Chrysalids Author:John Wyndham In the community of Waknut it is believed mutants are the products of the Devil and must be stamped out. When David befriends a girl with a slight abnormality, he begins to understand the nature of fear and oppression. When he develops his own deviation, he must learn to conceal his secret. — David Strorm, inhabits a thriving neighborhood on the ... more »outskirts of the unknown. Everyone lives in fear of the "old people" whose power is built miracles, and still believe, that God sent "sorrow" (most likely some form of nuclear war) to punish them for immorality. So they are afraid of mutations, forcing anyone who carries a sign of change.
This is the world of David Strorm, the main character in the novel. Even as a child, he often dreamed of a city filled with items considered fantastic in his world, flying machines and carts that move without horses. While David grows, he realizes that he has the ability to communicate telepathically with other children. This ability of David will be considered blasphemy in their community, if someone finds out about it. David does not understand the seriousness of this ability while not find Sophie, a girl who was born with an extra toe on each foot. David befriends Sophie, but keep secret his new acquaintance. When her secret is discovered by another boy in the neighborhood, Sophie and her family were forced to flee. Then David realized that if he reveals his secret, there will be serious consequences for him.
He is forced to flee with his friends, to find a new home for themselves. Despite being over 50 years of age, the ideas expressed in this science fiction novel are still timely today. This novel is an excellent reader for people who are keen readers of classic science fiction.« less