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A review by abdiel47
He Laughed with His Other Mouths by M.T. Anderson
5.0
It is immediately apparent that He Laughed with His Other Mouths has a different tone than the other books in the series. A science fiction adventure, it explores some of the mysteries that the author has hinted at in previous novels in the series. And while it is full of absurdities like the other books in the series, the author intentionally uses them to make the book feel more emotionally intense and less laugh-out-loud. While the grand tragedies of previous novels are softened with silliness, here they don’t get softened as much, and sometimes not at all.
The changes in tone were so drastic I became convinced early on that Anderson’s not planning on writing any more Pals in Peril books. That left a kind of pall over my reading, but in the end it was awesome. This and Linoleum Lederhosen are probably my favorite books in a fantastic series.
With regards to kids fiction in general, I must admit I almost always hate it. When I read it as a kid I felt like the authors were condescending and trite. Even reading modern fiction aimed at kids I feel like the authors are only aiming their books at kids and teenagers because they think they are too dumb to recognize all their sloppiness and mistakes.
I think one of the reasons I liked these books is because it makes fun of children’s literature. In the series the author points out when he’s manipulating your emotions, he calls attention to the fact that there are plot holes. Still the series manages to be funny for both kids and adults. It is also able to cut through the silliness with real pathos. It questions what it means to exist. And it questions why we even read silly books to begin with.
The changes in tone were so drastic I became convinced early on that Anderson’s not planning on writing any more Pals in Peril books. That left a kind of pall over my reading, but in the end it was awesome. This and Linoleum Lederhosen are probably my favorite books in a fantastic series.
With regards to kids fiction in general, I must admit I almost always hate it. When I read it as a kid I felt like the authors were condescending and trite. Even reading modern fiction aimed at kids I feel like the authors are only aiming their books at kids and teenagers because they think they are too dumb to recognize all their sloppiness and mistakes.
I think one of the reasons I liked these books is because it makes fun of children’s literature. In the series the author points out when he’s manipulating your emotions, he calls attention to the fact that there are plot holes. Still the series manages to be funny for both kids and adults. It is also able to cut through the silliness with real pathos. It questions what it means to exist. And it questions why we even read silly books to begin with.