Another sci-fi classic by the famed author who practically defined the genre. The book is fairly simple in its setting by today’s standards when the invisibility trope has been depicted so many times through various media. But this novel was perhaps the one which gave birth to a scientifically elaborate story about a guy who turns himself invisible.
The story is probably already etched in everybody’s mind but it still deserves a recap for some of our oblivious readers. It’s about Griffin, a scientist who has devoted himself to research into optics and invents a way to change a body's refractive index to that of air so that it neither absorbs nor reflects light and thus becomes invisible. He successfully carries out this procedure on himself, but fails in his attempt to reverse it. The story is horror fiction and circles around the people who encounter Griffin and his eventual descent into madness and immorality.
The story was written masterfully by HG Wells, and one could truly visualise everything which was happening in the story. Which is kind of ironic considering it’s about a person who cannot be seen. HG Wells introduces a sense of mystical awe in his stories while still trying to keep them grounded to the real thing. He introduces scientific theories and explanations to impossible phenomenon so that they don’t look totally ridiculous. But as any good author, the real sense of danger and sentiments come from the events which are fully possible and almost mirror the actual world. He showcases the tendencies of real humans in extraordinary situations. How some overcome it and how some are consumed by it.
Griffin is the prime example of how a power can corrupt even the most intelligent of men. It isn’t directly implied that the painful procedure he underwent while trying to become invisible would’ve also altered his psyche. That would’ve made him more prone to engage in violence as means to achieve his objectives and eventually enjoying the violence itself.
The book may not be as engaging as other works of HG Wells but is most certainly a bonafide read for all the fans of the author or the genre out there. What I believe the book lacked was a resolution. The end was appropriate what would’ve happened given the situation but not something which could’ve happened had the stakes been higher in the story and how grand a character of Griffin was. Maybe I’m a bit biased for the bad guys but I expected Griffin to either become a normal sane human being again or become a real evil incarnate with far greater reaching consequences of his actions.
Anyway, this book would be recommended by me to any sci-fi horror fan who would like to experience how innumerable iconic characters from pop culture came into being from a snow ridden small town which had a man covered in bandages disrupt local peace.
