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captlychee's review against another edition
3.0
NOt the most psectacularly written book, but it does my home town proudd. Strange mix of fictional suburbs and real ones, for reasons I don't know about and probaly wouldn't understand. But it does show a time when Australians weren't the grab bag opf grizzling fuckwits our own media portrays us to be nowadays. It's finest moments are when it describes people stoically taking things as they come. It makes us seem brave.
One of the few books where the movie (the 1960 one) is better than the book.
One of the few books where the movie (the 1960 one) is better than the book.
ingo_lembcke's review against another edition
4.0
Just saw this on a list "books you could not finish".
It was the only book I could remember having read, all others I did not bother, while a few are on my TBR, I am not too much into Classics.
With few exceptions (Lovecraft, Woolrich, if you even consider these Classics).
We had read this in school during basic english, that was a time I struggled with english (I am German and english is my second language), must have been 1983.
Still, the book stuck in my memory and as I learned that it was a school-shortened-version, I sought out the book and bought it 2003, yes, being a long-time-Amazon-buyer pays off, I can trace some buys back to Amazon.Com 1998 (my first DVD, my first Criterion Edt.: Brazil).
The story is one of the standard end-of-the-world-stories, but with a few nice twists.
But as it was written quite a long time back (I looked it up: 1957), it is the blue-print for lots of stories to come, and only few really surpassing it (The Quiet Earth comes to mind).
Technology is important for the story, but the combination with the personal issues and the different ways people cope with the outcome is rather well done.
In as far as I remember, even when I read in the full version 2003 or 2004 (I am not sure I read the moment it arrived), it does not seem too dated.
Of course no internet, but the blackout or sometimes receiving short transmissions via wireless (TV is down imho), would likely happen even today with an all out Nuclear war or a few nuclear EMP.
It was filmed twice, first with a then all-star cast (Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner, Fred Astaire, Anthony Perkins). If I remember right, Fred Astaire's performance alone would make this worth watching. A few short scenes can be found on Youtube.
Abandon all hope, and read it, dark and gritty.
Highly recommended, but only 4 stars as I think
It was the only book I could remember having read, all others I did not bother, while a few are on my TBR, I am not too much into Classics.
With few exceptions (Lovecraft, Woolrich, if you even consider these Classics).
We had read this in school during basic english, that was a time I struggled with english (I am German and english is my second language), must have been 1983.
Still, the book stuck in my memory and as I learned that it was a school-shortened-version, I sought out the book and bought it 2003, yes, being a long-time-Amazon-buyer pays off, I can trace some buys back to Amazon.Com 1998 (my first DVD, my first Criterion Edt.: Brazil).
The story is one of the standard end-of-the-world-stories, but with a few nice twists.
But as it was written quite a long time back (I looked it up: 1957), it is the blue-print for lots of stories to come, and only few really surpassing it (The Quiet Earth comes to mind).
Technology is important for the story, but the combination with the personal issues and the different ways people cope with the outcome is rather well done.
In as far as I remember, even when I read in the full version 2003 or 2004 (I am not sure I read the moment it arrived), it does not seem too dated.
Of course no internet, but the blackout or sometimes receiving short transmissions via wireless (TV is down imho), would likely happen even today with an all out Nuclear war or a few nuclear EMP.
It was filmed twice, first with a then all-star cast (Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner, Fred Astaire, Anthony Perkins). If I remember right, Fred Astaire's performance alone would make this worth watching. A few short scenes can be found on Youtube.
Abandon all hope, and read it, dark and gritty.
Highly recommended, but only 4 stars as I think
swazwald's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
joyous888's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
ellist's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
One of those books where it hurts the whole way through to read, but where you can only hope that you’d have that much humanity in such a situation. I hope Dwight Towers made it home, and Moira got to have a nice, long visit.
nirvana_d's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
sammythearm's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Quite well written. If you’ve ever wondered how your grandparents parents would have taken the end of the world. This is a good picture. They took it almost absurdly stoically
mbenzz's review against another edition
4.0
I saw the movie years ago and never forgot it. I thought it was about time I read the book. Very depressing, as I knew it would be, but surprisingly a lot different than the 2000 remake. I'm glad I finally read the book, even if it was dark and heavy.
jenhurst's review against another edition
3.0
It’s amazing how a book with such a fascinating and exciting topic can be so dull. I think I would’ve liked this more if it was very character driven