Reviews tagging 'Ableism'

1984 by George Orwell

10 reviews

riverofhorton's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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? No

4.0

So this was actually my second read of this book, the first having been around 10 years ago. Just as I did the previous read through, I was struck by just how much of this book is relevant to our world today. This is one of the books that I will keep coming back to again and again throughout my lifetime.
The book itself is a somewhat dramatised (hopefully) version of Stalin's Russia/Nazi Germany. It has so many layers to it, and I', still not convinces I've worked out just how deep the 'Party' goes in their propaganda, gaslighting, and plotting against its own citizens.
This is an incredibly well planned out (or perhaps the word is researched) and realised world, where even the bits that are fiction could very easily be real. That, I think, is the true terror of this book: How easily society could go from even today's status, to that found in this book. Thus, Orwell's intention to have this book serve as a warning was fully realised.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Classism, Cursing, Death, Body shaming, Child abuse, Ableism, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Genocide, Homophobia, Religious bigotry, Antisemitism, Cultural appropriation, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Racism, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Infertility, Medical content, Misogyny, Chronic illness, Infidelity, Mass/school shootings, Physical abuse, Suicide, Vomit, Acephobia/Arophobia, Addiction, Alcohol, Colonisation, Confinement, Deportation, Slavery, Abandonment, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Fatphobia, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Outing, Police brutality, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Gore, Hate crime, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Torture, Trafficking, Grief, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Stalking, and War

hannahcstocks's review against another edition

dark informative mysterious 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Dysphoria, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Classism, Slavery, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Blood, Confinement, Alcoholism, Physical abuse, Addiction, Alcohol, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Body horror, Deportation, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Sexism, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Police brutality, Racism, Sexual content, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Torture, Violence, Vomit, War, and Xenophobia

lorraine19's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

4.75

The beginning can be a bit difficult to understand and slow to get into. But once as you really get into it and appreciate the world building, it opens your eyes to why this is considered a classic. There is a deep examination on what it means to be human at the root of this book that I think is often overlooked in favor of the political debates. The characters are complex people in a complex world. It is a very dark read but not a "feels good" book if that's what you are looking for. I personally appreciate the seriousness and the depth of this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Violence, War, Slavery, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Confinement, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Blood, Body horror, Classism, Death, Forced institutionalization, Alcohol, Genocide, Gore, Grief, and Gun violence

Minor: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Mental illness, Murder, Racial slurs, Police brutality, Racism, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Violence, Death of parent, Stalking, Cursing, Infidelity, Ableism, and Homophobia

mdugas's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-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

3.25

While important to read for the cultural significance and interesting moral dilemma behind it, I wasn’t a big fan of this book. It was a bit repetitive and some parts were a bit too slow for me.

The psychological torture may have been realistic for the scenario but it was too graphic for me.

Overall not bad writing, just not my cup of tea. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, and Torture

Moderate: Sexual content

Minor: Drug use, Deportation, Abandonment, Ableism, and Misogyny

This book may be triggering if you struggle with trauma relating to privacy, paranoia, and sexual assault, among other things.

midnacine's review against another edition

As much as I wanted to get through this just to say I actually read a classic in my free time, I just couldn't. I feel like once you're over 50 pages in, a book should be engaging, if not in its plot then at least in its characters or concept. While the concept is really intriguing, as I love dystopian lit, Winston as a main character is about as flat a glass of stale tap water. Add in his blatant hatred for women and it's painfully obvious this book is a product of its time. Maybe that's just a symptom of me trying to read this in 2022, nearly 75 years after it was initially published- God knows I couldn't even get through the first chapter of Lord of the Rings. But at the end of the day I just had no interest in continuing through pages upon pages of lengthy descriptions, intense yet vague world building, and casual sexism. It's just not for me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Classism, Sexism, Gaslighting, Misogyny, and Murder

Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, and War

meganpbennett's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark sad tense slow-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? Yes

5.0

1984 is George Orwell's dystopian look at the future. Dystopias are drawn from the present, taking one or two things that are and exaggerate them until they become what could be. Some are more accurate than others, and the more accurate a dystopia, the scarier it tends to be, The surveillance state coming out of the Second World War and the Red Scare of the Cold War, all lead into the Telescreens, the retconning of history, Thought Police and Big Brother. 

1984 is a terrifying look at what could be. It was also not intended to be an instruction manual, but a look at what happens when things are taken far, far, far too far. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Death, Genocide, Police brutality, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Forced institutionalization, Confinement, War, Addiction, Alcoholism, Torture, Violence, Physical abuse, Murder, Blood, Grief, Infidelity, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Body horror, Classism, Ableism, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Medical content, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Religious bigotry, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Excrement and Vomit

erin_forgie's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

4.75

This book is a tale of corruption. 
There are some vile comments on women: wanting to k*ll and r*pe them. 

Even after O’Brien mentally and Physically abusing Winston, Winston still idealises him

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, War, Ableism, Emotional abuse, Gore, Alcoholism, Blood, Classism, Physical abuse, Rape, Religious bigotry, Vomit, Alcohol, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, and Torture

f18's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Medical trauma, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Classism, Xenophobia, Gaslighting, and Police brutality

Moderate: Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, and War

Minor: Sexual content, Gore, Rape, Racism, Excrement, Racial slurs, Fatphobia, Sexism, Antisemitism, Suicide, Murder, Child death, Slavery, Vomit, Alcohol, Ableism, and Fire/Fire injury

descriptions of hangings, child labor, tooth trauma,

involuntary shock therapy

ran_sophia's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

Although this book is excellent, it also portrays a terrifying world where people are not free in any way.  The author managed to write a brilliant dystopian story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Torture, Ableism, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Hate crime and Genocide

Minor: Sexual content and Suicide

cdt96's review against another edition

challenging dark informative sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

A slow but necessary book. I think it offers a warning guide for us. Things people tend to call 1984-esque are not what this book is about. I think this book is a necessary read for those who may be complacent within the status quo, who view their hate as justified. I think this book is a tool to combat propaganda on some levels 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Alcohol, Blood, Confinement, Death, Gaslighting, Medical content, Police brutality, Torture, Colonisation, Fatphobia, Genocide, Hate crime, Racism, Racial slurs, War, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Sexual content, and Suicide

Minor: Alcohol