kittygracex07's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Confinement, Gaslighting, Torture, Violence, and Police brutality
Moderate: Alcoholism, Classism, Xenophobia, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and War
Minor: Death of parent, Misogyny, and Rape
kianga_black's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Medical trauma, Animal cruelty, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, War, Xenophobia, Sexual content, Violence, Alcoholism, Classism, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Police brutality
w333d_w0rm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Spoiler
The ending was heartbreakingly realistic. This book should be a requirement for every person on earth to read. The way it tackles totalitarianism, the constructed language in the book was incredible. especially when the appendix goes to to much more detail on how oppressive the truth of newspeak really is. you do get the idea while reading the book but even more so at the end. I felt sorry for Julia, Winston even Parsons and Symes surprisingly. The journey through Winstons eyes was sometimes so violent or anxiety inducing or paranoid, i couldn't tear my eyes away from the page. Towards the end i felt like i lost my mimd with him. My heart broke at the realization of the decrepit broken old man he had become. The bleak acceptance that there may never be a change in the minds of individuals because BigBrother has realized every psychological advantage.Graphic: Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Xenophobia, Torture, War, and Dysphoria
Moderate: Body horror, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Suicidal thoughts, and Physical abuse
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, and Vomit
Spoiler
I think the world can benefit from reading this book and knowing Winston’s story. The amount of commonalities between the book and the world we already live in brings dread to my stomach. What makes me dread it even more is the final message in the book which is that an individual no matter what they believe has no choice but to go with the flow of the collective mind. Even if the collective is wrong, the individual alone can’t fight the current nor can they change the power in which controls the current of the collective minds. An individual WONT change the “party” aka gov’s kind if their (gov) only concern is gaining more and more power. Each day I pray that the small sect of people that want to uprise against their gov will find each other and with all their might (together) push against the wrongness that’s been perpetuated in the first place… I feel sorry that Winston quite literally got the fire put out from him. I think everyone can learn something vital from this novelsugar_fox'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
4.5
4.5 stars.
The only possible way to describe 1984, is disturbing.
It’s not from extreme gore or violence, though there certainly is some. It’s from the ideas that this book presents, and the way in which it was executed.
1984 was one of the original dystopias, or at least the one that first gained major worldwide attention (as far as I’ve read), and boy can I understand why.
In my opinion, you don’t read this book for the characters alone- though they are extremely intriguing, so much say I could write an essay on the psyche of Julia and Winston- you read it for it’s frankly quite frightening themes.
In the past, 1984 was seen as a possibility. A possible future for the world to take, one ruled under an iron fist, when even thinking your own thoughts become impossible. While this is a far cry from the world that we live in today, it is interesting to compare the two worlds, and see the path that the world could’ve- and could (unlikely) still- take.
The only reason this book misses out on the extra 0.5 stars, is because of the characters. When I read this book, as I stated previously, I didn’t read it for the characters, and perhaps upon a re-read that will change. I will stop becoming fixated on the world that 1984 presents and will focus enough on the characters. And while I still did care for them, I just felt like something was missing, it may even be, that in comparison to the unique masterpiece of world building that 1984 presents there was no way for the characters to compare.
If this rant somehow hasn’t convinced you to go ahead and buy or borrow 1984, this is your reminder:
Read this book.
Graphic: Gaslighting, Death, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Torture
Minor: Sexual content
cowardlyteaman's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Winston would randomly get this urge to either rape or kill people who did nothing else but exist in his presence. It was tiring, not thought-provoking. I liked him much better in part three of the book, though! Ironically enough, maybe, but his whole character during part one and two was being a pig. That was completely out of focus during part three! Splendid.
Julia should have been removed entirely. I didn't like her in the beginning, and I didn't like her at the end. Her whole character was having sex and saying foul things. If you try too hard to make a character who's supposed to be controversial and rebellious, you end up with a character I only want to die in a pit.
O'Brien.🫶 He saved the book, to be honest. I genuinely believe that this book would have been 5 stars for me if Orwell had removed Julia and spent more time building on Winston and O'Brien's relationship instead.
All in all, I do believe that this book was worth it. I read it for history, and during the first half, I thought of this book as complete and utter bullshit. But at least I came to like it—really like it towards the end.
Graphic: Body horror, Classism, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Drug use, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Sexism, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Antisemitism, Racism, Body horror, Child death, Abandonment, Xenophobia, Fatphobia, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, and Rape
accidentallyinlovefromshrek2's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Classism, Violence, and War
Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, Police brutality, Body horror, Murder, and Drug use
Minor: Racism, Rape, Xenophobia, and Sexism
epiccgaymer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Torture
Moderate: Xenophobia, Slavery, War, and Violence
Minor: Sexual assault
soggygarlicknot's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Graphic: War, Police brutality, and Torture
Moderate: Slavery, Xenophobia, Confinement, and Suicidal thoughts
kaymay29's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Alcohol, Classism, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Police brutality, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, and War
Moderate: Stalking, Slavery, Body shaming, Child death, Colonisation, and Death of parent
getjinxed's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.25
Graphic: Sexual assault, Gore, Xenophobia, Gaslighting, Misogyny, War, Violence, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, and Physical abuse