Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

Nineteen Eighty Four by George Orwell

134 reviews

swimfast724's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I read this in high school and I'm so glad I did. It was hard to read, it was very long, and it was pretty sexually explicit. But I'm glad I read it because it opened my eyes. It fascinated me so much that it basically defined the dystopian genre I never knew existed and it's now my favorite genre. It's hard to get through the description but it's so important. Not a word is wasted.
The fact that Orwell basically predicted the future is both incredible and terrifying. We need to stop before it's too late. I have a favorite quote from Einstein that says:  "I fear the day when the technology overlaps with our humanity. The world will only have a generation of idiots and the world is doomed." This is exactly where we are as a society today.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Slavery, Genocide, Sexual content, Classism, Police brutality, Torture, Toxic relationship, War, Colonisation, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

Moderate: Trafficking, Grief, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Forced institutionalization, and Child abuse

Minor: Body shaming and Abandonment

andrealinia's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Death, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders

freesiaelect's review against another edition

dark sad 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? No

3.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Forced institutionalization

te_ss_i's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, War, Police brutality, Toxic relationship, Violence, Antisemitism, Colonisation, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Xenophobia, Grief, Rape, Death, Emotional abuse, Body horror, Genocide, Mental illness, Classism, Confinement, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture

lolsous's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

4.0

It's well written and a classic for a reason, but I think I would have liked it better if I read it in the 40-50s. It has in some aspects not aged well. Given the Soviet Union and following WW2 I think the investigation of how a totalitarian state can form in the disguise of socialism is valid. However, the critique is not nuanced. We know now that socialism also made very good societies for a long period of time and that capitalism is not really a perfect solution (not sure Orwell believed this, but it is a valid interpretation from the book). This is Winston's story, but it is sad to see how the character of Julia (the only speaking woman) is treated. The way Julia is depicted, the book seems to support Winston's thoughts that women are less thinking than men and will more easily be manipulated to believe and support the totalitarian state. Also, Winston disinterested in others, especially people from a lower social class than him, hinders the reader from knowing more about the world, everything told about Winston's world is told through untrustworthy propaganda. While I understand this choice, I was a bit sad not to know more about the world in 1984.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization and Torture

malloryjo0521's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

Difficult read, poor pacing. Very important message.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Torture, Police brutality, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Gore, Death, and Forced institutionalization

Minor: Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, and Mental illness

mh197960's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Classism, Death, Antisemitism, Murder, Torture, War, and Forced institutionalization

artmuseam's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

haunting and heartbreaking..this book captivated me from the start with the insanely creepy details of this society and how it functions. while it was a bit slow at times, i still found it to be very interesting and i almost wish it was a little bit longer on certain parts. this book is definitely not a light read and honestly made me feel very sad at the end. 4/5 stars

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Torture, and Death

Moderate: War

Minor: Sexual content and Colonisation

siowan's review against another edition

dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Cursing, Alcoholism, Gaslighting, Child death, Physical abuse, War, Genocide, Violence, Xenophobia, Classism, Murder, Slavery, Death, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicidal thoughts

rewb's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense slow-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? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Genocide, Body shaming, and Torture

Moderate: Police brutality, Body horror, Gaslighting, and Hate crime

Minor: Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, and Religious bigotry