Reviews

1984 by George Orwell

gandhi's review against another edition

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

5.0

clairebbear's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

andrew_j_r's review against another edition

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4.0

I was not sure that I was going to enjoy this, although of course I was aware of a lot of the content in advance. Who has not heard of Big Brother, or Room 101?
But in fact the story is very engaging. Although not a lot actually happens, we are given a huge amount of background about the world that Winston Smith is living in. Much of this information is given via personal anecdote, things that have happened to people around Winston. The world is very carefully constructed, and actually really make sense in a twisted kind of way.
So, in the first part of the book you learn about Winston and his world. We learn about the consequences of any kind of rebellion, which can include the wrong expression on your face during the morning exercise, or saying the wrong thing when talking in your sleep.
The second part of the book is about Winston's act of rebellion, and the third the consequences for him. It is dark and fascinating.
The only reason I gave the book three stars rather than four is the massive exposition dump at about page 200, which goes on for about thirty pages and actually almost broke me out of the world I had been inhabiting for the previous pages. Still an awesome book, but surely there must have been a way of spreading that information evenly throughout the book?

literallyericcartman's review against another edition

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

4.0

marga62's review against another edition

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dark reflective sad 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

4.0

random_spider's review against another edition

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dark informative mysterious sad 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? Yes

3.5

 This is a book that was written to deliver a message, and I should have done more research before starting it since my expectation was a classic with some convincing plot. I personally didn't enjoy reading it due to this...but to be honest, it wasn't meant to be enjoyed. A significant piece of literature nonetheless.

------Stat Score------

Plot/Content: 6/10
Characters/POVs: 6/10
Prose/Style: 5/10
Themes/Messages: 10/10
Enjoyability/Impact: 4/10

OVERALL RATING: 7/10 (Good)

" 'Who controls the past controls the future; who controls the present controls the past,' " repeated Winston obediently.


Synopsis and/or Premise:
Winston Smith toes the Party line, rewriting history. Each time he does his job, he grows to hate the questionable actions of them. But as he starts to think for himself, Winston can't escape the fact that Big brother is always watching.

The Good and The Bad:
Just like the author's previous book, this one dived deep into the concept of Totalitarianism. It offered a haunting reading experience choked full of dark themes such as Propaganda, Hypocrisy, Information Distortion, Revolution, etc. Despite its gloomy deposition 🖤, the protagonist managed to show readers hope as he gradually discovers how find autonomy and live like a true human being.

My problems with the book stemmed from its story and how it was written. The story was alright, but it's pacing was not something too lethargic (and not in an intentional way.) It was also too dependent on delivering exposition, making the narrative and world-building to be just a glorified info-dump ℹ️.

Final Thoughts:
1984 by George Orwell is a dystopian novel about a life within a Totalitarian system. The general consensus about this novel is that IT'S THE DYSTOPIAN BOOK. And I do get it, with its disheartening vibe, provocative message, and criticisms towards the government, social hierarchy, and war. Frankly, I would prefer Animal Farm over this. Yes, this book is better in delivering their similar themes and contexts. But Animal Farm had better pace and story, as well as unique identity of utilizing fable elements.

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Links to my ratings and reviews:
Goodreads reviews
The StoryGraph

nikhedonias's review against another edition

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4.0

"1984" by George Orwell gets four stars from me. It's a great book but feels a bit uneven in parts. The story is split into three sections, and each one feels a bit different.

In the first part, we learn about the world of Oceania and meet Winston, who doesn't like the government watching him all the time. This part sets up the story well, showing us a world where everyone is watched.

The second part focuses on Winston's secret love affair with Julia and how they try to resist the government together. This section is more about their personal feelings and less about the big picture of fighting the government.

The third part is when things get really tough for Winston. He gets caught and has to face the government's harsh ways. This part brings back the scary feeling of how powerful the government is.

Even though the story jumps around a bit, the ending is very strong and makes you think a lot about freedom and how important it is to stand up for what you believe in. Overall, "1984" is a must-read because it tells a powerful story about fighting against a world that tries to control everything you do.

azrakapi's review against another edition

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4.0

<3

lenastockton's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad fast-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? It's complicated

3.0