The Chrysalids
A gripping tale of survival and the fight for acceptance
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Orion Publishing Co
Published:9th Jun '16
Should be back in stock very soon
In a world where deviation is punishable by death, David and Rosalind must hide their differences or escape to the dangerous Badlands in The Chrysalids.
In The Chrysalids, the narrative unfolds in a post-apocalyptic world where societal norms dictate strict adherence to a rigid definition of purity. David's father, a staunch believer in these dogmas, condemns Angus Morton's unusually large horses as blasphemies against nature. This belief underscores a community that fears deviation, insisting that all forms of mutation must be eradicated to maintain the sanctity of their world. The chilling mantra, 'KEEP PURE THE STOCK OF THE LORD; WATCH THOU FOR THE MUTANT,' serves as a constant reminder of the stakes involved in defying these principles.
Unbeknownst to David's father, David himself, along with his cousin Rosalind and their friends, harbors a secret that would label them as mutants. As they navigate their adolescence, their differences become harder to conceal from the watchful eyes of the village elders. The pressure mounts as they grapple with the fear of discovery, which would inevitably lead to their demise. The tension between conformity and individuality is palpable, as the characters wrestle with their identities in a world that punishes those who deviate from the norm.
Ultimately, David and Rosalind are faced with a harrowing decision: to remain and risk exposure or to escape into the unknown dangers of the Badlands. The journey they undertake is not just a physical flight but also a profound exploration of what it means to be human in a society that fears difference. The Chrysalids is a haunting exploration of love, loyalty, and the struggle for acceptance in a world that demands conformity.
One of the most thoughtful post-apocalypse novels ever written. Wyndham was a true English visionary, a William Blake with a science doctorate
A remarkably tender story of a post-nuclear childhood . . . It has, of course, always seemed a classic to most of its three generations of readers . . . It has become part of a canon of good books - GuardianJohn Wyndham's The Chrysalids anticipates and surpasses many of today's dystopian thrillers . . . The Chrysalids explores intolerance and bigotry with satisfying complexity as it races toward an ending that is truly unpredictable - Seattle TimesIt is quite simply a page-turner, maintaining suspense to the very end and vividly conjuring the circumstances of a crippled and menacing world, and of the fear and sense of betrayal that pervade it. The ending, a salvation of an extremely dubious sort, leaves the reader pondering how truly ephemeral our version of civilization is . . . - Boston GlobeISBN: 9781473212688
Dimensions: 204mm x 130mm x 20mm
Weight: 286g
208 pages