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Summary: When prejudice and paranoia kills
Review: "And God created man in His own image. And God decreed that man should have one body, one head, two arms and two legs: that each arm should be jointed in two places and end in one hand: that each hand should have four fingers and one thumb: that each finger should bear a flat finger-nail...."
"'Then God created woman, also, and in the same image, but with these differences, according to her nature: her voice should be of a higher pitch than a man's: she should grow no beard: she should have two breasts..."
Imagine a world where only those made in the Image of God are permitted to live.
The people of the agrarian community of Waknut to which young David belongs could be the new human race that survived a nuclear holocaust. The implication is there, but Wyndham does not make any explicit reference to the origins of the race, only that there was an Old People, and they are the New.
In this community, anything deformed or abnormal is deemed a Deviation, or Abomination, and is destroyed so that it would not contaminate its stock. Entire cornfields are burned down when mutant corn is discovered, and deformed calves and other livestock are killed before they reach maturity. It is a society that has little tolerance for difference, and even young David�s left-handedness is frowned upon.
Human abominations, however, are not killed but are banished to The Fringes. David�s playmate, 8-year-old Sophie, was discovered to have six toes and her family was driven away from the pseudo-religious society of David�s parents. David finds out later that Sophie�s family has moved to the Fringes, where the other mutants are. The mutant people live in poverty and often carry out raids on the farms of the regular folk. During one such raid in which the mutants are defeated and captured by the regular folk, David sees a man closely resembling his father, only with disproportionately long limbs. David realizes that genetic mutations too run in his family, as evinced by his banished mutant uncle.
A series of events reveal that David and a number of other seemingly physically normal children are not quite so normal after all. David and several other children possess telepathic powers, which are revealed after an incident involving David�s youngest sister, Petra. Petra�s advanced telepathic powers cause the children to be persecuted by their society, and they seek refuge in The Fringes. A battle is fought between the mutants and the regular folk and help comes from outsiders.
�The Chrysalids� is a riveting read and Wyndham�s rich and scintillating prose will inspire empathy with the protagonists. It is a novel exciting in its originality and brilliant and believable storyline. Although a work of fiction, much of what �The Chrysalids� has to teach us has great bearing in our society. This is a cautionary tale on the effects of rigid fundamentalism, prejudice, oppression and persecution of those who are different. �The Chrysalids� is a novel that continues to fascinate me today as much as it did when I first read it 11 years ago.
Rating: 
Summary: "Rebirth" = "The Chrysalids".
Review: "Rebirth" is in fact the very same book as "The Chrysalids". Someone must have figured the new title would sell better. Either way, it's an excellent book. Reminds me A LOT of "A Night of Watching", the story of Denmark under the Nazis. That was true, this is fiction, but human nature - good and bad - doesn't change, and is realistically and lovingly portrayed here. Real villians, real heroes. I always hoped they would go back for the girls. Yes, we need a sequel!
Definitely recommended. Read it soon.
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Summary: The chrysallids (also published under the title, "Rebirth"
Review: I first read this book in 1980 as a used paperback entitled, Rebirth. The cover pictured two children riding in baskets on either side of a huge white horse. There was a notation on the cover that the book had been published in England as, The Chrysalids. I enjoyed it immensely and have re-read it quite a few times over the years.One of the most curious things about this book are the words of the "New Zealand" lady who communicated with the main character, David Storm, at the end of the book. She calls the people of David's society, "Fossils of our time," and goes on to say, "Life is change, how it differs from the rocks. I hear those words too often for my liking. New worlds to gain...my life is to survive and be alive for you." As a child of the 1960's and early 1970's, I immediately identified those words as coming from Jefferson Airplane's Crown of Creation. I went to the album and tried to find a reference to John Wyndham, because his book was written years before The Airplane's album. I was surprised that Paul Kantner, (and I believe David Crosby) hadn't attributed these words to Wyndham, or to anyone else writing earlier. As I was reading the book, it sounded to me as if these weren't really Wyndham's words either, that they had come from an earlier source. Even though I searched the book, I could find no reference attributing these words to anyone other than Wyndham. Does anyone know about where these quotes originated? Where they Wyndham's, or did they come from another earlier source? As I am writing this, Huxley comes to mind as a possibility.
Rating: 
Summary: worst book ever
Review: I HAD TO READ THIS BOOK FOR GRADE 9 ENGLISH AND I HATED IT SSSSSSSSSSOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH.
