Group Re-read: #35 The Proposal

[Terenia]

Summary
Marco already knows he has a few problems: the constant battle with the Yeerks; finding out that his mother was infested . . . and is now Visser One. The leader of the Yeerk invasion of Earth. But things are about to get even weirder. Marco's father is thinking about getting married again. Meanwhile, the Animorphs and Ax have other things to worry about. It seems the Yeerks are trying harder than ever to get people into The Sharing. Now the kids have to find a way to slow down recruitment. But Marco's personal stress is causing him to morph into creatures that don't exist. Creatures the Yeerks are sure to notice . . . and attack. . .

Questions
1. The main premise of this book is Marco's morphing mishaps. What do you think about his mixed morphs? Is it a plausible excuse for stress? Why do you think that none of the other Animorphs have been 'afflicted' yet? They're all under quite a bit of stress, after all...

2. Do you think that the Animorphs approached discrediting William Roger Tennant in an effective way?

3. What do you think about the added dilemma of Marco's father getting remarried.

4. What do you think about Cassie's attempts at helping Marco cope? What about Jake's very different tactic?

5. This book ends with Visser One/Eva calling Marco. Was this a good place in the series to have this happen, or should it have taken place in a more critical book??

6. Anything else?

Next week: Visser

[Chad32]

The mixed morphing was wierd, and the fact that it's due to stress is a bit strange. I mean, how can his dad getting married cause him that much more stress than what everyone else goes through?

I don't remember how Cassie and Jake try to help him cope. Even though these threads are about rereads, I haven't actually been rereading anything.

Marco's dad getting remarried adds a bit of drama to Marco's life. I once thought Rachel's mom would get remarried because of some lines in Time of Dinosaurs. But I guess KA changed her mind and went with Marco instead. Not that I'm complaining.

Visser One's call came in as good a book as any, I suppose.

[Terenia]

I don't remember how Cassie and Jake try to help him cope. Even though these threads are about rereads, I haven't actually been rereading anything.

Cassie comes over and attempts to get Marco to talk about his problems. Jake is more along the lines of "Marco, cope. Now. That is an order."

[Chad32]

That sounds like how they would do it. Cassie would try talking about it, while Jake would just try to keep him from blowing everyone's cover.

[rocklobster]

I had trouble with the mixed morphs too. It seemed a little off.  As for why Eva turns up, it leads into Visser.  It has to turn up to entice people to pick up that book.  Which is definitely one of the best in the series, IMHO.

[Chad32]

Visser was a really nice book. My second favorite Chronicles book, after TAC.

[anijen21]

lol this was the first book I bought and didn't read! Yay!

I like Visser but it has its problems. I'll wait for that discussion, though.

[Terenia]

I had trouble with the mixed morphs too. It seemed a little off.  As for why Eva turns up, it leads into Visser.  It has to turn up to entice people to pick up that book.  Which is definitely one of the best in the series, IMHO.

That's true, but they could have put that carrot in any book, really. What if Visser took place at a different point in the series? What if KA waited until #40?

[morfowt]

5. This book ends with Visser One/Eva calling Marco. Was this a good place in the series to have this happen, or should it have taken place in a more critical book??

I like that it was in this book. I guess it's called ironic. Like marco accepts that his mother won't come back and invites Nora to be part of the family. then he gets a call and finds out she's still alive, and has hope again that she'll come back. well that's what it seems like to me...

[rocklobster]

Is it just me or does anyone else think Nora's a controller at this point too?

[Chad32]

I was never too worried about that. But since we don't actually see her struggling against captors in book 45, it could be possible. Do they ever put her on three day watch?

[morfowt]

I was never too worried about that. But since we don't actually see her struggling against captors in book 45, it could be possible. Do they ever put her on three day watch?

actually they have. I'm pretty sure it said in #35 they watched her for 3 days and confirmed she wasn't a controller.

[AniDragon]

I think this book could have been done a lot better. I mean, the main plot was clearly Marco's struggle with his dad remarrying, but then they had the stupid plot of yet another celebrity endorsing the Sharing, and of messed up morphs. Hm, sounds a bit like book 12, only not done as well. It was like the plot was just thrown in, because they knew they needed more than "just" Marco's dad remarrying.

Although, the "poo-bear" joke was hilarious. XD

[Chad32]

There are always two things going on with each book. Maybe they could have made the two things fit together more than the ones they came up with.

[AniDragon]

Yeah. I just think they could have come up with a better Yeerk-related side-plot.