The children of men

by P. D. James

351 pages

English language

Published Jan. 4, 1994 by Warner Vision Books.

ISBN:: 978-0-446-36462-1

(29 reviews)

"The year is 2021, and the human race is - quite literally - coming to an end. Since 1995 no babies have been born, because in that year all males unexpectedly became infertile. Great Britain is ruled by a dictator, and the population is inexorably growing older. Theodore Faron, Oxford historian and, incidentally, cousin of the all-powerful Warden of England, watches in growing despair as society gradually crumbles around him, giving way to strange faiths and cruelties: prison camps, mass organized euthanasia, roving bands of thugs. Then, suddenly, Faron is drawn into the plans of an unlikely group of revolutionaries. His passivity is shattered, and the action begins." "The Children of Men will surprise - and enthrall - P.D. James fans. Written with the same rich blend of keen characterization, narrative drive and suspense as her great detective stories, it engages powerfully with new themes: conflicts of loyalty and duty, …

18 editions

lokroma reviewed The Children of Men by P. D. James

Review of 'The Children of Men' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

In a dystopian look at a world where men and women are no longer fertile and the human race is slowly dying out, pregnant Julian becomes a valuable commodity, protected by the activist group she is a part of, hidden and coddled. Those in power learn of her condition and set out to find her to enable the country's dictator, Xan, to claim her son as his own.

This narrative is a bit of a departure for the well known author of the Adam Dalgleish mystery series, and it is compelling, but The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, published several years earlier, presents a much more vivid picture of what happens to women when their reproductive capabilities are co-opted by men. I believe the Atwood book must have informed James' story and it remains the definitive fictional account that predicted the reproductive healthcare horrors women are enduring today.

Sean Bala reviewed The Children of Men by P. D. James

Review of 'The Children of Men' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

I've read this novel twice and there is just something about the vision it gives that haunts me but also give me hope. I like dystopias (to read, of course) and I found that the scenario (humanity suddenly stops being able to have children) uniquely gripping and thought provoking. What would happen when humanity does not think it has a future? While there is the rush of hedonism and violence, the end of humanity in this novel is far more prosaic - gradually aging and becoming more and more self-focused, with deep self-loathing and sadness. My favorite moment in the novel comes from the beginning when the narrator Theo (an Oxford professor of English) witnesses a violent encounter between two women. In this world, many women buy elaborate porcelain dolls and push them around in carriages as if they were living children. Theo sees one such woman walking through Oxford. Another woman comes up to her and coos the "baby" for a few moments. Suddenly, the second woman grabs the doll by the legs and smashes it into pieces. The first woman crumples the ground, sobbing and screaming, as she holds the broken pieces of the doll. The novel is quite different from the film but I like both, even if I like the novel a bit more. James, known more for her mystery novels, was also a devout Anglican and Christianity plays a large role in the novel but in a complex way. I enjoyed the whole experience of this novel so much and I recommend it highly.

B. Zelkovich reviewed The Children of Men by P. D. James

Review of 'The Children of Men' on 'Goodreads'

2 stars

Man. That was difficult to get through. The audio narration was very dry and boring, despite the pleasant voice. There wasn't much likeable about Theo, which was the point I think. Regardless, it's just 6 hours of him prattling, two hours of mildly interesting action, and then it ends abruptly, and with a very open ending. I don't dislike that out of hand, but I didn't feel this left much room for interpretation, so why keep it vague? Do yourself a favor and watch the film instead.

loppear reviewed The Children of Men by P. D. James

Review of 'The Children of Men' on Goodreads

3 stars

One man's struggle for purpose in a world without a future. Fascinating to read this after seeing the movie, which borrows the setting and plot and issues and yet tells a very different story.

Unruly Stacks reviewed The Children of Men by P. D. James

Review of 'The Children of Men' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

I'll admit, I'm wondering if I didn't like the movie more. I'll freely admit that my enthusiasm for the book was dimmed by the narrator's obnoxious accent, though I wonder if he wasn't chosen to narrate this book BECAUSE of that accent. The main character, Theo, is from Surrey, and a scholar at Oxford, so that posh sound might've fit the author's vision best. In any case, it didn't work for me.

Still, I found the ending to be too...clear, somehow. Too precise. The film leaves the ending much murkier, less comforting, and that suits me better with my apocolyptic fiction.

GG reviewed The Children of Men by P. D. James

Review of 'The Children of Men' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

I had never read this book until my book club selected it, because I'd already seen the movie (one of my favorites). But the book is entirely different, sharing only a few basic plot points. It's thought-provoking and an entertaining read -- I would have given it four stars but for the fact that I didn't buy the premise (that a lack of babies being born would result in worldwide societal breakdown), and somehow I found it more difficult to suspend my disbelief about that premise with the book than with the film.