Reviews

Keep the Aspidistra Flying by George Orwell

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rougemoon's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.5

Even though it's not talked about as much as 1984 or Animal Farm, Keep the Aspidistra Flying is a solid novel by George Orwell that deserves more recognition. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the struggling poet, Gordon Comstocks, journey from bitter book store worker to impoverished, unemployed anti-capitalist to, finally, thanks to the love interest, Rosemary Waterlow, somewhat happy middle class aspididtra owner. I didn't appreciate it's themes of making peace with the system, and I found it's somewhat anti-socialist undercurrents, portraying the most hardcore socialists as far wealthier than the people they desire to help, a little bit distressing, but I found it to be a nice love story in spite of that.

whoareyouhannah's review against another edition

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3.0

All I want is to never ever have to hear about Gordon Comstock again.

savaging's review

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2.0

I have a heart for any Bartleby who prefers not to struggle and strain for money and good jobs. But for two reasons I mostly hated this book:

1. I think you can write about tiresome and repetitive characters without making the entirety of the writing likewise tiresome and repetitive.

2. I think you can write about misogynist characters without making the entirety of the writing likewise misogynist. The whole heavy weight of redemption for this sad man -- and for the narrative arc -- rests on an abused and demeaned and gaslit Manic Pixie Dream Girl Extraordinaire. Man, I'd love to see what Rosemary could do with her life in the #MeToo age.