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mormengil 's review for:
The War of the Worlds
by H.G. Wells
I am not going to review this venerable novel, because everything that can be said about it, has been. I will only give a brief personal impression of my own.
It is a great story, still as relevant as ever in 2023, and certainly very enjoyable. In fact the (end of
Victorian era) setting, authentic and colourful and true, since that is when it was written, adds extra layers of charm and value to the story, as it also serves as a portal to the past, a probing gaze upon a society long gone. It is captivating and builds a really dark atmosphere, that validates all the fame and praise the book and its author have accrued.
My only "issue" with it, and that is perhaps a detriment, perhaps not, depending upon the individual reader, is that Wells constantly name drops areas locations and landmarks of London and its surrounding areas, and a reader unfamiliar with the geography of the capital of the UK has 2 options, ignore the constant name dropping and just fill in the gaps with his own imagination, possibly missing some nuance along the way, or read with a map at hand.
I chose the latter, using google maps (satellite images) to ground the narrative in my head, and while clunky and completely blowing the pace with constant pauses to look places up, I firmly believe it enhanced my personal experience, since I am somewhat of a map enthusiast. I just love maps.
I am not one to shy away from criticizing a classic work, nor do I have any qualms with giving it a low score. My rating of 4 stars in GR's system reflects this novel's actual impact on me, and carries no extra weight due to its name, historical importance, or author.
Good stuff!
It is a great story, still as relevant as ever in 2023, and certainly very enjoyable. In fact the (end of
Victorian era) setting, authentic and colourful and true, since that is when it was written, adds extra layers of charm and value to the story, as it also serves as a portal to the past, a probing gaze upon a society long gone. It is captivating and builds a really dark atmosphere, that validates all the fame and praise the book and its author have accrued.
My only "issue" with it, and that is perhaps a detriment, perhaps not, depending upon the individual reader, is that Wells constantly name drops areas locations and landmarks of London and its surrounding areas, and a reader unfamiliar with the geography of the capital of the UK has 2 options, ignore the constant name dropping and just fill in the gaps with his own imagination, possibly missing some nuance along the way, or read with a map at hand.
I chose the latter, using google maps (satellite images) to ground the narrative in my head, and while clunky and completely blowing the pace with constant pauses to look places up, I firmly believe it enhanced my personal experience, since I am somewhat of a map enthusiast. I just love maps.
I am not one to shy away from criticizing a classic work, nor do I have any qualms with giving it a low score. My rating of 4 stars in GR's system reflects this novel's actual impact on me, and carries no extra weight due to its name, historical importance, or author.
Good stuff!