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3.6 AVERAGE
3.6 AVERAGE
I loved this one. Sure, it's a little difficult to fully grasp much of what the author describes as an American (takes place in London) in 2023 (from the 1890s), but I still maintain this story holds relevance in today's world. This novel deals with the various reactions to world-ending catastrophe, including complacency, selfishness, and madness. It can very easily be read, from a 21st century perspective, as an allegory for climate change. The science-fiction elements are suitably grotesque and detailed, with just enough suggestion to inspire a fear of the unknown. There is a reason this is a classic of science-fiction, and if you are a fan of that genre, suspense, mystery, or even horror, you owe it to yourself to give this classic a read. Fascinating and relevant, I highly recommend!
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I just realized that I don't really care for sci-fi novels no matter how hard I try to like them - this one is about a man who is stuck on Earth whilst martians attack it - we follow him around as he attempts to escape - and we follow him for several days as he is sneaking around and trying to stay out of sight of the aliens- I read the shortened book Oxford readers version meant for school which is only around 90 pages long but it was so darn boring I really struggled to get through it, I don't even remotely believe that I would be able to get through the full version. The aliens are finally eventually defeated - not by some huge scary weapon or machine but rather than by the bacteria on Earth that humans adapted to but aliens didn't - such a lukewarm ending for a book full of suspense. I also didn't really care for the illustrations in my version because they look weird and so out of place. All in all - thought that it would be better and was left disappointed.
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It’s reflecting and I like the sci-fi that includes the aliens in the book
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I really enjoy how the gothic and science fiction merge in this fin de siécle novel. Given it is over 100 years old, I found its pacing remarkably rapid and gripping and I felt, despite my lack of an innate gravitation towards science fiction (despite a growing love for the broader concept of speculative fiction) that there was something striking about how Wells boards the question of extaterrestrial life, the gothic Other, uncertainty and fear, human nature and an almost ecocritical take on the threat of extraterrestrial colonisation. Either I'm tripping or this is somewhat less dense in allegorical attraction in terms of analysing symbolism and recurrent motifs as Wells doesn't inherently segregate nature and industry or gods and men BUT I think the critical response to this novel, particularly compared to the more notably... typical (minimum minorly xenophobic) Gothic invasion fiction means that this could prove spellbinding. Jane Eyre as a comparison text is something I cannot as of yet quite get my head around but I'm chomping at the bit to get this through my head.
-0.5 stars for not clearly outlining the reunion with the brother and for it feeling a tad of a diversion as well as for the wife feeling a hollow character with their reunion striking me as a stereotypically gothic copout compared to the unnerving speculation and gothic counterfeit with nonfictional scientific tone of authority in the final epilogue chapter.
-0.5 stars for not clearly outlining the reunion with the brother and for it feeling a tad of a diversion as well as for the wife feeling a hollow character with their reunion striking me as a stereotypically gothic copout compared to the unnerving speculation and gothic counterfeit with nonfictional scientific tone of authority in the final epilogue chapter.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
What a book ! The fact that this was written SO SO long ago feels incomprehensible to me bc its so deeply scientific for its time. The first half was a bit slow and very exposition heavy especially when talking about places and locations which as a person not from the UK it just has me like ???? but it really really comes into it's own in the second half.
The narrator does such a good job of showing the human condition and Wells really showcases the strength of humanity in general. The imagery in the writing is so fantastic and there's so many moments where I felt just as unmoored and terrified because what the fuck how do you even survive the absolute horror of the unknown like this. It's such a testament to the human spirit and I enjoyed the little info-dumps he did about the Martians and their habits. It's also this kinda shocking feeling of thinking wow these Martians are evil for the sake of it and they're so senselessly cruel but Wells literally points out that it's exactly what humans have done to other species for ages and I already knew it but it's still jarring to put in perspective. Also some crazy metaphors for capitalism that I don't think the author intended but i felt it atleast.
Overall, book left me with a feeling of unshakable horror and also hope ? And a tremendous feeling of personally I would just give up and die
The narrator does such a good job of showing the human condition and Wells really showcases the strength of humanity in general. The imagery in the writing is so fantastic and there's so many moments where I felt just as unmoored and terrified because what the fuck how do you even survive the absolute horror of the unknown like this. It's such a testament to the human spirit and I enjoyed the little info-dumps he did about the Martians and their habits. It's also this kinda shocking feeling of thinking wow these Martians are evil for the sake of it and they're so senselessly cruel but Wells literally points out that it's exactly what humans have done to other species for ages and I already knew it but it's still jarring to put in perspective. Also some crazy metaphors for capitalism that I don't think the author intended but i felt it atleast.
Overall, book left me with a feeling of unshakable horror and also hope ? And a tremendous feeling of personally I would just give up and die
dark
emotional
mysterious
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