Unlike the others here, I would argue that this is supposed to be this way - it’s a mind bending puzzle after all.

It’s like he doesn’t know what to do with his face in order to smile - “Let all the muscles go completely loose? No, that didn’t work - constrict everything! Hmm, perhaps I just need to tense my teeth and let everything hang loose while opening my eyes reeeeeally wide…”

Stranger still to make the headline about one small paragraph in the middle of the piece that was clearly an aside.

The sequels expand on the premise in pretty interesting ways too.

You should read Semiosis, a sci-fi book about a planet with a lot of bamboo.

C’mon Matrim - EXPLODE!