fargestift's review against another edition
3.0
A cute little fable that wears its message loud and clear: revolution is just a change of masters. I think the scariest thing about it, is the frailty of memory, especially when its coupled with the hive mind. Even just as a reader of the book, I had to think twice about what Snowball did and didn't do in the Battle of the Cowshed as Comrade Napoleon exploits the other animals' gullibility and gradually weaves his own narrative of the past events. In this way, it is also a tale about the power you get if you are able to document the past. As the pigs are said to do a lot of reading and writing throughout, few of the other animals ever get beyond learning the alphabet. Even those that do know how to read, struggles to keep up when the written commandments are secretly edited. Despite their suspicions that it used to be different, they don't trust their own memory, as we are able to forge false memories with enough convictions.
I also found the sheep's simplification of the Seven Commandments – "four legs good, two legs bad" – a scary reminder of how complicated political relations get simplified to the point where the simplification becomes the lived truth.
Even though I liked it a bit more on my second read, I think it pales in the shadow of 1984, which managed to create a greater story and world around its political agenda.
I also found the sheep's simplification of the Seven Commandments – "four legs good, two legs bad" – a scary reminder of how complicated political relations get simplified to the point where the simplification becomes the lived truth.
Even though I liked it a bit more on my second read, I think it pales in the shadow of 1984, which managed to create a greater story and world around its political agenda.
tilda_bernhardt's review against another edition
5.0
historien upprepar sig själv. om och om igen kliver vi i samma fällor. det är läskigt hur träffsäker boken är. fortfarande …
m_f2510's review against another edition
lighthearted
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
kanderson246's review against another edition
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
thisch4rmingman's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
the_bookworm_escapism's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
oboemeister's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
demillesfahan's review against another edition
4.0
Like 1984 in the sense that it's been invoked a hundred thousand times by people who vastly overestimate Orwell's prophetic powers, but still a good commentary on one of the perennial problems with revolution.