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3.51 AVERAGE
3.51 AVERAGE
I saw the movie years ago (well, I guess not that long ago) and was fascinated by the idea: what happens if humans stop reproducing….
I have to say this novel differs from the movie in drastic ways, yet I found them both quite enjoyable. By matter of fact, the book is better because you can make your own interpretation reading the passages, whereas the movie was acted well and had some great action scenes.
The novel follows Theo, a history professor as he describes his thoughts and feelings living in a world with mass infertility (the last baby was born 25 years ago). Theo at times appears to just be going through the motions of living (which I can only assume is common, when you know humanity will end in 80 years), until he meets a woman who solicits his help trying to change the government, run by his cousin.
To avoid spoilers I won't say much more but this novel was more of a cerebral view of this world, than an action packed adventure depicted in the film. If you've seen the movie first, no worries, it won't spoil you for the novel.
I have to say this novel differs from the movie in drastic ways, yet I found them both quite enjoyable. By matter of fact, the book is better because you can make your own interpretation reading the passages, whereas the movie was acted well and had some great action scenes.
The novel follows Theo, a history professor as he describes his thoughts and feelings living in a world with mass infertility (the last baby was born 25 years ago). Theo at times appears to just be going through the motions of living (which I can only assume is common, when you know humanity will end in 80 years), until he meets a woman who solicits his help trying to change the government, run by his cousin.
To avoid spoilers I won't say much more but this novel was more of a cerebral view of this world, than an action packed adventure depicted in the film. If you've seen the movie first, no worries, it won't spoil you for the novel.
The movie is wildly different from the book, both of which are excellent. I have a soft spot for dystopian fiction and this was a great read.
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Very good book. The film strayed very far from the themes of the novel and the role of its central character. Essentially a book about finding hope and love in a lost world, but also exploring power and the effect of gaining or losing power on people's behaviour.
POSSIBLE SPOILERS? (i don't talk about the end of the story, per se, but i use some sparkling adjectives while describing the overall mood of the ending.)
this really is one of those rare cases where the people who made the movie of this book took the parts they liked from a somewhat interesting tale built on an incredibly interesting premise and constructed a more cohesive, startling, touching whole from the sum of those parts. i didn't like any of the characters here. well, maybe one. the lead went through a transformation, but i'm not used to waiting 200 pages for revelation about the beauty of life to make someone less of a jerk, especially when the book's only 240-odd pages.
that said, i really liked the ending. it was subtle and brought home the bleakness of human existence. but it was too soon after there was supposed to have been an assertion of positivity for the erasure of that positive feeling to occur. that just made it seem less effective. so i liked it, but maybe it wasn't worth the wait.
i wonder how i would have felt if i had read the book first, or if i hadn't spent two weeks trying to track down a copy of this book in English. still, i think there is a human heart in the middle of the story that the movie tells. in the middle of this story there is only some big words and a lot of idle chatter.
this really is one of those rare cases where the people who made the movie of this book took the parts they liked from a somewhat interesting tale built on an incredibly interesting premise and constructed a more cohesive, startling, touching whole from the sum of those parts. i didn't like any of the characters here. well, maybe one. the lead went through a transformation, but i'm not used to waiting 200 pages for revelation about the beauty of life to make someone less of a jerk, especially when the book's only 240-odd pages.
that said, i really liked the ending. it was subtle and brought home the bleakness of human existence. but it was too soon after there was supposed to have been an assertion of positivity for the erasure of that positive feeling to occur. that just made it seem less effective. so i liked it, but maybe it wasn't worth the wait.
i wonder how i would have felt if i had read the book first, or if i hadn't spent two weeks trying to track down a copy of this book in English. still, i think there is a human heart in the middle of the story that the movie tells. in the middle of this story there is only some big words and a lot of idle chatter.
I bought this book because I really liked the movie. The book is very different and I didn't like it as well. I think I'll have to watch the movie again and try rereading.
I haven't yet seen this movie -- I suspect many people have. I knew the premise. This was the first P.D. James book I've read. (I must be a misogynist -- I presumed P.D. James was a man; or, maybe I simply conflated the author with P.J. O'Rourke.) The premise is not as much used to explore darker, or more primal, aspects of human nature. In a genre version of this book, I think that is what would happen, either garishly, or through intense psychological development (or regression) of the characters. It is very British that, faced with the end of the world, the general public seems most concerned about being tidy and comfortable. The author largely off-stages the ugly bits. That the story becomes a re-telling of the Christian nativity should not come as a surprise, however that usage, placed in the context of power and man's (and that IS sexist, but not inaccurate) hunger for it, is unexpected.
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
great story BUT unfortunately the amazing single shot scenes in the movie make this one a rare “movie is better than the book”. it gave me a panic attack once.