Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

1984 by George Orwell

13 reviews

manu_k's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Beautifully horrifying, this book is a ride from start to finish. We know it has been a cornerstone for the dystopian fiction genre, but reading it makes me realize just how much this book has shaped this genre.

On the writing style: I thought it was very beautifully written, descriptive but not very much so, the exact kind of thing I like. The way it was written and the analogies and the non - linear storytelling in some parts came together so well, it was immersive in the best way.

On the story:

the first part was almost boring, which I thought was the point. It showed us how the regime worked, some background to Winston, but didn't actually contribute to advancing the story line as such. The second part was much more fast paced and actually exciting in regards to the advancement of the story, and by far some of the chapters in this part are my favorites. I didn't appreciate the whole 'I love you' debacle in the beginning, but I guess it shows how much sexually and emotionally repressed these people are. I believe it seems very fitting that Julia is introduced as a central character at the start of the second part and her role ends at the end of the second part. The third part was one of the most difficult parts to get through, despite me having experience with reading torture scenes (I read The Surgeon when I was 15, it still haunts me). It was brutal no holds barred kind of writing, with the descriptions, O'Brien's almost - almost - loving teacher like treatment of Winston, and then the change in the way of Winston's thinking, how different it was from the other two parts. The ending was surprising to me, despite knowing that it won't end happily as other dystopian books I have read.

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Gaslighting, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Alcohol

Minor: Alcoholism, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Vomit

peachtea's review against another edition

dark informative reflective tense medium-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? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Torture, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and War

Minor: Blood, Excrement, and Vomit

dearrbhla's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

4.0

So true, George. Wish you hadn't been so weird about women though. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Torture, and Violence

Near the start of the book, Winston fantasises about violently raping and murdering Julia. It's brief, but still very upsetting and no one ever mentioned it to me before I read it.