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bookishevy's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
"War is peace.
Freedom is slavery.
Ignorance is strength."
This is a reread. I decided on an audiobook this time around because it was free on Audible, and I've been too busy to sit with a physical book.
But OMG! If this read ain't as relevant as ever.
Orwell imagines an authoritarian socialist Britain that is based on Nazi Germany and Stalinism. A world in which even one's thoughts are controlled by Big Brother. There is no past. Only the present. The powers that be keep re-writing history and known facts to the extent that 2+2 now equals 5.
I love that Orwell uses math to show how ridiculous the Party is. The answers to equations are the one thing we should count on to never change, but they have brainwashed people into believing Math is wrong 🤣
But Winston is different. He refuses to forget and is keeping a diary of his thoughts. He's even taken a lover, a big no-no since sex is no longer for fun. Winston and Julia find freedom in defying laws. Laws the people in charge break because these laws aren't in place to better society. It's all about power. A power they have no plans of relinquishing.
They've tricked the majority into thinking war is necessary. That they're no longer slaves to society since they're all stripped of their identity and free will and are only of one thought: to love Big Brother and only Big Brother. That there is strength in not reading and simply parroting what Big Brother tells them is true.
The end result is people losing their humanity.
Simon Prebble is an excellent narrator. I felt the desperation in his portrayal of Winston. His will to remember and his defeat when he realizes the Party is just too powerful.
This banned book is required reading.
Freedom is slavery.
Ignorance is strength."
This is a reread. I decided on an audiobook this time around because it was free on Audible, and I've been too busy to sit with a physical book.
But OMG! If this read ain't as relevant as ever.
Orwell imagines an authoritarian socialist Britain that is based on Nazi Germany and Stalinism. A world in which even one's thoughts are controlled by Big Brother. There is no past. Only the present. The powers that be keep re-writing history and known facts to the extent that 2+2 now equals 5.
I love that Orwell uses math to show how ridiculous the Party is. The answers to equations are the one thing we should count on to never change, but they have brainwashed people into believing Math is wrong 🤣
But Winston is different. He refuses to forget and is keeping a diary of his thoughts. He's even taken a lover, a big no-no since sex is no longer for fun. Winston and Julia find freedom in defying laws. Laws the people in charge break because these laws aren't in place to better society. It's all about power. A power they have no plans of relinquishing.
They've tricked the majority into thinking war is necessary. That they're no longer slaves to society since they're all stripped of their identity and free will and are only of one thought: to love Big Brother and only Big Brother. That there is strength in not reading and simply parroting what Big Brother tells them is true.
The end result is people losing their humanity.
Simon Prebble is an excellent narrator. I felt the desperation in his portrayal of Winston. His will to remember and his defeat when he realizes the Party is just too powerful.
This banned book is required reading.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Physical abuse, Violence, and War
josiah17's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
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? It's complicated
3.5
"In this game that we're playing, we can't win. Some kinds of failure are better than other kinds, that's all."
Certainly a thought provoking book, and a harrowing dystopian setting. The power of propaganda, indoctrination, government/corporate control; all very relevant to today's world. But the overall read was not as impactful as I was hoping considering I don't care for the characters whatsoever. It merely felt like an exploration of haunting concepts, which is great and all. But I'm simply not someone who reads fiction for just concepts. I need other elements to pull me in and make me feel engaged and intrigued. I felt those elements were absent here and therefore the narrative feels almost hollow in a sense, in addition to some other off-putting undertones. But ultimately it is still an important book, one that I want to reread sometime when I'm older despite it not being entirely my taste.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Torture and War
Minor: Sexual content
itsaas_r's review against another edition
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Torture, and War
brethetech's review against another edition
dark
reflective
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
2.5
I know it’s a classic for a reason and that it laid the foundation for so much more but please don’t go into this book thinking you’re going to gain much from it like I did.
At several points it felt like I just had to get through it to keep my promise to myself that I would read at least one classic this year.
The pacing was nice it skipped large swaths of time and lingered in moments but it always felt right.
