I picked this book for one of the challenges for a group I belonged to on Goodreads. but I have to say I should have picked a different book I didn't enjoy it at all I did how ever like the movie.
In Children of Men, P.D. James perfectly illustrates how a great idea can be mercilessly butchered by a terrible execution. The premise of the novel is dystopian. It's been eighteen years since the last human was born, and humankind, faced with its impending extinction, descends into a collective depression and constant conflict. The narrative follows Theo Faron, the cousin of the dictator of the United Kingdom, as he tries to help a dissident group restore democracy and to protect possibly the last (or first) pregnant woman on Earth. The premise is quite original and deeply disturbing, but its portrayal is far superior in the film adaptation, which is only loosely based on the original. If there was ever an exception to the rule that "the book is always better than the film", Children of Men has to be it. There is no character development, and the protagonist has an absolutely flat personality. The narrative frequently drags on through excessive descriptions, which dulls some of the shock value of the future society that James has constructed. What little is left of the plot is so contrived that it's difficult to take seriously. The ending is probably the worst element of the novel, if I had to choose one. Human actions defy all logic and emotion and it feels like the last few pages were hastily put together after the author had written herself into a corner. Maybe the novel has merit on its own, but if you had watched the movie, and therefore know what could have been done with this great idea, you would probably be left extremely disappointed. ( )

The Children of Men was even better than I expected, and I had expected a lot because I loved the 2006 film. The book tells a related, but different story from the film with several important characters having been changed for the film adaptation. It is unabashedly a story rooted in Christianity, but in a way that is neither bitter towards the religion nor cloying and preachy. P.D. James has great empathy for her characters and a wonderful sense of pacing throughout the book. The twists and turns the story takes keep the reader deeply engaged. The final scene of the book will make you question everything you just read. Absolutely brilliant. ( )

Such a good book. The Children of Men comments on how hope is the only thing that matters. The story's world is a awful place to live. It is dark and desolate, countries across the globe have fallen. In this modern dystopia women have become infertile and mankind is rapidly approaching extinction ( )

DNF at 18%. Based on the premise, you’d think this would’ve have been *more* exciting than watching paint dry. And that would be incorrect. ( )

Science fiction