The sleepy village of Midwich in rural post-war England is unremarkable in almost every way until it is cut off from the rest of the world by an unknown field that renders unconscious anyone venturing within its influence. Some time later it is discovered that all the women of child bearing age in the village have simultaneously fallen pregnant. The cuckoo has laid its eggs.
The Midwich Cuckoos is very different to Wyndham’s normal science fiction fare; it is neither apocalyptic nor post-apocalyptic and, although Wyndham was not exactly an action thriller writer, here there is almost no action at all. Instead this is a very thoughtful book with extensive philosophical discussions and musings, which, though very interesting and well presented, might have tried the patience of his readers had the book been longer. But, at just under two hundred pages, the slow pace should not be a problem and his examination of difference and society’s response to such difference – both tolerance its absence – is fascinating and still surprisingly relevant.
Another interesting and recurring theme throughout this book and, arguably, present in many if not all of Wyndham’s other books is his rejection of the cosy fuzzy tree-hugging view of Nature so prevalent these days:
“I wonder if a sillier and more ignorant catachresis than “Mother Nature” was ever perpetrated? It is because Nature is ruthless, hideous, and cruel beyond belief that it was necessary to invent civilization. One thinks of wild animals as savage, but the fiercest of them begins to look almost domesticated when one considers the viciousness required of a survivor in the sea; as for the insects, their lives are sustained only by intricate processes of fantastic horror. There is no conception more fallacious than the sense of cosiness implied by “Mother Nature”. Each species must strive to survive, and that it will do, by every means in its power, however foul – unless the instinct to survive is weakened by conflict with another instinct.”
And he is right, there is nothing kind and gentle about “Mother Nature.” Nature is ruthless and absolutely all about survival. That ruthlessness has been, and always will be, what drives evolution and if there are two species that need the same resources to survive then the superior one – better adapted, better armed, more intelligent – will always dominate and drive out the weaker one. That is really the crux of this book and, as always, Wyndham presents it exceptionally well.
Not my favourite Wyndham nor the easiest to read but still very good and still containing lessons relevant to the modern day.
3/5 stars
The Midwich Cuckoos is very different to Wyndham’s normal science fiction fare; it is neither apocalyptic nor post-apocalyptic and, although Wyndham was not exactly an action thriller writer, here there is almost no action at all. Instead this is a very thoughtful book with extensive philosophical discussions and musings, which, though very interesting and well presented, might have tried the patience of his readers had the book been longer. But, at just under two hundred pages, the slow pace should not be a problem and his examination of difference and society’s response to such difference – both tolerance its absence – is fascinating and still surprisingly relevant.
Another interesting and recurring theme throughout this book and, arguably, present in many if not all of Wyndham’s other books is his rejection of the cosy fuzzy tree-hugging view of Nature so prevalent these days:
“I wonder if a sillier and more ignorant catachresis than “Mother Nature” was ever perpetrated? It is because Nature is ruthless, hideous, and cruel beyond belief that it was necessary to invent civilization. One thinks of wild animals as savage, but the fiercest of them begins to look almost domesticated when one considers the viciousness required of a survivor in the sea; as for the insects, their lives are sustained only by intricate processes of fantastic horror. There is no conception more fallacious than the sense of cosiness implied by “Mother Nature”. Each species must strive to survive, and that it will do, by every means in its power, however foul – unless the instinct to survive is weakened by conflict with another instinct.”
And he is right, there is nothing kind and gentle about “Mother Nature.” Nature is ruthless and absolutely all about survival. That ruthlessness has been, and always will be, what drives evolution and if there are two species that need the same resources to survive then the superior one – better adapted, better armed, more intelligent – will always dominate and drive out the weaker one. That is really the crux of this book and, as always, Wyndham presents it exceptionally well.
Not my favourite Wyndham nor the easiest to read but still very good and still containing lessons relevant to the modern day.
3/5 stars
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