15.9k reviews for:

Brave New World

Aldous Huxley

3.79 AVERAGE

cchiara3's review against another edition

DID NOT FINISH: 51%

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I get the idea - a perfect society opposes individuality. The way to get it across, however, seems to be chosen particularly to cease whatever interest the premise could have arisen.

fleshergoreman's review against another edition

3.0

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ennnh

rose_etblanc's review against another edition

4.0

fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

lennyjentz's review against another edition

2.0

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Technically this is a re-read as I read this long ago in an attempt to be an intellectual but I remembered almost nothing from it other than it ended in an orgy

aerys_'s review against another edition

0.75

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

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I'm against burning books... but if I had to choose...

aikonkon_47's review against another edition

3.0

challenging dark reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

ree_mvd's review against another edition

3.75

challenging dark informative reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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“But I don’t want comfort. I want God, I want poetry, I want real danger, I want freedom, I want goodness. I want sin.”

2013 Read: 3☆
2024 Reread: 3.75☆
2024 Audiobook Narration: 2.75☆

In a world where everyone is always happy, no one truly is. Because without loneliness, there can never be passion, without grief, there can never be love, and without strife, there can never be true joy.

In grade 12 in my school, you either read 1984 or Brave New World. I was given Brave New World. And I'm glad I was because, imo Brave New World is just... better. I find Aldous Huxley's ideas more interesting, creative, and insightful than George Orwell's. George presents a pretty stock standard dystopia in 1984, where everyone is sad and knows they are oppressed. Aldous, on the other hand, presents one where everyone is happy and content. That is super interesting in itself. I also found the world in Brave New World to be far more believably futuristic than 1984 (which even in name, feels much more dated). I am forever impressed that Aldous wrote this book like 100 years ago because it reads like it could almost be written today. Lastly, I found the characters in Brave New World so much more relatable and I actually cared deeply about what happened to them (Especially Bernard and John).

SIDE NOTE: As an introverted demi sexual myself, I find the idea of a society where sex is (not only free but) basically compulsory, where everyone belongs to everyone else and where engaging in solitary activities is seen as antisocial and condemned, an absolutely terrifying one. No, thank you. I agree with John on this one. I reject permanent comfort if it means I can enjoy all the highs and lows that life has to offer. Even if it means I have to suffer sometimes.

sofixalis's review against another edition

5.0

dark reflective tense medium-paced

nidtig's review against another edition

4.5

tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

literallylyss's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot