[books 2011]The Midwich Cuckoos

[inulro]

53. The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham

This month's Bibliogoths book. I thought I'd read it before - I had to read Day of the Triffids at school when I was about 11 and thought that I'd gone out and read more of his stuff on my own, but I'm pretty sure that this is the first time I've read it.

I really enjoyed it. The concept is bloody terrifying, but it would be hard to make it into an action-packed thriller, so instead Wyndham chose to dwell on the philosophical and moral implications of having aliens in our midst.

It's very much a product of the 1950s, which some members of the group found more grating than I did.

Comments

[liz-lowlife.livejournal.com]

I loved Wyndham's books as a kid but I imagine they have dated a bit by now! :)

[inulro.livejournal.com]

It's dated, but no less good for that.

[sheepthief.livejournal.com]

Filmed as Village Of The Damned of course, which frightened me when I was younger. I think it was re-made recently too.

I think of all the Wyndam novels the Kraken Wakes remains my favourite, possibly because... well I won't tell you how it ends in case you ever read it (and haven't already).

I must admit that some of his works haven't aged well, but that's mostly the short stories and the 'quaintness' of them soon becomes wearing.

[nisaba.livejournal.com]

I re-read a lot of Wyndham in my mid-20s and thought his really great novels dated pretty well, of which I think Midwich Cuckoos is one. My favourite of his though has to be The Chrysalids. It would be interesting to re-read them now though, see if I feel the same, although I read most of them so many times as a teenager that I'm not sure I'm capable of viewing them with a fresh eye.

I'm curious as to what people found grating about them?

[hirez.livejournal.com]

The sexism and the smug middle-class attitude, I think.

At this point I must admit to being a complete John Wyndham Parkes Lucas Beynon Harris fanboy which allows me to hold my nose in re. the rubbish bits in a way that I wouldn't for other writers.

However, I have a horrible feeling that re-reading something like 'Consider her ways' isn't going to be much fun.