782 reviews for:

The Machine Stops

E.M. Forster

4.01 AVERAGE

readhikerepeat's review against another edition

5.0

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Imagine living in a world where humans interact by computer screen and rely on technology to bring them anything they want. This is the world that E.M. Forster imagined back in the early 1900’s in The Machine Stops and I wonder if he had any idea how portentous his story would turn out to be. In Forster’s world, humans had become so reliant on technology and leadership that they ceased thinking for themselves and had no need for physical human contact. Humanity had, quite literally, driven itself underground and given itself over to the whims of The Machine. Collectively, it was easier to do as told than to protest, and humans swallowed the stories told to them by The Machine without question in order to avoid any discomfort. But amidst the complacent darkness, there was one man sought the light and The Machine Stops is his story. 

This book is entirely too relevant to today’s world. It’s not hard to draw parallels from The Machine to our political system. We also live in a society that oftentimes values individual comforts over the collective good. Plus, we do, actually, idolize and interact by computer screen and can have goods delivered to us with the touch of a button. So while we may not live underground and shy away from sunlight, the following quotes pulled from The Machine Stops demonstrate exactly how prescient Forster may have been. 

This review was originally posted at The Book Wheel.

m4rvtr's review against another edition

4.0

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

maggv07's review against another edition

4.0

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Demorei imenso tempo a ler isto, mas gostei
Sinto que é daqueles livros para reler daqui a uns anos.

mitcheljhunter's review against another edition

4.0

emotional fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

sarah_dietrich's review against another edition

1.0

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Yawn. Not worth reading.

ola_oreiba's review against another edition

5.0

hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: N/A

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

canarqen_defon's review against another edition

4.0

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The person who wrote Howard's End and A Room With a View wrote this gem? In 1909? Excellent short story. The first chapter could be a diatribe against over-use of the Internet. And there are flavors of this story in many more recent SF shorts. (Plus, Disney stole a lot of the concepts in this future world for Wall-E!)

aspera's review against another edition

3.75

dark medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

anaw's review against another edition

4.5

sad tense fast-paced

dnbrashaw's review against another edition

4.0

challenging reflective fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: N/A

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No