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mossbird's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Orwell, in enrapturing detail, documents through an allegorical lens the repeated cycle of capitalism, dictatorship, and just how easily people (or in this book, animals) are manipulated by language. Reading this book made me viscerally angry at points and heartbreakingly sad at others. To see the cycle laid out so plainly forces the reader to acknowledge the presence and repetition that continuously plagues political landscapes. In a mere 96 pages (of the edition I read), Orwell highlights with haunting clarity how easily political dogma can be transformed into propaganda, especially over the course of time.
This novella left me horrified at moments with how many of the pigs' atrocious actions I found myself relating to our current sociopolitical climate. While written as an allegory for the Soviet Union, Orwell's work now highlights the atrocities committed by current governments and world leaders in a very blunt way. Yet, even as the book reaches its final pages, we see that this "accord" between the men and the pigs is strictly surface level with Orwell alluding to the start of the Cold War as both leaders play an ace of spades simultaneously.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gun violence, Slavery, and Violence
Moderate: Blood
Minor: Cannibalism
cloud_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Slavery, Gaslighting, and Classism
Moderate: Gun violence, Violence, and Blood
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Slavery, Blood, and Gaslighting
d00rframe's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Physical abuse, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Medical content, and Medical trauma
phantomsparrow's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Violence
Minor: Slavery and Blood
izzyreading's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Slavery, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Violence and War
Minor: Blood, Grief, and Alcohol
rainbowrocky's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Slavery, and Classism
Moderate: Violence and Gaslighting
Minor: Fatphobia, Gun violence, Blood, Grief, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
chiaradg's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Good read. Had to get used to it though.
The writing is quite simple but the underlying message is conveyed in a clever way.
It was very obvious where the story was going from the beginning, but this was not a bad thing for this book, it is actually a good thing for this book.
"Man is the only enemy we have."
"All men are enemies. All animals are comrades".
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Gaslighting
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Physical abuse, and Murder
Minor: Death, Torture, and Blood
gemstonejasper's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
I will say that though it's based on USSR history, I think parts of it could be relatable to modern places. I live in the US and I saw many similarities around patriotism, nationalism, "farm pride," and history turning to myth. Lots of gaslighting between the Pigs and other animals
Read it if it sounds good to you, but it's definitely not a must read for me
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
riverofhorton's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I went into this knowing it was an allegory for Stalin's Russia, but knowing little about the USSR, I didn't know how that would present. I found it most interesting that we see a lot of Napoleon's early tactics in the politics of today, especially right-wing groups, I also find this parallel to be deeply unsettling in nature, and and wonder how long it will be before we are like the other farm animals of this book, if our real-world politics continue down the path they are on.
On a more personal note, I saw a lot of my past self within the character of Boxer, as well as a lot of people no longer in my life in Napoleon's character. It was slightly disconcerting as such an animal lover myself to draw these comparisons, but it did remind me of how far I've come in the past few years.
To end on a lighter note, I enjoyed reading about the dynamic between Boxer and Benjamin, and find myself wondering if the intention was to portray a queer love between the two male characters, or if that was just my brain. I did also find the characterisation of the cat to be perfect throughout.
Graphic: Ableism, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
sophie42's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Violence, Gaslighting, and Classism
Moderate: Alcohol and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Gun violence, Slavery, and Blood