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A review by thisotherbookaccount
The Hopkins Manuscript by R.C. Sherriff
4.0
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This is the 1,000th book I’ve read according to Goodreads!
The Hopkins Manuscript by R.C. Sherriff is a 3.5-star book, rounded up to four. At the heart of the story is Edgar Hopkins, a retired teacher who just wants to be left alone with his chickens in a sleepy English village — that is, until the moon changes course for Earth.
This book reminds me a lot of On the Beach by Nevil Shute, another apocalyptic book that is more interested how everyday folks survive and maintain control and normalcy. Instead of prepping for the end of the world, Hopkin’s wants his cup of tea (done just right) served every morning, newspaper to be delivered on time and a stroll to be taken in the evening. Fight or flight? To Hopkins, he much prefers to stay put.
Not only does the disaster jolts him out of his daily routines, we also see this petty, small-minded Englishman transform for the better over the course of the book. There is something to be said about holding on to our humanity despite the world coming to an end.
WIth that said, I do have some complaints. The book has zero basis in science, so don’t expect any factual accuracies. Also, Sheriff does come across at times as being rather anti-government, with politicians actively downplaying the disaster at hand. Characters who followed the government’s last-ditch advice to hide underground all end up drowning during the ensuing flood. Considering the pandemic and the amount of people who still think the government is lying about COVID-19, I can see how this book might be, unfortunately, misconstrued.
Ultimately, though, the book means well. It’s a critique of humanity and how we succumb to greed. Even after the apocalypse, humans will still find ways to kill each other for our own gains. It’s a precautionary tale from even before WW2 and continues to be relevant to today’s world.
This is the 1,000th book I’ve read according to Goodreads!
The Hopkins Manuscript by R.C. Sherriff is a 3.5-star book, rounded up to four. At the heart of the story is Edgar Hopkins, a retired teacher who just wants to be left alone with his chickens in a sleepy English village — that is, until the moon changes course for Earth.
This book reminds me a lot of On the Beach by Nevil Shute, another apocalyptic book that is more interested how everyday folks survive and maintain control and normalcy. Instead of prepping for the end of the world, Hopkin’s wants his cup of tea (done just right) served every morning, newspaper to be delivered on time and a stroll to be taken in the evening. Fight or flight? To Hopkins, he much prefers to stay put.
Not only does the disaster jolts him out of his daily routines, we also see this petty, small-minded Englishman transform for the better over the course of the book. There is something to be said about holding on to our humanity despite the world coming to an end.
WIth that said, I do have some complaints. The book has zero basis in science, so don’t expect any factual accuracies. Also, Sheriff does come across at times as being rather anti-government, with politicians actively downplaying the disaster at hand. Characters who followed the government’s last-ditch advice to hide underground all end up drowning during the ensuing flood. Considering the pandemic and the amount of people who still think the government is lying about COVID-19, I can see how this book might be, unfortunately, misconstrued.
Ultimately, though, the book means well. It’s a critique of humanity and how we succumb to greed. Even after the apocalypse, humans will still find ways to kill each other for our own gains. It’s a precautionary tale from even before WW2 and continues to be relevant to today’s world.