The Invisible Man
by H. G. Wells
Published: 1897
Genres: Classic, Science Fiction
Format: eBook (192 pages)
Source: Purchased
This masterpiece of science fiction is the fascinating story of Griffin, a scientist who creates a serum to render himself invisible, and his descent into madness that follows.
I really liked the writing in The Invisible Man, but I thought the storytelling was awful. H. G. Wells has a way with words and I really enjoyed his turn of phrase. Phrases like “the inhuman bludgeoning of all tentative advances of curiosity (p. 19),”violently firing out its humanity (p. 33)” and “The Anglo-Saxon genius for parliamentary government asserted itself; there was a great deal of talk and no decisive action (p. 28).” And he uses the word “hobbledehoy” which had the Downton Abbey fangirl in me grinning. But the story itself moved at a snail pace. It took me a week to read 30 pages. I thought it was told from the least interesting perspective possible –from the outside observers instead of the invisible man’s view and what he was struggling with. These outsiders noticed something was not quite right (“Look how much time he spends alone!”) but not to the point that I found it very interesting. When the plot finally picked up, instead of some much needed action the cool stuff was recapped in a conversation where he just describes all the action in the most dull way imaginable. I had to make myself finish this book and keep pencils far, far away from my eyes.
The science behind the invisibility was pretty interesting. It was based on the idea that our world is an illusion of light. I thought that was a fascinating way to look at the world. (See I didn’t hate everything about it).
I found the main character interesting if not likable. He’s an anti-hero. I’m pretty sure his antagonist was all the stupid people in the whole world. He was kind of arrogant. Obviously he learns the bad things about invisibility. I was surprised about the little things that he struggles with, though. I could tell a lot of thought went into what it would really be like. For example, the fact that he can’t sleep because his eyelids are invisible. The crappy thing about being invisible is that it’s easy to get things, but hard to enjoy them. And you get kind of lonely. H. G. Wells did have a good point that the only really good use for invisibility is murder.
I’m not sure if I was supposed to get something out of this book. At the end I felt like the moral was “Mean people suck but it’s better than being alone.”
Overall, I found it tedious but the writing was good. I enjoyed War of the Worlds so much more.
Content Rating: None.
About H. G. Wells
Herbert George Wells, better known as H. G. Wells, was the third son of a shopkeeper. After two years' apprenticeship in a draper's shop, he became a pupil-teacher at Midhurst Grammar School and won a scholarship to study under T. H. Huxley at the Normal School of Science, South Kensington. He taught biology before becoming a professional writer and journalist.
Wells is most famous today for his science fiction novels, of which the best known are: The Time Machine, The War of the Worlds, The Invisible Man, The First Men in the Moon and The Island of Dr. Moreau. He was a prolific writer, writing more than a hundred books of both fiction and non-fiction, and works in many different genres, including contemporary novels, essays, histories, programmes for world regeneration, and social commentary. He was also an outspoken socialist. His later works become increasingly political and didactic, and only his early science fiction novels are still widely read today. Wells and Jules Verne are each sometimes referred to as "The Fathers of Science Fiction".
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
My name is Jessica. I love to read Young Adult and classic literature. I’ve been a book blogger for six years and I haven’t gotten tired of it yet. I’m a very curious reader. Writing about all the questions and thoughts I had while reading a book is the best hobby ever.
It has been a while since I’ve tackled an H.G. Wells book. I feel like all those old school classic horror stories, Frankenstein, Dracula, The Invisible Man, etc., are told from an outside source. I don’t know why they did it that way, but I’d like a better POV as well!
I am disappointed to hear that The Invisible Man wasn’t very good. I have read other books by him that I had enjoyed. It sounds like I would share your frustrations, if I read it. Great review.
yes it is clearly a frustrations. :)
I felt very happy after reading the book of INVISIBLE MAN by “H.G WELL”
I enjoyed reading Invisible Man. I found the plot intresting. But I didn’t like the hero having a tragic end.
The book is quite interesting. I enjoyed i as I like reading science fiction.
Nice!!!!
yeah, what a story !!
one must read this story ones in his life
Its suprlerb book it was in my course of class 12 by CBSE when I starting reading I felt I am watching a suspense movie…. Awsm novel
Yaeh !!!!!!!!Courteous contribution by Wells,isn’t it?It was on my english book when I thought It was bewildering one in my course book.
It was a mystery story
It has very interesting story
It really enjoyed this
FANTABOLOUS👍👍👍👍👍👍
It is very easy to understand😇😇
Wanna Nice Book!!! This is thee most wonderful book I have ever read!! All Hail HG Wells!! This book is the most wonderful science friction.
It was a wonderful story by H. G. Wells. I really liked it. And I think everyone should read this story
I really enjoyed The Invisible Man..
It was fantastic ….👍👍
hate this novel I want to be a scientist and novels which depict scientist as an arrogant man is completely baseless. i liked griffin very much ,no one has noticed his reason why he was killing people .
before having an idea for reign of terror he claimed that he would be working with kemp so as to find solution to his invisibility problem.
but the betrayal from his college professor and peole he encountered has made him wild.
he hated when people didnt understand him as a criminal rather than a person
Wow, I liked your comment. ‘Cause it is sad that people sometimes don’t even want to try understand the perspectives of all the characters.
And you really put yourself in really Griffin place.
I like your review