The Children of Men by P.D. James Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Children of Men
Book Review: different than movie in plot and themes
Summary: 4 Stars
First of all - what a great premise for a story. I think that's what I actually enjoyed most by reading this book - is the description of the dystopia brought on by the infertility of humanity. How do people change knowing that there is no future for the human race?
The world that James describes is not too much different than our own. Religion is exemplified by Rosie who's tenants are "corporate social responsibility and sentimental humanism" (All you need is Love) instead of theologies of sin and redemption. The Archbishop of the fragmented Church of England is a self-described Christian Rationalist who forbids infant baptism due to it being a superstition.
Descriptions of other social aspects are also described such as the importance of pets, sex becoming "least important of man's sensory pleasures", and government led euthanizations called Quietus'.
The ending of the book is quite a bit different than the movie - in fact much better (though I didn't overly enjoy the entire plot of the book - hence the four stars). Whereas in the movie, Science is seen as the savior of mankind, religion plays a larger role in the book. Also, in the movie suicide is shown in a positive light but the same cannot be said of the book.
Overall a good book that I will likely pick up to read again in the future.
Book Review: disquieting distopia
Summary: 3 Stars
P. D. James has a very particular style, it may be slow sometimes, but she succeed in creating a convincing atmosphere, and conveying disquieting and dreary feelings. This book depict the life of a lonely middle aged profesor, who has to deal with guilt and the lack of a real purpose in life. In a dying world, when no new babies were born for 25 years, and people take their pets or dolls in perambulators, this man leads a similar melancholy and sad existence, until he finds a group of people who still have ideals, and want to fight for a better world, and revolution. I enjoyed the book. I liked it better than the movie (wich is no bad in any way).Book Review: dystopian fiction meets romance in a morality tale
Summary: 4 Stars
I always knew PD James as a mystery writer. The film of the same name inspired me to read this book, and I'm glad I did. PD James' prose is muscular, yet beautiful. Her understanding of the nuances of human character transcend this story beyond its dark, dystopian premise: in the future, the human race has lost its ability to reproduce. With the end of the species in sight, humankind becomes depraved, depressed, and lost.
PD James explores how some people confront this dismal future with lust for power, and others with unfailing hope. She touches on topics which are germane today: treatment of immigrants and the aged; violence in the face of despair, etc.
The story and the movie are rather divergent at points, but that doesn't stop me from enjoying either one of them for what they are. I would absolutely recommend this book for both the fearful vision of the future PD James conjures and for her relentless, confident prose.
Book Review: elegant retro entertainment
Summary: 4 Stars
There is a certain theory of fiction about these days. It maintains that readers want conflict and action and anytime that's not spent setting up, describing, or analyzing the effects of action is wasted. By that theory, this is an awful book: broody and moody with a narrator who's interesting but not likable.
On the other hand, there are pages in this book that you will reread just for the pleasure of the words. There is also one of the most quietly horrible chapters (chapter 9) about a ritual called the Quietus.
Lynn Hoffman, author of bang BANG
Book Review: great characters, great description
Summary: 5 Stars
description of Rawlings, an investigator for the secret police:
"I thought I understood his kind: the petty bureaucrats of tyranny, men who
relish the carefully measured meed of power permitted them, who need to walk in the aura of manufactured fear, to know that the fear precedes them as they enter a room and will linger like a smell after they have left, but who have neither the sadism nor the courage for the ultimate cruelty. But, they need their part of the action. It isn't sufficient for them, as it is for most of us, to stand a little way off to watch the crosses on the hill."
The character does not have the power to insert the lance in the side, rather he'll menace; perhaps he walks around the cross tapping his spear on the ground, or poking the man on cross.
Most of us are content with a distant view. We dare not.
Setting a scene:
"Daylight, tentative and bleak, stole like a chill breath into the wood, wrapping itself round barks and broken boughs, touching the boles of the trees and the low denuded branches, giving darkness and mystery form and substance."
Hmmm, dark, threating and suspenseful.
These are examples found on nearly every page of this book.
Notwithstanding the story, the brilliance of the writing makes this a book one to own and study.