#5 - The Chrysalids Tuesday July 28, 2009

I will probably never be able to explain why this book cracks the top five. But for some god forsaken reason, it’s quirky little refrences and philosophy has stuck with me since High School.

The Chrysalids - John Wyndham

The story is about a small outpost farming community on the nation of Labrador. It revolves around the main narrator David Storm, the son of the local religious leader, and his newly found six toe’d friend Sophie. In the rural fundamentalist little house on the prairie society they all live-in, any abnormality is frowned upon and is subsequently terminated to ensure society is kept in-line. The story revolves around David, Sophie, some other bratty kids and their attempt to save the six-toed freak from persecution from pitchfork wielding Luddites in the village.

BTW did I mention, it’s set 2,000 years into the future and involves Mutants, ESPN (Telepathy) and even more MUTANTS! HOLY TOLEDO, I just blew you’re mind!

Why It’s on the List

Now, this isn’t included because I needed to add a High School era book to complete a top five template. Rather, it’s just a weird and pretty decently written story that for some reason resonates within me to this day.

Mr. Marlett, the grade 10 Thespian English teacher who forced this upon us, is someone I’ll never forget. But out of Othello, Night by Elie Wiesel), and Kurt Vonnegut’s Harrison Bergeron Short Story, The Chyrsalids is the one piece of work we studied that stands out the most.

I can only guess at the reasons for this. I seriously don’t know why I reference this book in the middle of conversations, but I think the beauty of the book is not in the philosophy, but in the guessing game that occurs while reading it. The game of piecing together what happened in the past to bring society to this awkward little point. The game of trying to figure out the geographical refrences and relate them to the kids awkward little journey. Wyndham did this in an extremely exciting way and the books, even though oddly cheesy, is really well written.

Lingering Idea

(Don’t worry, I’m going to do this for each of the books on the list)

How would you react if you’d never seen a helicopter and one flew over you’re head?

The c.t.overdrive Book Club


If you are looking for the basis behind this list check out the orginial post. Or Just follow along below.

  1. Revealed Soon
  2. Revealed Soon
  3. It’s Not How Good You Are, It’s How Good You Want To Be – Paul Arden
  4. World War Z – Max Brooks
  5. The Chrysalids – John Wyndham

Categories: the-books, The-Past,

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