A review by sugarcube
A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess

dark reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I read this after having watched the movie multiple times. The movie is one of my favorite movies for the questions it raises, and I was told to read the book because of
its different ending
(I had already tried but found it too similar to be worth finishing at first).

I ended up liking the book after all because I appreciate the additional insight into Alex's thoughts that are limited by the runtime of the movie. However,
I take issue with the ending. For Alex to simply grow out of it seems to imply that the events of the story were entirely inconsequential. Now, the movie is similar in that they both imply that Alex will always have ended up this way, regardless of his experiences. However, the movie suggests a much darker message underneath that. Burgess seems to suggest that violence is inherent to the mind of a growing boy, while Kubrick seems to suggest instead that some people are born a monsters and no meddling will fix that.
Frankly, I just disliked the ending of the book because I disagreed with it.
Other than that, I did like the book. I love the quirks of the nadsat language, especially in the way it feels like it distances and distracts from the brutality that actually occurs. It feels like you're really in Alex's head, and I liked that immersion.
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