Reviews tagging 'Violence'

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells

24 reviews

james1star's review against another edition

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adventurous 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

3.0

Yh this was alright I guess. Basically a time traveller tells the story of the previous week where he used his machine to travel to the future year of 802,701 AD. He sees that humanity has become like a socialist paradise with no toil socially or economically, they all like in large palace like buildings, vegetarians, same size, seemingly genderless and the children are basically miniature versions of the parents. There’s more but yh whateves, I also found it a little strange how much he was able to come up with at first glance and just by looking - bit too much detailed extrapolation kinda I dunno. After looking around he begins to consider there may be something going on underneath with these shafts and sightings of ape-like things so deduces that thousands of years ago humanity split into two species and yhhh they’re a note to it. 

Writing was fine, characters ehh not really that developed or likeable, setting was good I guess. Some messages were put forward but nothing too much, maybe more could be taken if read when it was published but currently I didn’t gain much. The actual story was alright, I’m really not a sci-fi reader but wanted to check this classic granddaddy of the genre. I’m glad I did but it wasn’t my cup of coffee in all honestly. Would recommend if it sounds like something you’d be interested in. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Kelsey Grammer which I think was presented well - he’s passionate, clear and I think if I was reading physically I’d of DNFd it earlier. 

Last note: I just felt the relationship with Weener (dunno if that’s how you spell it) was a bit weird cause she’s constantly described as childlike and small and Yhh it was just kinda uncomfortable/cringy. 

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kirame's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25


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startjpw23's review against another edition

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adventurous dark sad tense 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

4.0

Read this book years ago. Decided the read it again. Enjoyed it. 

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f18's review against another edition

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

3.0


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coolfijiwater's review against another edition

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

4.0


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rory_john14's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious reflective sad fast-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? It's complicated

4.0


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norwegianforestreader's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad 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

5.0


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lex_r's review against another edition

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

3.75

A quick accessible classic, if you like sci-fi or doctor who I could recommend this book. The time period is also set so far into the future that it doesn't seem outdated which is a wonderful aspect of this book as many "sci-fi" of the past aren't. Wells'  description and interpretation of the future is also unique and incredibly colorful, earth has essentially become unrecognizable while staying completely habitable; something I wasn't expecting. Although I do warn, HG Wells' writes men in a way that screams patriarchy, undeserved superiority, and narcissism, so in the midst of this unique interpretation of sci-fi, the main character is a bit insufferable <***<< HUGE SPOILER>>>***>>> I will never forgive Wells for how he killed Weena. 

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librarymouse's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

The Time Machine by H G Wells is not a great choice for anyone with existential dread and fears for the future. That being said, I enjoyed the way the Eloi and Morlock diverged so far from one another to become creatures far removed from modern humans. The Eloi society is an interesting twist on the hopes we have for what our future will become. They're happy, but they're also ignorant. The narrator is hard to like, and often refers to his love interest as childlike, which is unnerving at best. Overall an interesting book, but not one of my favorites.

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ayah_reads's review against another edition

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2.0

Third book for my Empire and it's Fictions course! 

This is best one I've read so far, which isn't saying much, the other two literally got 0 starts from, and this only gets 2 stars, but that's colonial literature for you. 

I also greatly prefer this to War of the Worlds because HG Wells sticks to what I think he's knows best - exploring the anxieties Britian was having at that time around social Darwinistic ideas of progress and degeneration. Whereas War of the World tries to critique British colonialism while still being incredibly social Darwinistic and therefore upholding the very ideas that justify colonialism, so basically it really doesn't do much. 

This story also sticks to Britian (London specifically I believe), better than the other books I've read in this class that are obsessed with Africa and only use it as a prop for their own exploration of European issues. So appreciate that from this.

Also generally a short story, whereas War of the World has a 'this meeting could have been an email" vibes.

But why is the THIRD book in this course that has same narration style that is one person just tells the story to a group of people. WHY ARE THESE STORIES JUST MONOLOGUES.

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