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The influential masterpiece of one of the twentieth century’s most brilliant—and neglected—science fiction and horror writers, whom Stephen King called “the best writer of science fiction that England has ever produced.”—now in development as a miniseries directed by Johan Renck.
“[Wyndham] avoids easy allegories and instead questions the relative values of the civilisation that has been lost, the literally blind terror of humanity in the face of dominant nature. . . . Frightening and powerful, Wyndham’s vision remains an important allegory and a gripping story.”—The Guardian
What if a meteor shower left most of the world blind—and humanity at the mercy of mysterious carnivorous plants?
Bill Masen undergoes eye surgery and awakes the next morning in his hospital bed to find civilization collapsing. Wandering the city, he quickly realizes that surviving in this strange new world requires evading strangers and the seven-foot-tall plants known as triffids—plants that can walk and can kill a man with one quick lash of their poisonous stingers.
“[Wyndham] avoids easy allegories and instead questions the relative values of the civilisation that has been lost, the literally blind terror of humanity in the face of dominant nature. . . . Frightening and powerful, Wyndham’s vision remains an important allegory and a gripping story.”—The Guardian
What if a meteor shower left most of the world blind—and humanity at the mercy of mysterious carnivorous plants?
Bill Masen undergoes eye surgery and awakes the next morning in his hospital bed to find civilization collapsing. Wandering the city, he quickly realizes that surviving in this strange new world requires evading strangers and the seven-foot-tall plants known as triffids—plants that can walk and can kill a man with one quick lash of their poisonous stingers.
1449 Reviews
3.5
Billie Rose
Created 2 days agoShare
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“A haunting novel that explores just how quickly human society can crumble when one thing goes wrong…
The dystopian environment that Wyndham creates is extremely fascinating yet terrifying at the same time. It is very similar to the video game/TV show “The Last of Us” in that it really urges the reader think about how much one needs to consider in order to survive in a world that has not only fallen to pieces, but has been taken over by a new predatory race.
Wyndham presents a plethora of morally charged questions that are, unfortunately, essential to the characters’ survival. Mainly, the rise of ableism and return of patriarchal values is seen where characters have to prioritise those with sight over those without, as well as women who solely serve to reproduce and men who serve to work.
Despite being absolutely entranced by this world, I would’ve liked to see a bit more of psychological depth. Although the story is told in a first person perspective from our protagonist, Bill, I felt very distant from his emotional experience. He rather focuses on retelling the stories of what is happening in the world around him. I would have been very okay with an extra 100 pages to factor in his emotional experience.
Overall, a fantastic novel that I would highly recommend for lovers of dystopian and apocalypse stories!”
Tommy
Created 3 days agoShare
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Katie Gates
Created 4 days agoShare
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BelievableLikeableRelatableStrong relationshipsAddictiveSteady pacingSuspensefulWell-structuredBleakRealisticRusticSetting fits the storyDescriptiveEasy to readCaptivatingDisturbingEngagingThought-provokingThoroughAddresses counterargumentsEasy to followFlows wellLogical progressionWell-pacedAccessibleClearRelatableAbuseDeathMurderViolence
Ellie :)
Created 6 days agoShare
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About John Wyndham
John Wyndham (1903-1969) is considered a pioneer of science fiction and horror, though he preferred to think of himself as a “logical fantasist.” He began writing science fiction and detective stories in the 1920s, but shifted to science fiction post-WWII, focusing on themes of disaster, invasion, and first contact. His best known works include The Day of the Triffids (1951) and The Midwich Cuckoos (1957). A pacifist and socialist, Wyndham—unlike a lot of mid-century genre fiction authors—was alive to the impact of sexism, classism, and prejudice and his novels reflect his liberal politics.
Other books by John Wyndham
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