Maxwell's Reviews > The Time Machine

3.5 stars I didn't have many expectations for this book, and I knew very little about it before going into it aside from the eponymous time machine. But I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by it. Recognizing that it ultimately focuses very little on the machine itself and much more on the time traveler's adventure into the future & the cautionary tale that unfolds due to his findings makes this book a more enjoyable experience. It follows that classic 'unnamed narrator recounting story of other unnamed character' structure, even with a bit of story within a story (a la Frankenstein). Clearly H.G. Wells had an agenda behind this book, as it seems to be a response to Britain's cultural and economic situation in the late 19th century. Nevertheless, it was a fun and entertaining read, and the audiobook--narrated by Sir Derek Jacobi--was excellent.