But I was never attached to the main character, or any character at all, I didn’t learn anything, and I wasn’t entertained for more then a brief 50 or so pages where I wanted to know what would happen next.
If you want to read this for antiauthoritarianism, or because it’s a dystopia there are better picks nowadays that are both going to be more interesting and dive deeper into the topic. And in fact that is my main gripe with this that the facts that it presents are not novel to me, and it just keeps hammering them in instead of going deeper. I know they were novel at the time and even perhaps for a while after, or to a specific audience where this is a new topic but not to me, or probably anybody interested in reading books on this topic today.
Or maybe I’m just stupid and am missing something idk.
At several points it felt like I just had to get through it to keep my promise to myself that I would read at least one classic this year.
The pacing was nice it skipped large swaths of time and lingered in moments but it always felt right.
But I was never attached to the main character, or any character at all, I didn’t learn anything, and I wasn’t entertained for more then a brief 50 or so pages where I wanted to know what would happen next.
If you want to read this for antiauthoritarianism, or because it’s a dystopia there are better picks nowadays that are both going to be more interesting and dive deeper into the topic. And in fact that is my main gripe with this that the facts that it presents are not novel to me, and it just keeps hammering them in instead of going deeper. I know they were novel at the time and even perhaps for a while after, or to a specific audience where this is a new topic but not to me, or probably anybody interested in reading books on this topic today.
Or maybe I’m just stupid and am missing something idk.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Violence, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Suicide, War, and Classism
Minor: Sexual assault and Vomit
back2lovingbooksmore's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Good book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Sexual content, Violence, and War
Minor: Sexual violence
I think it’s hopeful in its own way, the mentions of love and ambition for a better future in this book keep our characters going, and it shows that if we can hold on to what is true to us and catch on to history being erased before it’s too late, we heed the warnings of 1984 before it’s too late for our world and our peoplemeant2breading's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
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
3.5
First time read. Brutal. Thought provoking for sure. I didn’t love this book, but I understand why this is a required read and banned book in some areas. The concepts like loss of individualism, dehumanization, and the meaning of ‘rats’ were very interesting. It’s not often that I dislike ALL of the characters, especially Winston’s perspective on women, but assuming this was purposeful. 😳
While I think everyone should read 1984, I don’t think this book is FOR everyone. For example, I recently saw someone on social media say that a clear parallel in Oceanian society to today’s society is the rise of feminism…🥴 Not for everyone in that it may require some logic to make some of the more prominent connections that Orwell likely intended. ðŸ¤
Also, may not be for everyone as it’s quite dark. Strongly recommend to check trigger warnings. That ending sure had an impact.
While I think everyone should read 1984, I don’t think this book is FOR everyone. For example, I recently saw someone on social media say that a clear parallel in Oceanian society to today’s society is the rise of feminism…🥴 Not for everyone in that it may require some logic to make some of the more prominent connections that Orwell likely intended. ðŸ¤
Also, may not be for everyone as it’s quite dark. Strongly recommend to check trigger warnings. That ending sure had an impact.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Violence, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Death and Sexism
Minor: Rape, Suicide, and War
kaz_brekkerrr's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, and Murder
Minor: Death, Sexual violence, and War
op3's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I love the message of the book and would definitely consider this a classic, and I appreciate the impact it’s had culturally on humanity with ‘Big Brother’ being something you could reference and understand almost immediately today.
I felt this was a bit of a slow read at first but I don’t mind that, and I guess the style of writing just isn’t for me. But aside from that I enjoyed it and the questions & thoughts it posed.
I felt this was a bit of a slow read at first but I don’t mind that, and I guess the style of writing just isn’t for me. But aside from that I enjoyed it and the questions & thoughts it posed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual content, Police brutality, Alcohol, and War
Minor: Rape
If stuff like brainwashing scares you, this might not be the read for you.cambion's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting
Moderate: War
els4lp's review against another edition
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: War
Moderate: Death, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, and Alcohol
Minor: Slavery, Suicide, and Vomit