10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Rebirth = The Chrysalids, Aug 26 2004
By A Reader "Doro's Mom" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: REBIRTH (Mass Market Paperback)
"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. Real villians, real heroes. I always hoped they would go back for the girls. Yes, we need a sequel!
Check out the rating and reviews under "The Chrysalids". Read it soon.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A fast, enjoyable read... that stays with you, Dec 9 2007
By Esther Schindler - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: REBIRTH (Mass Market Paperback)
As another reviewer pointed out, this book was also published as "The Chrysalids," but I read it with this cover and title. The contents, I understand, are exactly the same.
In a post-apocalyptic world, nearly destroyed by nuclear war, the remaining humans are still trying to stamp out "abominations," whether that's corn that grows wrong or livestock born with too many legs. The guidance comes from religious texts, and David Strom (age 10 when we meet him) is the son of a very religious man. Except that David and his friends have a unique ability they must keep secret: telepathy.
This book was among the first I read when I discovered science fiction in the early 1980s, and I've read it a half dozen times since. It's a short book, easy to read and an *incredibly* crafted world to fall into. At one level it's light stuff, an easy weekend read when you want something that doesn't require your brain in action. But I've found that it has haunted me. Like the best books, there are scenes that I almost "remember," because they are so well written that I feel as though I experienced them.
Indirectly, this story also makes you consider topics like intolerance, dogmatism -- and the observation that everyone does what he thinks is right. But the ethical issues never get in the way of the story.
It's suitable for young adults (there's a love story but no sex, not even a kiss) so you could feel comfortable giving it to a preteen.
I've loved this book for years. I think you will, too.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Rebirth, April 22 2008
By Stephen L. Spero - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: REBIRTH (Mass Market Paperback)
When this book was published in the US, the publisher renamed it Rebirth. It's an excellent story about fear and intolerance (anyone who doesn't fit the norm is banished). I read this book in the late 60's, and it's still one of my favorites.
Since the writer, who's real name was John Benyon Harris is deceased, I doubt that there will be a sequel.