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misslisa11's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Book 41 of 2024: Julia by Sandra Newman
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⚠️cw: pregnancy loss, torture, assault, sexism, murder, war, police brutality
Julia Worthing is a mechanic, working in the Fiction Department at the Ministry of Truth. It’s 1984, and Britain (now called Airstrip One) has long been absorbed into the larger trans-Atlantic nation of Oceania. Oceania has been at war for as long as anyone can remember, and is ruled by an ultra-totalitarian Party, whose leader is a quasi-mythical figure called Big Brother. All her life, Julia has known only Oceania, and, until she meets Winston Smith, she has never imagined anything else. She is an ideal citizen who may sometimes bend the rules, but also collaborates with the regime when necessary. Everyone likes Julia. Then one day she finds herself walking toward Winston Smith in a corridor and impulsively slips him a note, setting in motion the devastating, unforgettable events of the classic story.
Phylis’s Former Student Book Club March read! Continuing our theme of female retellings for this year, Julia is a retelling of George Orwell’s dystopian classic 1984, featuring Julia instead of Winston as the book’s protagonist. This book was a lot more graphic than I remember 1984 being, so I definitely recommend checking trigger warnings! I really enjoyed getting to hear this familiar story retold from a female perspective. It was incredibly interesting to dive more into the role of women in the Orwellian world the characters were in. I liked how there was a twist on Julia’s original story that recontextualises her role in the narrative. While the original novel’s ending obliterates all scraps of hope for Winston and Julia’s futures and freedom, Julia’s ending was a lot more thought provoking with a glimmer of hope, and leads the reader to question whether The Brotherhood is really all that different from Big Brother. I also really appreciated that Newman was able to give even more complexity to the novel’s familiar characters.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⚠️cw: pregnancy loss, torture, assault, sexism, murder, war, police brutality
Julia Worthing is a mechanic, working in the Fiction Department at the Ministry of Truth. It’s 1984, and Britain (now called Airstrip One) has long been absorbed into the larger trans-Atlantic nation of Oceania. Oceania has been at war for as long as anyone can remember, and is ruled by an ultra-totalitarian Party, whose leader is a quasi-mythical figure called Big Brother. All her life, Julia has known only Oceania, and, until she meets Winston Smith, she has never imagined anything else. She is an ideal citizen who may sometimes bend the rules, but also collaborates with the regime when necessary. Everyone likes Julia. Then one day she finds herself walking toward Winston Smith in a corridor and impulsively slips him a note, setting in motion the devastating, unforgettable events of the classic story.
Phylis’s Former Student Book Club March read! Continuing our theme of female retellings for this year, Julia is a retelling of George Orwell’s dystopian classic 1984, featuring Julia instead of Winston as the book’s protagonist. This book was a lot more graphic than I remember 1984 being, so I definitely recommend checking trigger warnings! I really enjoyed getting to hear this familiar story retold from a female perspective. It was incredibly interesting to dive more into the role of women in the Orwellian world the characters were in. I liked how there was a twist on Julia’s original story that recontextualises her role in the narrative. While the original novel’s ending obliterates all scraps of hope for Winston and Julia’s futures and freedom, Julia’s ending was a lot more thought provoking with a glimmer of hope, and leads the reader to question whether The Brotherhood is really all that different from Big Brother. I also really appreciated that Newman was able to give even more complexity to the novel’s familiar characters.
bookitchewie's review against another edition
3.75
I really liked the idea of this book, but something in the execution was lacking for me. I kind of wished Newman had spent less effort trying to perfectly match the events of 1984, and spent more time developing this as its own story It hit on interesting beats: childhood in the country just succumbing to fascism, the life for young women upon whom the Party's future depends that are shamed and controlled for their reproductive potential. The ending was so strange, when Julia sees Big Brother kept just like an inmate and the interview was so strange and surreal. I genuinely wondered if Julia was hallucinating. I felt like Newman knew the ending couldn't be too happy, but it ended up ringing false for m
stanleycoochieslibrary's review
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? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abortion, Torture, War, and Violence
bairdo's review
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
nuohsu's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
kristinconnolly's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Retelling of 1984 from the perspective of Julia, Winston Smith’s lover. This is a feminist retelling that we all needed. When women use there sexuality for the gain of the government. I found this audiobook to be boring in spots and then really entertaining in others.
3shinywindows's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This was an incredible addition to the original, it followed closely to the original 1984 storyline whilst also adding extra detail and much needed context to Julia’s character. The novel highlighted the different elements women face under oppressive leadership. It made me want to read 1984 all over again and notice all the easter eggs I’m sure were there
jackowolope's review against another edition
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
isabelh0410's review
challenging
dark
tense
fast-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? No
4.0
A retelling of George Orwell's 1984, this novel follows the elusive and often forgotten Julia, who had a sexual relationship with Winston Smith. Julia describes what it means to be a woman during the time of Big Brother. Everybody lies and cheats, anything to survive. A mechanic at Truth, Julia knows to stay away from the Inner Party members, but one keeps demanding her attention. O'Brien convinces her to become a prostitite to weed out the weak members of their society. Unable to discern who is telling the truth and who is on her side, Julia betrays and is betrayed. Captured and tortured at Love, Julia learns how and who to hate. As the frontlines of the war inch closer and closer to London, Julia makes the decision to escape. Heavily pregnant with Big Brother's supposed child, Julia finds herself navigating a new world, finding old friends and making new ones, and falling into a society not much different than the one she left behind.
"She had won the victory over herself at last. She hated Big Brother."
"She had won the victory over herself at last. She hated Big Brother."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, War, and Sexism