When Bill Masen wakes up blindfolded in hospital, there is a bitter irony in his situation. Carefully removing his bandages, he realises that he is the only person who can see: everyone else, doctors and patients alike, have been blinded by a meteor shower. Now, with civilization in chaos, the triffids – huge, venomous, large-rooted plants able to 'walk', feeding on human flesh – can have their day.The Day of the Triffids, published in 1951, expresses many of the political concerns of its time: the Cold War, the fear of biological experimentation and the man-made apocalypse. However, with its terrifyingly believable insights into the genetic modification of plants, the book is more relevant today than ever before.
I couldn’t put this book down!
Recently an article in the newspaper mentioned this book – and I remembered I hadn’t read it and since high school I had always meant to. When I went to find it the cover nearly put me off – a bit too graphic. But once I got started I couldn’t stop reading. The book hasn’t ‘dated’, the setting and characters are completely convincing. Especially the main character – Bill; has a humanity and optimism that drives the book. The story is a very relevant and engrossing cautionary tale in the light of global warming, global food shortages, GMFoods and the global recession. A sobering tale that is also an exhilarating cliff-hanger. Now I’m going to read some of his other books.
Rating - I give this 4/5
GREAT!! 
2 comments:
do you guys have the tv series this book spawned? and was there a radio play, or am I confusing it with the War of the Worlds?
The Chrysalids is in the same vein and another great read.
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