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Author: John Wyndham
Genre: Science Fiction
Length: 228 pages
Published: Original: 1951
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) In 1951 John Wyndham published his novel The Day of the Triffids to moderate acclaim. Fifty-two years later, this horrifying story is a science fiction classic, touted by The Times (London) as having “all the reality of a vividly realized nightmare.”
Bill Masen, bandages over his wounded eyes, misses the most spectacular meteorite shower England has ever seen. Removing his bandages the next morning, he finds masses of sightless people wandering the city. He soon meets Josella, another lucky person who has retained her sight, and together they leave the city, aware that the safe, familiar world they knew a mere twenty-four hours before is gone forever.
But to survive in this post-apocalyptic world, one must survive the Triffids, strange plants that years before began appearing all over the world. The Triffids can grow to over seven feet tall, pull their roots from the ground to walk, and kill a man with one quick lash of their poisonous stingers. With society in shambles, they are now poised to prey on humankind. Wyndham chillingly anticipates bio-warfare and mass destruction, fifty years before their realization, in this prescient account of Cold War paranoia.
My Review:
Bill Masen, bandages over his wounded eyes, misses the most spectacular meteorite shower England has ever seen. Removing his bandages the next morning, he finds masses of sightless people wandering the city. He soon meets Josella, another lucky person who has retained her sight, and together they leave the city, aware that the safe, familiar world they knew a mere twenty-four hours before is gone forever.
But to survive in this post-apocalyptic world, one must survive the Triffids, strange plants that years before began appearing all over the world. The Triffids can grow to over seven feet tall, pull their roots from the ground to walk, and kill a man with one quick lash of their poisonous stingers. With society in shambles, they are now poised to prey on humankind. Wyndham chillingly anticipates bio-warfare and mass destruction, fifty years before their realization, in this prescient account of Cold War paranoia.
My Review:
I give this book a 5 out of 5.
I grew up watching the movie version of this science fiction masterpiece, never realizing that it was a film adaptation. When I discovered that it was originally a novel, I had to seek it out. And I am SO glad I did.
Much like Water for Elephants, I was not able to put this one down. The main character, Bill, wakes up in the hospital with bandages over his eyes. No one comes at his urgent buzzing. He knows that day is the day his bandages are to come off, but he doesn't rush to take them off himself. Instead, he spends time thinking about it. Eventually he comes to the conclusion that no one is coming and removes the bandages. Thankfully, he's able to see. At this point there's no indication of why he had the bandages over his eyes. All he knows is that he missed a spectacular comet show the night before. People were out in force to watch the comet.
When he finally leaves his room, he finds that the hospital is apparently abandoned by all but the patients - and every single one of them is blind. Through flashbacks, Bill tells the reader about the triffids - the odd new plant that the world has begun to farm for its oils which happened to sting him, causing his temporary blindness.
As he heads out into London, he comes across and rescues a woman who can see. Several of the blind have already begun to entrap the seeing in order to survive and she fell victim to one. Together they set out to find survivors - and just plain to survive. They are two of the only survivors who seem to worry about the triffids and what these carnivorous plants will do now that most of mankind is blind.
The author shows several groups of survivors as Bill makes his way through England and the different viewpoints they hold in trying to maintain a civilized society while protecting themselves from raiders and the ever-present triffids.
Definitely a must read for any fan of science fiction, this is a classic post-apocalyptic tale.
You can purchase The Day of the Triffids through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format.
I grew up watching the movie version of this science fiction masterpiece, never realizing that it was a film adaptation. When I discovered that it was originally a novel, I had to seek it out. And I am SO glad I did.
Much like Water for Elephants, I was not able to put this one down. The main character, Bill, wakes up in the hospital with bandages over his eyes. No one comes at his urgent buzzing. He knows that day is the day his bandages are to come off, but he doesn't rush to take them off himself. Instead, he spends time thinking about it. Eventually he comes to the conclusion that no one is coming and removes the bandages. Thankfully, he's able to see. At this point there's no indication of why he had the bandages over his eyes. All he knows is that he missed a spectacular comet show the night before. People were out in force to watch the comet.
When he finally leaves his room, he finds that the hospital is apparently abandoned by all but the patients - and every single one of them is blind. Through flashbacks, Bill tells the reader about the triffids - the odd new plant that the world has begun to farm for its oils which happened to sting him, causing his temporary blindness.
As he heads out into London, he comes across and rescues a woman who can see. Several of the blind have already begun to entrap the seeing in order to survive and she fell victim to one. Together they set out to find survivors - and just plain to survive. They are two of the only survivors who seem to worry about the triffids and what these carnivorous plants will do now that most of mankind is blind.
The author shows several groups of survivors as Bill makes his way through England and the different viewpoints they hold in trying to maintain a civilized society while protecting themselves from raiders and the ever-present triffids.
Definitely a must read for any fan of science fiction, this is a classic post-apocalyptic tale.
You can purchase The Day of the Triffids through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format.
Have you read The Day of the Triffids? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts!
Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.
Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.
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