My wife, whose gift-giving skills border on precognitive, introduced me to “The Day of the Triffids” (and “The Handmaid’s Tale”) long ago. I’d read similar books like “The Death of Grass” and “Brave New World,” but they existed in a sort of genre-less void in my mind. Like unclassified cryptids. Then, BAM! My wife returns from the UK brandishing these two books and a label that – like a literary Rosetta Stone – made me understand that I was a dystopian fiction fan. I just didn’t know it yet.

“The Day of the Triffids” is a post-apocalyptic novel by the English science fiction author John Wyndham. It explores the impact of a global catastrophe that blinds most of humanity. Amidst the chaos, a new threat emerges: the triffids. These three-legged plants, capable of movement and delivering venomous stings, have been extensively cultivated globally due to their exceptional oil quality. Explained like this, the plot may sound a bit convoluted, but if you manage to convince yourself that a walking, stinging plant is a perfectly normal thing, you will discover an interesting read.

We experience the triffid apocalypse through the eyes of Bill Masen, as he and fellow survivors face the growing challenges of their new reality. Wyndham’s clear and accessible writing style builds the tension steadily as the situation worsens, creating a thought-provoking narrative, even if it doesn’t reach the heights of a literary landmark.

In the same direction, Bill and the other characters in the book are functional rather than memorable, but they serve their purpose in driving the narrative.

Published more than 70 years ago, this book’s themes resonate strongly with modern readers. The sudden loss of technology speaks directly to our reliance on it, the anxieties surrounding genetic modification remain prevalent, and the Cold War undertones find chilling echoes in today’s political climate.

That being said, the tone and the characters might appear a bit old-fashioned at times, so just keep that in mind and don’t let it get in the way of enjoying the read.

“The Day of Triffids” doesn’t reach the excellence of Saramago’s “Blindness” (and to be fair there are only tangent similarities), but it’s a really good book that’s worth reading. On a scale of 0 to 10, I will give it a solid [drum rolls] 7. 

– S –