Rating:
Summary: Paul Kantner Liked It
Review: I haven't read this book in a long time but I remember being amazed to find the lyrics to Jefferson Airplane's "Crown of Creation" almost word for word in the middle of the book. The reviewers giving it one star must not like old sci-fi.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting Perception, Boring Talk
Review: I read this book for my tenth grade Advanced Placement English class, and must say that it is so weird. The story itself brings controversy with our fascination with nuclear energy and weapons. The book tells a tale of what our societies could become if we don't watch it. However, I also found that the characterization wasn't very well done. I found David's personality to be quite unexplored, curious for a first-person point of view. Also, Rosalind is his COUSIN. Ew. That alone could cause a genetic mutation. Besides, being able to send thought-shapes - legally, in the "Repentances" definition of man, how is it possible that they are in violation? But yes, the ending was awful too. Let's kill everyone and leave half of the people in the crappy land when we jet off to New Zealand in our fancy space-age flying machine. Mhm. Greaaaaat, Wyndham. Great.
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Summary: Reading a book is reading between the lines
Review: The good thing about a book, as apposed to TV or movies, is that it excercises your imagination. Some people love colorful narratives with thick imagery, plots that twist and surprise them. Some other people like a book with subtle suggestions about broader ideas/questions. The good thing about this book, is that it does not explain the why and how of the new world... The author writes the book from the perspective of a child coming into maturity. This books has alot to say about how history is written. It is written from the perspective of the the survivors and their memories... The relationship between the children and the parents can be liken to the relationship between the average man and the governments which rule us today. The depth and questions that this book purposes, is more than what meets the eye. The author purposefully left out allot of detail, so you the reader have room to paint your own images and make your own inferences. Read it more than once... Forget that you read it at school. When I was 17 or 18 years old, I didn't have the maturity nor the experience to apply to the ideas put forth. It is well worth going back to. I am dyslexic, so if I can enjoy re-reading this, then more talented readers should have a ball!
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Summary: Way Ahead of Its Time
Review: This book has fascinated me since I first read it as a teenager. Unlike some other reviewers, I loved the fact that Wyhdham left it to his readers to imagine what kind of disaster might have befallen a society to cause it to differentiate so thoroughly between what is "deviant" versus what is "the norm," that alliance to "the norm" becomes a fundamentalist religion. In one brilliant passage, a sailor describes a visit to a strange land overrun with "deviant" life. The passage includes just enough information about the environment to convey the discrepancy between the sailor's perspective, distorted by ignorance and indoctrination, and what the reader, from his knowledge of the world, knows to be true.
I've re-read the book several times, and for me it never loses its freshness, originality and relevancy. Recurrent themes in the book include truth versus knowledge, and culture's influence on what is acceptable and what is aberrant. Written in 1955, this book was way ahead of its time, and is as current today as it was 50 years ago. It is a true classic.
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Summary: Still controversial after all these years
Review: This book is like a child's question, so seemingly simple and innocent. Why? says the child, Why? Why? Why? The answers to many children's questions are dangerous and upsetting, as are the ideas in this book. On the face of it this is a simple science fiction story. It is skillfully and simply told; a quick and enjoyable read. On the face of it there is an unremarkable little adventure story here which earns the genre of science fiction by dealing with telepathy in a post acpocalytic world. The pacing and dynamics of the book hold the reader and the story moves itself. This, however, is not a simple tale of or for children, and there is almost no way in which it can be read as such by anyone with average intelligence. This is a devastating critique of religious zeal and blind faith of any kind. It is a horror tale of intolerance of the worst kind. Here is a society in which parents will kill their own children to maintain the purity of an ideal based on only a few words passed down through the generations. This is an equally devastating critique of hidebound adherence to the rule of law. Here is a society which enforces law without regard to the temperance justice, mercy or common sense can bring. A child can read this book and feel the injustice revealed page by page. A sensitive child can find assurance in the ending that somewhere out there are others like him or her who will be welcoming of their "differences". An adult can read the book and be given the gift of a clear eyed look at rigid ideology. Published also as "Rebirth" this book was seen in the 50's as a condemnation of Communism. It is a condemnation of Communism in so far as Communism is a blind faith commitment. Today the universal quality of the critique behind the book is more clear. What is amazing is the ease with which this little story inspires the reader to question the validity of social forms and values, perhaps it does so because it is so simple and clear and fast to read. I am not surprised some reviewers don't like the book. This book challenges the very heart of literal beliefs whether they be religious, scientific, legal or moral. It is a text that such bigots have reason to fear. All the more reason for the rest of us to read it and wonder at their existence. "Why?".
Rating:
Summary: OK Book Boring For Teens
Review: We Read this book in our grade 9 class at SSS. Most people found it boring and I did to. Even though it does talk about mutating and stuff like that it did not have enough action to keep a youth interested. It's also a book heavily weighed on "GOD" so if you are not a beliver, not a very great book to read. It makes a lot of mentions towards Jesus and God and i Didn't think it was very appropriate to read in a public school. Anyway im sure if you were an adult you would enjoy this book!
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