Reviews with content warning for Injury/Injury detail - Nineteen Eighty-Four

This book I read between the 24th and 26th of January as part of the Dymocks reading challenge for 'A book adapted for screen'. It was okay. The book was very dense and most of it was internal monologue and not dialogue. I did find it interesting, how the author had devised a whole world, a whole language based on where he thought communism would get to. Obviously the book has issues with sexism and racism, which I can't tell if they're from the author's beliefs or just from the main character Winston's beliefs. Definitely does not pass the Bechdel test. Some of the characters seem so unreal, but perhaps that is just a product of writing about a horrible futuristic world from the forties. For example, how <spolier> Julia just falls in love with Winston and gives him a note almost immediately. Given the political climate this just did not make sense to me. Neither did O'Brien willingly telling Winston about the Brotherhood, but then I read the ending and that part was cleared up for me. . It was a very easy book to read as I found it quite interesting, although, one of the chapters lasted 40 pages and included Winston reading a book, was just a retelling of information that the audience already knew. I did not like that chapter. It's a very different book to what I usually read but I did enjoy it.

Content Warnings

peachtea's review against another edition

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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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readingthroughinfinity's review against another edition

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dark sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.0

This is one of those books that I've been meaning to read for ages and have always felt a bit guilty about not having read yet. But we never studied it in school or at university, so I never got round to it. Until now.

Arguably one of the OG dystopian novels, this was as dark and twisting as I expected, but even more sinister. The way the government aims to control people to the smallest degree was disconcerting; their actions down to their very thoughts are monitored and no-one is safe from the Thought Police.

One of the things that stuck with me the most was the idea that by eradicating 'dissenting' language, the Ministry could theoretically wipe out dissent and rebellion itself. At one point, a character says that if they could remove enough words from the dictionary (which include the language everyone is 'allowed' to use), in several generations' time, people wouldn't know the words for 'freedom' or 'knowledge'. Meaning they wouldn't know the concepts and wouldn't question something they'd never had.

Orwell is, in essence, demonstrating how language is power. We use it to voice our thoughts, ideas, and desires; if you take away enough words, we lose the ability to express ourselves, including our ability to challenge social, moral, and hierarchical injustices.

Orwell's narrative is cutting and brilliant, producing an eerie story that's simultaneously surreal and all too plausible. It's a tale that's still resonant today.

Content warnings for violence, murder, dictatorial control, invasions of privacy, human rights violations, torture.

Content Warnings

martu_pm's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective tense slow-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

3.5

Content Warnings

strawberrysheepie's review against another edition

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dark 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

1.5

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