Reviews tagging 'Child death'

1984 by George Orwell

36 reviews

marygg3's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.75

Audible needs to take the casting directors and give them a raise. An incredibly powerful book on its own, it was turned into a masterpiece by the talented men and women who participated in its realization. The dramatization was incredible, the cast on point and the music outstanding. All in all, one of the greatest pieces of literature and an amazing adaptation. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual content

Minor: Child death, Confinement, Death, Police brutality, and War

thebookgaydar's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Sexual content, and Child death

Moderate: Body horror

Minor: Suicide

bilbili's review

dark reflective sad 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Classism, Emotional abuse, War, Death, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Self harm, and Violence

Moderate: Addiction, Blood, Child death, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual content

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

knjelite's review

challenging dark medium-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

5.0

I am not sure how to accurately describe why or how I loved this book so much especially given the bleak subject matter and even bleaker ending. I think what resonated with me most was O'Brien's description of the purpose of power: not ideological or fanatical or aspirational but just power for power sake. For the torture, defilement, and degradation of others as the end goal. Kind of reframes the current political discourse. Yeah, I don't really have much else to say.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Child death, Forced institutionalization, Torture, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Alcoholism, Death, Alcohol, and Confinement

antropomorficzny's review

challenging 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse

Moderate: Child death, Sexual content, and Torture

ari_oreo's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

4.75

ow. My brain. It’s broken

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Forced institutionalization, Classism, Violence, Body horror, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Confinement, Death, and Blood

Moderate: Child death, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Cursing, Animal cruelty, Antisemitism, and Emotional abuse

cowardlyteaman's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective 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? Yes

4.0

To be honest, I kind of feel like George Orwell gaslighted me. The first half of this book was just---bad. I didn't like it. Not in the slightest.

Winston would randomly get this urge to either rape or kill people who did nothing else but exist in his presence. It was tiring, not thought-provoking. I liked him much better in part three of the book, though! Ironically enough, maybe, but his whole character during part one and two was being a pig. That was completely out of focus during part three! Splendid.

Julia should have been removed entirely. I didn't like her in the beginning, and I didn't like her at the end. Her whole character was having sex and saying foul things. If you try too hard to make a character who's supposed to be controversial and rebellious, you end up with a character I only want to die in a pit.

O'Brien.🫶 He saved the book, to be honest. I genuinely believe that this book would have been 5 stars for me if Orwell had removed Julia and spent more time building on Winston and O'Brien's relationship instead.

All in all, I do believe that this book was worth it. I read it for history, and during the first half, I thought of this book as complete and utter bullshit. But at least I came to like it—really like it towards the end.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Classism, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Drug use, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Sexism, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Antisemitism, Racism, Body horror, Child death, Abandonment, Xenophobia, Fatphobia, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, and Rape

susie_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative 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

4.5

The additional essays at the back of the book are excellent. They are about the use of language-in the book and in real life; the dropping of the atom bomb; and several short items written by Orwell’s contemporaries to him or about him. The extensive notes section is also helpful. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Alcoholism, Torture, Sexual violence, Sexual content, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Body horror and Body shaming

Minor: Child death and Suicidal thoughts

iwishihadmoretimetoread's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective 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

This book is an amazing work of art and I think it is important for everyone to read it, however it was quite difficult to get through and very difficult emotionally.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Vomit, War, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture

Minor: Antisemitism