Reviews

The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham

rustyhanger's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

skull_servant's review against another edition

2.0

Que los rusos creen unas plantas que cobran vida y se alimentan de los humanos, ok. Que un cometa deje ciego de manera permanente a todos los que salieron a verlo, entendido. ¿Pero que esos dos eventos radicales hayan ocurrido en la misma novela? Aquí es cuando el autor pidió demasiado compromiso de parte del lector.
Asumo que el autor se dio cuenta de que las plantas no eran un adversario demasiado temible para la humanidad, digo, a penas se pueden mover. Así que decidió darles una ventaja, con la aparición repentina de este cometa. El problema es que, que el 95% de los humanos no puedan ver, es ya suficiente premisa como para contar una historia atrapante. Que en el medio de todo este caos hayan unas plantas vivientes matando humanos incapaces de defenderse, resulta insustancial. Cualquier amenaza común pudo haber ocupado su lugar dentro de este marco post-apocalíptico, como algún animal letal que no requiera el sentido de la vista para cazar.
De todas formas, la historia se sencilla, directa y entretenida. Cualquier fanático del género post-apocalíptico la disfrutará. Igual, estoy siendo algo generoso con mi calificación. Hubiese sido una mejor idea utilizar las dos ideas para hacer dos novelas distintas.

kaithyde's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

jay_hobday's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

giorvel's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

frankiebishop00's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.75

caitlinrpowell's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

jimbowen0306's review against another edition

4.0

This book sees what happens to Earth when a meteor storm blinds most of the people of Earth (we watch what happens to the sighted remnants as they struggle to cope too), and a particularly sentient plant learns how to walk, and decides to attack the newly disabled population.

It's an easy read (inasmuch as I read it particularly quickly), but it was all rather depressing in its view of how people would react (it doesn't take 12hrs for beastly things to start happening).

In a way it reminds me of The Kraken Wakes (which has a similar plot about man's inability to cope with strange occurrences), but has a muted ending that left me feeling a bit blah, so all in all, not a fun read, unless you like sad sci-fi.

amyrobertsonreads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

ashtronomic's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

 Highly fascinating concepts for an apocalyptic earth, let down by an insufferable protagonist.

I was really enjoying this book whilst it was in its set-up phase; the background of the triffids was intriguing and the world immediately after the disaster was immersive. The Triffids themselves are creepy and provide a sense of tenseness throughout the entire novel. As a fan of apocalyptic novels, Wyndham's ideas were unique and refreshing. There was a nice amount of variety in the different responses to cataclysm, unfortunately the reaction of the book's protagonist was one of the least interesting overall.

The book's main character Bill was obnoxiously flawless. He was never wrong, always had a solution to every problem and seemed to be completely unaffected by the horrific events happening around him. Everyone who meets Bill either likes him or needs him, despite differences in morals and ethics.

The characters, and the book as a whole have very dated ideas on women. I wish I could disregard Wyndham’s ideals as a reflection of the time, however I have recently read older classics with representations of women that felt centuries ahead of those in The Day of the Triffids. In contrast to the perfect and powerful men, every woman is absolutely helpless without a man to help - even the doctors and leaders of colonies. One character goes on a rant that effectively recognises the societal oppression of women, but then blames women for it. I wish I could have liked the book more, but the author's disagreeable ideals are a bit too insistent to overlook.