The Time Machine by H.G. Wells

While reading this I felt as if I was in a group therapy session and one of the members Unraveled before my eyes.  H.G. Wells even set it up that way, with the group coming together and names not being used, instead it was a person’s role (including a Psychologist and Medical Man).  A great imagination was used on how the future might look.  Picking a time so far into the future was genius on the author’s part, because then no one has to worry about if it will come true in their lifetime or their children or grandchildren’s lifetime.

I think the book was slightly overrated in terms of hype, and probably due to required readings in school that make a reader over-analyze the characters and plot.  A future that was so bleak and a society that was so fractured, but with no explanation why leaves plenty to the reader’s imagination.  I love that about this book, the reader can always theorize what happened to society and why there are now these two groups.  H.G. Wells does a great job at giving enough details about the society without actually answering any questions.  The Time Traveler only guesses and theorizes about what happened and why the two groups are the way they are.

I love reading books like this away from the pressure of analyzing character motive, symbolism, and plot.  This is a book that should be read and enjoyed for the quality of writing and how the author conveys such an interesting story through a narrative and strategic use of details while still leaving room for the reader’s imagination to fill in gaps.  It is a true art to be able to write so that there is a uniform idea in all readers, but when questioned readers will provide the details that they want to insert based on what wasn’t there.  H.G. Wells is a great Sci-Fi writer and this short novel can easily be read and enjoyed whether or not you love this genre.