Initial Thoughts of 'The Bunker Diary' - January 2021

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These notes are not a evaluative or analytic essay on this book, rather an initial look and perspective on the book I wrote a while back. Considering how intricately this book is designed, both thematically and structurally, I'll probably be writing a more intense post on this book soon. 

spoilers 

A great book, I really love how, even though the book is YA, it explores such complex themes of philosophy, time, humanity, evilness, religion, morality.

The concept is so simple- a group of kidnapped people trapped in a bunker- but the execution is phenomenal. Also, the use of structure was really good: a lot of people don’t really like the ending, but I think it was extremely fitting to the hopelessness of the book.

The MC (Linus) was an interesting narrator- he was unreliable but was objective and pragmatic, constantly searching for survival. It’s worth noting that his obsession with time suddenly becomes a lot more pointed when we realise he was the first one to arrive and the las tone to ‘leave,’ and therefore was the one who was the most estranged from freedom. Kerr had said that tragedy is when hope seems possible and this constitutes ‘The Bunker Diary’ as a tragedy, if it wasn’t obvious enough by the sinister book concept and plot.

Side characters were also interesting and represented something wider. Jenny was executed well- usually children characters really aggravate me but she was likeable. It’s admirable how, despite being 9 years old, she coped with the situation a lot better than some of the other adults. Her ending was tragic but ambiguous- was she killed by Linus and cannibalised or had she already died?

Dr. Russel was also heart breaking to see. He really pushed the more philosophical themes of the text, wise and clearly a source of respite for Linus- hence it was horrible to see him decline, more so by the fact that if he wasn’t kidnapped he may have been given the chance to survive for a bit longer. How did he live through the banging (the punishment for Linus’s escape, banging/loud noises played by Mister)?

Loved how the Mister was presented. Pioneered themes of religion, God, and the mortality- he was essentially God and therefore offers a critique of God’s wickedness through the creation/purpose of Hell. It was jaw dropping how he wasn’t revealed- nor was his intentions- was it just a sick experiment? The fantasies of a psychopath? I read a theory online that the kidnapper was found by police for a separate crime and so when he was taken into custody, the police couldn't uncover the bunker, making all heat, resources and electricity end. Such a simple yet complex ending but we will never truly know, and nor will the author ever reveal.


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