The Midwich Cuckoos

by Pauline Francis (Retold By), John Wyndham

Aliens land in an isolated British village and impregnate all of the women. Nine months later strange children with glowing eyes and intense intelligence "Midwich Cuckoos, " emerge to undertake the conquest of the world.

Genres: Science Fiction

220 pages, Paperback

Published August 1, 2004

About the author

I love books. I translated them when I lived in Africa – and I worked with them when I was a teacher and a librarian, but I never thought about writing them.

One day, about ten years ago, I decided to become a full-time writer.

My first books were for younger readers. In Drake’s Drummer Boy (1998), Will sails around the world with Sir Francis Drake; in Sam Stars at Shakespeare’s Globe (2006), Sam works with William Shakespeare.

As you can see, the sixteenth century fascinates me. A few years ago, I started to write for older readers, about people who faced very tough decisions in a world that was changing quickly: Lady Jane Grey, in Raven Queen; the lost colonists in A World Away; and the young Elizabeth in Traitor’s Kiss.

What is a typical writing day? I write very early in the morning in a coffee shop. Then I use my computer to re-write and to do my research at home in my study.

I am married with two grown-up children, and I live in Hertfordshire close to London and to Cambridge. I enjoy going to the cinema and the theatre – and anywhere where I can watch other people.

Reviews

[Billy Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this book many years ago and also seen the film, though I don't think it's as good as The Day Of The Triffids. The fear the villagers feel is tinged, at least thats how I saw it, with anger, frustration at not being able to protect themselves from what in the face of it are children. I highly recommend this book to everyone who loves scifi.

[Chloé Berland · Rating 2 out of 5]

Déjà je vous rassure, l'édition que j'ai lue était bien moins laide.
Intrigue cool, de ce que j'ai compris c'est un classique de la science-fiction et je comprends pourquoi, la réflexion autour de la définition de la communauté et les questionnements moraux sont intéressants.
CEPENDANT l'écriture, principalement des dialogues, m'a profondément ennuyée, je crois que je suis matrixée par ce que je lis habituellement (aka des recommandations de booktok hihihi)

[Sally Thilthorpe · Rating 1 out of 5]

rubbish even for children

[Freyja Norman · Rating 5 out of 5]

All I can see is the children in the movie "Village of the damned" from the 60s. Creepy, whiteish haired, glowy eyed children :O

Yep, I had no idea it was based on this book. Blooming awesome! Well worth waiting all these years :D
(no.. I wasn't around in the 60s but saw it just a couple of years ago :p )

[Vix (Goddess of Gore) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't think I HAVE previously read this book but it was very familiar to something we had read at school, perhaps?
Either way I did enjoy it, the very British way everyone just accepted the immaculate conceptions of these golden eyed children, hilarious!

[Sheila Forget · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this story as a young teen. With the TV series, I decided to reread it and so glad I did.
It's a classic sci-fi that stands the test of time. Chock full of mystery and sinister happenings.

[Roisin Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

If it was an option it would be a 3.5. Loved the ending.

[Nicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the story but not the style it was written in. I haven't read the original version as I'm not a fan of science fiction so this was an interesting read. I felt a bit stilted in places but maybe that's because its abridged rather than the way it was originally written.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

scary and wonderfully written. wyndham was fantastic

[Jenny Burridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent.

[Iami Menotu · Rating 4 out of 5]

well crafted testily paced novel until a 'nuclear explosion for a mosquito kill' climax