slanderoid's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
paulataua's review against another edition
3.0
I can’t be sure of the accuracy of my memory, but I believe I first saw the movie version as a kid at Saturday morning cinema, most likely on the same bill as a couple of episodes of Flash Gordon and maybe a Three Stooges short. The movie had a profound effect on me as a pre-adolescent boy. I finally got around to the book many years later and quite enjoyed it. I preferred the way the movie left the spider part to the end, but it was good to revisit the story again.
mjfmjfmjf's review against another edition
2.0
Ugh. Unenjoyable. But brilliantly written. Strong characterization of someone's head I did not enjoy being in. Upsetting. Annoying. Perhaps I'm going to have to avoid this author for awhile. Still I wasn't expecting the shrinking man to be picked up by a pedophile. Or for the shrinking man to become a peeper. I did appreciate the attempt at an explanation for why he was shrinking.
scorcheded's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
b1ueb0y's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
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? Yes
3.0
aliciagw's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I enjoyed this one one more than I anticipated I would.
I expected a 1950's campy sort of Sci-Fi story. I did get that, but I also got a relatively thoughtful analysis of the main characters plight. It is about a man that begins to shrink and the consequences that has on his life. It is a story that comes seems to come from a fear of becoming insignificant in the world.
The story alternates back and forth in time between when the shrinking began and a point where the main character has become very small and is fighting for his life. The main character has to adjust to the changes in his life brought about by his shrinking. He doesn't always do this so well, and becomes quite bitter and angry, although I suppose most of us would be pretty angry in the same situation. His struggles in the part of the story where he is beginning to shrink are more mental and emotional- the loss of his job and his position in his family and society. His struggles when he is already very small are of the more primal variety- a search for food and water and simply trying to stay out of the way of danger.
I expected a 1950's campy sort of Sci-Fi story. I did get that, but I also got a relatively thoughtful analysis of the main characters plight. It is about a man that begins to shrink and the consequences that has on his life. It is a story that comes seems to come from a fear of becoming insignificant in the world.
The story alternates back and forth in time between when the shrinking began and a point where the main character has become very small and is fighting for his life. The main character has to adjust to the changes in his life brought about by his shrinking. He doesn't always do this so well, and becomes quite bitter and angry, although I suppose most of us would be pretty angry in the same situation. His struggles in the part of the story where he is beginning to shrink are more mental and emotional- the loss of his job and his position in his family and society. His struggles when he is already very small are of the more primal variety- a search for food and water and simply trying to stay out of the way of danger.
laura1980458's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
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? It's complicated
3.0
vminton706's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
3.25
Talk about unlovable characters hahaha but the horror and concept of this book really sucked me in this book was fun If you like old sci fi and I would for sure recommend it
piecesofquiet's review against another edition
4.0
A surprisingly straightforward telling of a story of a man who keeps getting smaller, told as realistically as possible through both current time (when hes under an inch tall) and flashbacks. His marriage falters, he loses employment, he's plagued by insecurity and rage, and he gets a existential. Reminds me a little of comic books that try and do realistic superheroes. probably would have made 4 stars if the prose had been more polished and the last chapter had been stronger.