Rating: 3 stars

I keep forgetting what this book is called. Often my reading notes are headed up with a simplification of the book's title or something to remind me which book the notes relate to (eg “Doctor Who book” "vader comic" etc.). For this book, my notes are titled "Chrysalisnjsknsowi". I know it's something about chrysalises or whatever. The things that caterpillars make to become butterflies. Then I learned at some point down the track that there was a "d" in there somewhere, so I was calling it "The Chrysalidids" for a very long time. But no. This book is called The Chrysalids. One "d", one "chrysali". The Chrysalids by John Wyndham.

This book fits into that "weird classic sci fi" category. Well, it's not all weird. Sometimes there are cool bits in the story. There is some really good commentary on the way the entirety of humankind treats minorities and those who don't fit into what society deems as "acceptable" or "normal", but there is also some, well, weird stuff. There's kind of some incest…? And I know that (genetically) you can safely… procreate with your first cousins but not your second, (because punnet squares or something) but I am thinking of my cousins now and nope. I’m good.

But they do get caught in Shelob’s web, so that part made me laugh and somehow improved my overall opinion on the book. Ok... well, obviously I am just pretending that it was Shelob. It can't have been her. Anyone with brain would know that she is blind due to the Phial of Galadriel. She can't spin webs anymore. Obviously. That is the only reason why she can't be in this book.

Also yes I would like to confirm that in New Zealand we are indeed just an army of telepaths. That is correct John Wyndham.