical conflicts as stressors?

   4. What do you think of the way his friends help him deal with his problem? Cassie tries to talk to him and get him to face what is. Jake tells him to get his head out his butt, and follow his own advice of laughing over crying. What do you think is the better method? Which would you prefer to have used on you?

   5. What do you think of the Animorph's plans to annoy Tennant? Which do you think was the best one? Marco admits to having a personal satisfaction in getting to harass the Yeerk as a poodle-what do you think of this aspect of his character?

   6. With all the powers of the Animorphs at your disposal, how would you annoy someone to the point of a public break down? How would you do it IRL?

   7. What do you think about the segue into Visser in this book, which reveals Marco's mother is alive, and that the Yeerk knows exactly who, and where, he is?

   8. Approximately when is the last time you read this book? What changes do you expect or would like to see in a re-release?

   9. Anything else?

Answer, ignore and submit your own questions and comments as you please; but remember to vote!

Next week: Visser

[Underseen]

Too tired to do all the questions, but this is one of my favorite "filler books" as I call them.

[Ember Nickel]

Marco, in the space of a few awful months you've gone from believing your mother is dead to almost literally having to try and destroy her. <- how has it only been "a few months"? If it's three years, total.

Was General Washington ready for whoever's butt he kicked? <- Marco, you time travelled back and saw Washington, you should know this one.

Don't think it's realistic that he just got pushed over the edge, no.

[RYTX]

   1. Shameful. Only difference was the personalities of the "actors" and the target audience.  There are some good lines in this, but that the plot (and the side plot) are both so, so similar to twelve, well I'm caught up in self-righteous indignation.

   2. Never the fan of cage birds, I give credit to anything that can outsmart the neighborhood children. Obviously a different utility here than hawk or gull, I contemplate chiefly the difference in flight pattern between. If I could fly I'd take open air, but watch a sparrow sized bird in a tree sometime. Still good movement.

   3. I mention all those things to point out how insane this is. In my mind, that he can go through all that as an Animorph, where has arguably the most personal traumas, and keep it together, but his dad remarrying is what throws him over the edge. That is bonkers. I catalog personal as want and tactic as need, so I can swallow personal stress for a while. While I do think it's the bigger problem for most people, it was a surprise to see this in Marco.

   4. Jake knows Marco, and that's why what he said works-not everyone can just be consoled and talk things out. I rarely hand out sagely wisdom, and it mostly is a few observations that hopefully keep the person for punishing them-self. While there are some things I probably need to talk out, I tend to resist consolation. Tough love has better chance, but still the risk of lashing out and everything falling apart.

   5. Funny? Maybe. I think the dog thing was the best idea. Having to scratch your head probably wouldn't discredit you. I know that the whole point of Marco's delight is that he wasn't really hurting Tenant-no moral questioning so to speak, but taking delight in any level of suffering is not a good thing. Understandable, he's been through a lot, but it's still morally questionable as far as I'm concerned. And most the Animorphs show this feeling at one point or another. Understandable, but....

   6. I was going to say bully: random human(s) to exasperate the person, but that probably has limited utility on adults. Birds: getting crapped on every few hours would get a lot of people. Hmm, this is tough. In real life I've used mild insults, taunts, limited physical utilization. Repetition is the key though, no matter what you do. Oh! For example giving the same plot (and side plot) to another book in a series!

   7. I'm not a huge fan of Visser, so having read it some of the effect is lost. Still, objectively it is a great lead in, the type of cliff hanger you could end a TV season on. Lot of potential (even if it is never reached :X)