The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies Of The Apocalypse
Robert Rankin's Screwball Comedy Entertains and Comments on Society
The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies Of The Apocalypse could probably sell multiple copies based on it's unique and memorable title alone. But the fun doesn't stop there. Inside, Robert Rankin has created a highly imaginative, comical but oddly believable world that for all it's eccentricity manages to introduce sympathetic characters that aren't human in the least. No small feat.
Characters
The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies Of The Apocalypse focuses on two main characters, Jack, a 13-year-old boy, often called a "gormster" by Toy City residents, and detective's assistant Eddie Bear the teddy bear. Jack seeks fame and fortune in the city while hard-living, hard-drinking Eddie wants to solve a case begun by his missing friend Bill Winkie. The book is fleshed out by memorable and imaginative secondary characters. There's Tinto the tin man, a bartender at Eddie's favorite establishment. There's Jill, a human prostitute working for Madam Mother Goose. There's the kindly old toymaker, a Santa Claus-like figure. There's also the varied rich nursery rhymes like Humpty Dumpty, Little Boy Blue and Little Miss Muffett.
Plot
Jack finds out soon that the city he dreamed of wasn't the city as it was. He finds himself overwhelmed by the fact that the majority of it's inhabitants are living toys. Upon meeting Eddie, Jack is given a purpose, help the teddy bear solve the murder of one of Toy City's rich nursery rhymes. The two embark on an adventure with plenty of plot twists worthy of a great mystery. The twists make the plot engaging, usually hitting you over the head like a lead pipe.
Dialogue and Writing Techniques
Rankin has a wonderful vocabulary and each character has an extremely unique voice that practically screams off the page. Eddie constantly utters phrases like "Sweet as," never adding a qualifier. One of Rankin's writing techniques that adds to the comedy wonderfully is his tendency to ramble on a thought, on purpose of course. For example: "No one who actually lives in a basement flat actually refers to it as a basement flat. It's just not done. People who live in basement flats refer to their flats as garden flats. So Wibbly lived in a garden flat. Though without a garden. Or indeed, any windows."
Social Commentary
Like all good dystopian literature, The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies Of The Apocalypse makes some statements about our society. Miss Muffett hosts a talk show that's part Oprah, part Jerry Springer. Most toys Jack comes into contact with are simply content with the status quo. The section of the book where Rankin introduces the various toy religions is imaginative, funny and very interesting. The descriptions of religions like "Big Box Fella, He Come," who believe that the universe is box-shaped and a toy given to a god as a child, are no less far-fetched than religions of the past and present once carefully analyzed. After all, it was the popular view that the world was flat centuries ago.
The Bottom Line
The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies Of The Apocalypse is definitely a page turner. It's hard to put down. This is simply because of just how imaginative Rankin's characters, plot and language are. The surreal, steampunk-influenced world he's created in lush and what or who's coming on the next page is the exact opposite of predictable. It's clear Robert Rankin is the natural heir to Douglas Adams.
The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies Of The Apocalypse
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