What does it mean to be invisible? For some, it may mean to be unnoticed by everyone else. For others, it may mean that people can see right through you. The Invisible Man, by H.G. Wells, is a classic thriller in which a literally invisible man haunts the people of England in the 1800’s. This man arrives as a stranger, completely covered in bandages while trying to find a cure to his…condition. Soon the people of the small English town Iping, which he is living in, get suspicious and strange, ghostly occurrences start happening. The Invisible Man then reveals himself, and promptly runs away from the police. He torments and kills the people in and around Iping, turning into a madman that nobody can stop.

     *The author of this thrilling book, H.G. Wells, was a very well known author, especially for his science fiction novels. He originally became involved in the world of science (and fiction later on) when he went to the Normal School of Science, also known as Imperial College. There his studies under a great zoologist inspired him to write science fiction. Other than the Invisible Man, Wells wrote many famous books, including The Time Machine.* His sci-fi novels often also contain messages about human civil rights. However, when reading this book, you may want to think about the special message that Wells cleverly hid in his story.

     Overall, I found this spooky classic to be fascinating, despite certain stereotypes that say old books are boring. The characters, especially the Invisible Man, can be dark and violent at times, which adds a dramatic flair to the story. Wells also effectively uses sensory and descriptive details to make the events and setting more realistic to the reader. Other than that, the reader often finds themself pondering what they would do in the characters’ shoes. Despite some infrequent dull moments, The Invisible Man remains an action-packed, science-fiction thriller. Wells’s dark style of writing is unmistakable in the text when the it states, “The Invisible Man awoke that morning… feeling more powerful, more embittered, and full of more hatred than ever.” (Wells, 204).