The Chrysalids

Author: John Wyndham

Another childhood favorite; I felt slightly ripped off that I didn't have any telepathic abilities, despite how hard I tried to communicate to my sister solely using our minds. The Chrysalids, also published as "Re-birth" in the United States, is a science fiction dystopia set in a post-apocalyptic world a few thousand years in the future. The inhabitants of Labrador are vaguely aware of a technologically advanced race before them, the "Old People". They practice a form of fundamentalist Christianity and believe that to prevent another Tribulation (which we assume was a nuclear war), they need to preserve normality in life. Humans with minor mutations are considered "Blasphemies"; the devil's work, and are either killed or sterilized and banished to the lawless Fringes. David, the ten year old son of a religious figure, becomes friends with Sophie, a mutant who has concealed her 6 toed feet all of her life. David keeps her secret, harboring his own mutation his telepathic abilities. When Sophie is discovered and her family tries to escape, David wonders at the persecution and cullings. Eventually David and his group of telepaths are exposed and sent to the Fringes, pursued by villagers intent on capturing and interrogating them. David's sister Petra's abilities are extremely advanced, and through her they contact an advanced society. If there was ever a case made for why fundamentalism in any religion is evil, this is it. Something different? Oooh, quick, let's kill it! We can't kill it? Let's ban it! This book is my example of a dystopia - a world so ignorant that it will outlaw and destroy anything that is different to what's considered the norm.