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lgreaves's review against another edition
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? Yes
3.0
missbookiverse's review against another edition
4.0
[3.5 stars]
A neat, quick supernatural tale about a boy and his imaginary friend that raises some important questions. I especially liked how it challenged human constructs such as gender (I'm probably reading even more into this from today's standpoint) and the way we as humans treat the environment and our resources (still a recent issue). Also, the dynamic between the parents was interesting because they actually consulted each other about the way their son behaved and how they should best deal with it. In the end, the wife was often portrayed as naive and too emotional (from the husband's POV) though.
A neat, quick supernatural tale about a boy and his imaginary friend that raises some important questions. I especially liked how it challenged human constructs such as gender (I'm probably reading even more into this from today's standpoint) and the way we as humans treat the environment and our resources (still a recent issue). Also, the dynamic between the parents was interesting because they actually consulted each other about the way their son behaved and how they should best deal with it. In the end, the wife was often portrayed as naive and too emotional (from the husband's POV) though.
emilygray4's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
cmcrockford's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The kind of smart, subtle midcentury genre fiction I love, playing intelligently with possession and alien tropes. Especially interesting that Chocky is genuinely not a malevolent spirit - whatever's happening here, it's trying to help Matthew.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol
Moderate: Kidnapping and Sexism
uselessconsumer's review against another edition
4.0
Chicky the original they/them telepathic baddie. All in all great and entertaining read. Would have liked an ending with more lose ends.
crystalwilson16's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-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
2.75
camichristine's review against another edition
5.0
Such a cool story!! I love unique stories that I haven't heard before, and this is one of them! I also loved "Day of the Triffids" by John Wyndham, which was another very unique story! I will have to read more of Mr. Wyndham's books!
saroz162's review against another edition
3.0
I saw the television adaptation a few years ago, so I knew roughly what to expect from the plot, but this was my first John Wyndham novel. What impressed me was his ability to very quickly draw the reader into the situation, maintaining a very fine balance between a quirky, almost comical scenario and the parents' increasing concern. The book definitely becomes tense - I think my criticism would be that it never quite reaches the levels of fear one might expect. It feels a little neutered by the end, and I think it's very telling that the book has sometimes been reprinted as a YA title. As a kid of 12, I'd have found this completely absorbing; as an adult of 30, I enjoyed what I read, but I wanted more.
dantastic's review against another edition
4.0
Chocky is the story of a young boy whose imaginary friend turns out to be an alien consciousness.
While I liked Chocky a lot, it didn't go down the way I thought it would. You'd think the alien consciousness would be malicious, especially coming from John Wyndham. It's actually benevolent.
While I liked Chocky a lot, it didn't go down the way I thought it would. You'd think the alien consciousness would be malicious, especially coming from John Wyndham. It's actually benevolent.