norwegianforestreader's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Antisemitism, Deportation, Murder, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Violence, Death, Mental illness, Torture, Colonisation, Gaslighting, Grief, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Blood, Confinement, Pregnancy, War, and Forced institutionalization
missmelia's review
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-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
2.75
thesawyerbean's review
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.5
This was such a miss for me. John Wyndham is my favourite author, but this book was never meant to be published and it shows.
The start of the novel was at most intriguing, as a dark noir mystery - but the cat was pulled out the bag so early on that the story transformed into an entirely different beast. One in which the entire character pool are Nazis. I have a hard time actually empathising or caring about anything past this point because they are all seemingly unbothered by being in a literal Nazi society - backed up by the fact that the pacing was just so off: slow, needlessly philosophical and overall a slog. The action at the end of the book was slightly more exciting, but fell flat with an anticlimax and a confused plot line. There was also weird misogynistic undertones which I have not come to expect from John Wyndham’s other work.
The most interesting and frightening part of the premise, the ‘cloning’ to produce a new Aryan race, was very poorly implemented and explained so that it seemed to have no real purpose to the plot.
A real disappointment, but expected from a posthumously published work.
The start of the novel was at most intriguing, as a dark noir mystery - but the cat was pulled out the bag so early on that the story transformed into an entirely different beast. One in which the entire character pool are Nazis. I have a hard time actually empathising or caring about anything past this point because they are all seemingly unbothered by being in a literal Nazi society - backed up by the fact that the pacing was just so off: slow, needlessly philosophical and overall a slog. The action at the end of the book was slightly more exciting, but fell flat with an anticlimax and a confused plot line. There was also weird misogynistic undertones which I have not come to expect from John Wyndham’s other work.
The most interesting and frightening part of the premise, the ‘cloning’ to produce a new Aryan race, was very poorly implemented and explained so that it seemed to have no real purpose to the plot.
A real disappointment, but expected from a posthumously published work.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Death, Antisemitism, Gun violence, Misogyny, and Racism
goolaina's review against another edition
3.0
Wyndham's unfinished manuscript, it'd be interesting to read a modern adaptation set in the current times. Some passages explaining the nazis beliefs and ability to gain a following really resonated, but the main character's concern about wome taking over the world was comical.
Not the best of Wyndhams work, but a unique premise.
Not the best of Wyndhams work, but a unique premise.
sarahisstanding's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
the_prickly_reader's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
linziflower's review
1.0
I think this is going to be my lowest rated book of the year to be honest, DNF’d at 86 pages....
The premise of this books seems so intriguing, a serial killer killing people that look like the main characters fiancée, and then she disappears but this never really takes off.
The writing is jarring and doesn’t really flow and then the sci-fi element came in and I was just so confused as that wasn’t what I was expecting at all.
To be honest when the author shelved it in 1951 I think that’s where it should have stayed not published 60 years on. I don’t get it.
The premise of this books seems so intriguing, a serial killer killing people that look like the main characters fiancée, and then she disappears but this never really takes off.
The writing is jarring and doesn’t really flow and then the sci-fi element came in and I was just so confused as that wasn’t what I was expecting at all.
To be honest when the author shelved it in 1951 I think that’s where it should have stayed not published 60 years on. I don’t get it.
innerweststreetlibrarian's review
3.0
Once again, JW has incorporated some interesting philosophical and ethical pondering into a nightmarish view of the future (albeit a future set in the 1970s). What would the world be like if it was run by the matriarchy, but that matriarchy is also based on a megalomaniac Aryan eugenicist fantasy?
What are the ethical implications of human cloning and mass reproduction? Will human society move to a model more akin to a termite colony? Will men become completely redundant?
This story reminded me a fair bit of the tv series Orphan Black, but with bonus Nazis and flying saucers. Because of course that’s where flying saucers come from!
Even though the themes are distasteful (particularly the kissing cousin incest storyline and the gross racist/fascist elements), I found this an interesting, well paced read. Not his best work, and I can see why it wasn’t published until quite recently.
What are the ethical implications of human cloning and mass reproduction? Will human society move to a model more akin to a termite colony? Will men become completely redundant?
This story reminded me a fair bit of the tv series Orphan Black, but with bonus Nazis and flying saucers. Because of course that’s where flying saucers come from!
Even though the themes are distasteful (particularly the kissing cousin incest storyline and the gross racist/fascist elements), I found this an interesting, well paced read. Not his best work, and I can see why it wasn’t published until quite recently.
beliboville's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0