Reviews with content warning for Racial slurs - The Invisible Man (AmazonClassics Edition)

Reviews tagging 'Racial slurs'

The Invisible Man (AmazonClassics Edition) by H.G. Wells

30 reviews

blewballoon's review against another edition

funny informative tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I can't seem to stop comparing all of the classics I read to Dracula. Much like Dracula, I feel like this book had to at least partially be intended as a comedy. There are running gags. The character names are hilarious. Several of the action sequences read like slapstick. If you read it like a dark comedy such as Little Shop of Horrors, it's quite enjoyable. If you try to read this straight, I'm not so sure it would be. The characters are quite flat and the dialogue is unnatural. The action sequences, as I said, are more zany than thrilling. The horrific descriptions are melodramatic rather than eerie. If you do intend to read it, I highly recommend the audiobook narrated by Kevin Theis. They put a lot of spirit and accents into the story, and the version I listened to had fun music and sound effects that were tastefully done.

Content Warnings

greatsilverini's review against another edition

Go to review page

funny informative mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Cartoon supervillain of a man

Content Warnings

absolutereality's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark tense fast-paced

3.0

The Invisible Man is not quite as weird or captivating as The Time Machine, but I still enjoyed it. Like The Time Machine, this book’s story is told to a narrator who is then relating what he can of the story to us. Some parts of the story the narrator could find no direct witnesses to, so it is interesting to watch him construct the narrative like a detective at times.

I wasn’t familiar with the story and have not seen the movie adaptations, so I was not really aware

of how titular character is the villain of the story. I appreciated how at first you believe the experiment has made him mad, and then gradually you realize he was a self-absorbed asshole from the beginning. Turning invisible only allowed him to become more of the asshole he already was.

Content warning: HG Wells was a racist and eugenicist, and it does come out a bit in the book - there is one instance of the n——— word as well.

**There were quite a few clever turns of phrase that I enjoyed and reminded me of British author Terry Pratchett.**

“Opinion was greatly divided about his occupation. Mrs. Hall was sensitive on the point. When questioned, she explained very carefully that he was an "experimental investigator," going gingerly over the syllables as one who dreads pitfalls.”

“The Anglo-Saxon genius for parliamentary government asserted itself; there was a great deal of talk and no decisive action.”

“He was simply exasperating. You don't blame me, do you? You don't blame me?"

**"I never blame anyone," said Kemp. "It's quite out of fashion.** What did you do next?"

**And yet more quotes that stuck out to me for simply being amusing or evocative:**

“Can’t a man look at you?—Ugly!”

“What is the good of the love of woman when her name must needs be Delilah?”

“He glanced away from the barrel of the revolver and saw the sea far off very blue and dark under the midday sun, the smooth green down, the white cliff on the Head, and the multitudinous town, and suddenly he knew that life was very sweet. His eyes came back to this little metal thing hanging between heaven and earth, six feet away.”

**And still more quotes that reminded me how similar we are to the people of 1897:**

“The infinite details! And the exasperation,—a professor, a provincial professor, always prying. 'When are you going to publish this work of yours?' was his everlasting question. And the students, the cramped means! Three years I had of it—“

“Then I saw in one of those little miscellaneous shops-news, sweets, toys, stationery, **belated Christmas tomfoolery**, and so forth-an array of masks and noses.”

Content Warnings

britttobegorey94's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Content Warnings

_awildpidge's review against another edition

Go to review page

mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Content Warnings

draven_deathcrush's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I liked this a lot more than The Island of Doctor Moreau! I thought the character of the Invisible Man was super cool and interesting. Wells' stories are also super quick to read, at least in my opinion.

Content Warnings