Allreaders.com

Invasion of the Body Snatchers Book Summary and Study Guide

Detailed plot synopsis reviews of Invasion of the Body Snatchers


Dr. Miles Bennell, 28, a general practitioner in the small Marin County town of Mill Valley, California, has several patients come in and complain that their loved ones "aren't themselves." He refers them to Dr. Manfred Kaufman, a psychiatrist in San Rafael, and the complaints gradually go away. But then a writer friend, Jack Belicec, shows Miles a body he found hidden away in his house, with unformed facial features and no fingerprints. Gradually it dawns on Miles, Jack and his wife, and Becky Driscoll -- a school friend of Miles who like himself is recently divorced -- that aliens have been taking over the town by growing duplicates of everyone from seed pods. How to escape or stop the menace? This classic science fiction thriller, originally published in 1955 as simply The Bodysnatchers, is better written than most of its genre and time, though it has a more optimistic ending than the 1956 movie which gave it the more familiar title.
Click here to see the rest of this review...

The review of this Book prepared by David Loftus




Classic science fiction. You probably know the story from the famous movie, but the book is quite different than the movie. Ends differently too. Dated relationships between men and women, (men strong, protecting; women weak, whiney, shrieking), but hey, it was first published in 1955. And so the story goes: On a quiet fall evening in the small, peaceful town of Mill Valley, California, Dr. Miles Bennell discovered an insidious, horrifying plot. Silently, subtly, almost imperceptibly, alien life-forms were taking over the bodies and minds of his neighbors, his friends, his family, the woman he loved -- the world as he knew it.

The review of this Book prepared by Kathleen



Chapter Analysis of Invasion of the Body Snatchers

Click on a plot link to find similar books!

Plot & Themes

Composition of Book Descript. of chases or violence 30%planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives 30%Feelings, relationships, character bio/development 30%Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places 10% Tone of book    -   suspenseful (sophisticated fear) FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION?    -   science fiction story Is this an adult or child's book?    -   Adult or Young Adult Book Horror story?    -   Yes Horror plotlets    -   the bodysnatchers are coming!

Main Character

Identity:    -   Male Profession/status:    -   doctor Age:    -   20's-30's

Setting

Terrain    -   Mountains Earth setting:    -   20th century Takes place on Earth?    -   Yes

Writing Style

Accounts of torture and death?    -   no torture/death    -   moderately detailed references to deaths scientific jargon? (SF only)    -   some scientific explanation    -   a moderate amount of scientific explanation Sex in book?    -   Yes What kind of sex:    -   vague references only    -   descript of kissing How much dialogue?    -   significantly more descript than dialog    -   little dialog

Books with storylines, themes & endings like Invasion of the Body Snatchers

Jack Finney Books Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
2 Ways to Search!
Or



Our Chief Librarian