This book review looks at The Invisible Man, a science fiction novel by H.G. Wells that was published in 1897. The novel tells the story of a scientist who discovers a way to make himself invisible and then uses his power to terrorize the people around him.
The book was very ahead of its time, dealing with themes of science gone wrong and the dangers of knowledge being used for evil purposes. It is considered one of the first true science fiction novels and is still relevant and entertaining today.
Plot Summary
The book begins with a mysterious stranger arriving in the English town of Iping during a snowstorm. The stranger, who is never named, takes up residence at the local inn and keeps to himself, only leaving his room at night wearing a long coat and hat that covers his entire body.
The townsfolk become suspicious of the stranger and start to gossip about him. One night, the innkeeper’s daughter, Peggy, sees the stranger removing his bandages and realizes that he is invisible. She tells her father, who then tries to blackmail the Invisible Man into giving him money.
The Invisible Man becomes enraged and starts terrorizing the townspeople. He vandalizes houses, robs banks, and generally causes havoc wherever he goes. The police are powerless to stop him and eventually he escapes to London.
In London, he takes up residence in a boarding house and befriends a young woman named Flora Cranley. However, he soon grows tired of her company and decides to terrorize her as well. After driving her to the brink of madness, he finally reveals his true identity to her.
At this point, the police have finally caught up with him and he is wounded in a shootout. He flees to a nearby cottage that belongs to an old friend from medical school named Griffin (the Invisible Man’s real name). Griffin has been living in isolation for years trying to perfect his invisibility serum but has gradually become insane in the process.
Griffin agrees to help the Invisible Man escape from the police but only if he agrees to help Griffin complete his experiments. However, once they have successfully made another person invisible, Griffin decides that he wants to use his powers for evil instead of good. The two men fight and Griffin is killed. The Invisible Man then disappears into the countryside, still invisible and still mad.”
Conclusion
The Invisible Man is a classic science fiction novel that is as relevant today as it was when it was first published over 100 years ago. If you are looking for a fast-paced read with plenty of action, this book is definitely for you!
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