angelkisses's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
A bit too English for my tastes. But the concept of guardian angel aliens astral projecting onto the earthly plane is pretty fun.
marianne92's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0
Really captivating and I found it really interesting that the dad was so supportive of his son, that gave it a different lens that allowed you to explore the idea of possession more deeply. Surprisingly very good
theopanov's review against another edition
5.0
Страхотно много ми хареса. Започнах я снощи и историята така силно ме увлече, че за няколко часа я прочетох цялата. Не успях да оставя книгата, докато не стигнах докрая. Хем добре, че беше от по-кратките, хем ми се искаше да има още от нея. Супер завладяващ и невероятно поднесен сюжет. Чудесна фантастика с послания.
missmelia's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
claudia_c's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.75
jjb21's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
A classic John Wyndham - clever, curious, fun. Smaller in scope than some others, and a bit less creative.
unfetteredfiction's review against another edition
5.0
"Even the merest spark of reason must be fanned in the hope of a flame."
- John Wyndham, Chocky
Possibly my favourite Wyndham yet...
I'm struggling to put my finger on why exactly I loved this story so much. Possibly, I think that the most attractive elements of Wyndham's style are condensed into this novella, in essence the plot is simple, yet at times as deep as the reader wills it to be.
Matthew is a young boy who loves his sister and parents, he was adopted at a young age and appears, insomuch that anyone can be, normal. At what seems a random and unsignificant point in time, Matthew is visited by an external presence inside his own mind. This presence, which his parents reasonably assume is a form of 'imaginary friend', is given the name 'Chocky'.
Matthew and Chocky develop an interesting relationship. Chocky speaks to Matthew and attempts to teach him about their home, a task which is difficult because Chocky requires vocabulary and understanding which are beyond Matthew (and perhaps humanity's) current reasoning. When Chocky attempts to speak about their home, how far away it is, how they travelled to be here, we realised that Chocky is, in fact, an alien presence on Earth. Matthew’s mother becomes increasingly concerned for Matthew, needing to find an answer or solution to Chocky in an attempt to banish them. Matthew's father, however, takes a slightly more gentle approach, appealing to Matthew's feelings rather than his own panic.
This story says so much about childhood, language, parenthood, friendships, growing up, gender, the environment, as well as humanity's downfalls and bright lights.
This is a story I won't forget and one which, in my opinion, comes close to perfection.
- John Wyndham, Chocky
Possibly my favourite Wyndham yet...
I'm struggling to put my finger on why exactly I loved this story so much. Possibly, I think that the most attractive elements of Wyndham's style are condensed into this novella, in essence the plot is simple, yet at times as deep as the reader wills it to be.
Matthew is a young boy who loves his sister and parents, he was adopted at a young age and appears, insomuch that anyone can be, normal. At what seems a random and unsignificant point in time, Matthew is visited by an external presence inside his own mind. This presence, which his parents reasonably assume is a form of 'imaginary friend', is given the name 'Chocky'.
Matthew and Chocky develop an interesting relationship. Chocky speaks to Matthew and attempts to teach him about their home, a task which is difficult because Chocky requires vocabulary and understanding which are beyond Matthew (and perhaps humanity's) current reasoning. When Chocky attempts to speak about their home, how far away it is, how they travelled to be here, we realised that Chocky is, in fact, an alien presence on Earth. Matthew’s mother becomes increasingly concerned for Matthew, needing to find an answer or solution to Chocky in an attempt to banish them. Matthew's father, however, takes a slightly more gentle approach, appealing to Matthew's feelings rather than his own panic.
This story says so much about childhood, language, parenthood, friendships, growing up, gender, the environment, as well as humanity's downfalls and bright lights.
This is a story I won't forget and one which, in my opinion, comes close to perfection.
timbo001's review against another edition
4.0
Alien intelligence and a child's mind=winning combination.
settingshadow's review
3.0
I tend to think of classic SciFi being super hard scifi filled with impenetrable words and implausibly humanoid alien species. Chocky is, if anything, the opposite: in fact, it's at least equal part 1950's British domestic comedy. This short novella is fascinating if nothing else as a piece of history. Chocky herself -- an alien that my goodreads notes say Margaret Atwood compared favorably to ET, is a very benign domestic spirit, interested in binary math, drawing, swimming and .
Perhaps one of the most interesting parts of Chocky is that Matthew, the child actually faced with the supernatural being, is definitely not the protagonist. Rather the story focuses on his father's reaction to and coping with Chocky's presence. I think it compares quite favorably to the Riverman, a more modern novel vaunted for the same technique.
Still, 150 mass market paperback pages don't give a lot of space to have much there. Now that scifi has been tread as a path many times in the intervening years, I don't think Chocky aged as well as it could have. It's fun, but not particularly novel or profound any more.
Spoiler
sustainable energyPerhaps one of the most interesting parts of Chocky is that Matthew, the child actually faced with the supernatural being, is definitely not the protagonist. Rather the story focuses on his father's reaction to and coping with Chocky's presence. I think it compares quite favorably to the Riverman, a more modern novel vaunted for the same technique.
Still, 150 mass market paperback pages don't give a lot of space to have much there. Now that scifi has been tread as a path many times in the intervening years, I don't think Chocky aged as well as it could have. It's fun, but not particularly novel or profound any more.