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A review of The Chrysalids

by John Wyndham

A futuristic society lives with a pseudo-religious fervor to root out genetic mutations

Reviewed by: Paul A. Paterson
About Paul A. Paterson

The Chrysalids In a world many years past a cataclysmic nuclear catastrophe, life for humanity in a small agrarian society is steeped in religious fanaticism. Genetic mutations, presumably the long-term results of nuclear fallout, are viewed as the work of the devil and are rooted out with cruel efficiency. Religious leaders burn fields of corn deemed to be imperfect, kill livestock born with mutations, and inspect infant children with equal precision.

The plot tells the story of David, the son of a community leader and fervent opponent of mutants. David meets and befriends Sophie, a little girl who lives secretly near where David plays. Their friendship sets off a series of events when David discovers Sophie has six toes. Her family escapes to The Fringes, a territory outside of the settled regions inhabited entirely by people born with physical imperfections. David's life becomes even more complicated when he discovers that he, his younger sister, Petra, and several of his friends have been born with a special psychic ability to communicate telepathically. When the imperfection comes to light, David and the others must escape to the Fringes with David's father and an invasion force in pursuit.

The Chrysalids is a chilling read originally crafted in the 1950s when fears of nuclear catastrophe manifested in books and movies alike. Many offerings drew their screams from the mutation of form -- giant ants, walking dead, alien invasions -- but Wyndham took a different approach. The frightening part of this book is the mutation of religious faith, which, at its exclusionary worst, is more dangerous than an army of massive spiders.

It also gives the story a timeless quality, dealing with issues and concepts with which society continues to grapple -- fear of the unknown and prejudice against that which is different. It is a work any sci-fi buff will enjoy.

Click here to buy this book, or read more about it at Amazon.com: The Chrysalids

Copyright © by Paul A. Paterson, 2002

Reviewed by Paul A. Paterson:
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