Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

24 reviews

soupsswagreads's review

challenging dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

1984’s opposite dystopian, a true classic reflecting the values of society and influence of psychological conditioning. This book will open your eyes to the disturbing and yet somewhat intriguing dangers of a totalitarian rule. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse

Moderate: Drug use and Suicide

Minor: Death, Drug abuse, and Sexual assault

rosalind's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Death, Drug use, Fatphobia, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicide, and Violence

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

Minor: Sexual assault and Sexual harassment

Pinched this quote from Neil Postman (with thanks to another reviewer who shared it here first!) - am copying it here for the purposes of my own reading journal. ‘What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one. Orwell feared those who would deprive us of information. Huxley feared those who would give us so much that we would be reduced to passivity and egoism. Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed from us. Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance. Orwell feared we would become a captive culture. Huxley feared we would become a trivial culture, preoccupied with some equivalent of the feelies, the orgy porgy, and the centrifugal bumblepuppy. As Huxley remarked in Brave New World Revisited, the civil libertarians and rationalists who are ever on the alert to oppose tyranny "failed to take into account man's almost infinite appetite for distractions." In 1984, Huxley added, people are controlled by inflicting pain. In Brave New World, they are controlled by inflicting pleasure. In short, Orwell feared that what we hate will ruin us. Huxley feared that what we love will ruin us.’ I certainly find the world Huxley so daringly and presciently imagined in the 1930s to be chillingly plausible, even recognisable. With that knowledge, I’m now going to go sit and stare blankly at a wall for a while and wonder whether I should rethink my decision to have kids. Fun book lol would recommend to fellow sadists lmfao xoxo

madmilliner's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense slow-paced

• 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? Yes

0.25

This book is gross. It is meant to be a warning against excess, and the pursuit of happiness above all else,  but, is so unnerving and bizarre that it just feels campy, and emotionally manipulative. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Hate crime, Infertility, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment

seedsofsunflowers's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.5

This book gave me big Narcissistic Christian White Man TM energy. It did make me think about theoretical societal concepts though. Quite comedic at times (

I have been scarred by “Orgy Porgy”

), but Huxley pats himself too much on the back for me to enjoy much of the book. And all the characters are just pieces in his game of Making a Point, so there's not much connection or development really, just the plot as his prediction for the dystopian future society. I only rated as high as I did because it was coherent and introduced ideas that made me think about society today.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body shaming, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Genocide, Infidelity, and Stalking