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kingbob's review against another edition
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
4.25
jesteralexa's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
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? Yes
3.5
This book, while slow and definitely difficult to read at times, was on the whole enjoyable. The main characters internal monologue about the money driven world he lives in and his desire to escape it sparked a different perspective of viewing society to me.
Thankfully it’s a short book, as it was a slog to get through as the main character is fundamentally unlikeable and closed minded. That said, I would recommend this book if you are looking for avid description of 1930’s London living and food for thought about money and its role on status and society.
Thankfully it’s a short book, as it was a slog to get through as the main character is fundamentally unlikeable and closed minded. That said, I would recommend this book if you are looking for avid description of 1930’s London living and food for thought about money and its role on status and society.
ma_parx's review against another edition
dark
reflective
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? Yes
3.0
holiszjoanna's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
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? Yes
2.75
chloeallegra's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
arcanumbi's review against another edition
3.0
gordon'un ravelston'a verdigi bas agrisini hicbir zaman yasamam umarim
dedasab's review against another edition
I couldn't, I just couldn't finish it. It's a chore to read, and the main character is insufferable. He almost reminds me of the main character of "notes from underground" who depressed me and left me in a bad mode. Honstly, it's not worth it.
asolorio02's review against another edition
2.0
Not Orwell's best, but still good. The protagonist, Gordon Comstock, a struggling poet, is quite the dumb-ass and even though Orwell wrote the character to be a dumb-ass, it still get's annoying reading about the dumb-assery of a dumb-ass. Gordon is selfish, stubborn, and overly proud and his motivations for being so are a little flimsy. I felt just as confused as the side characters in the book, Julia and Rosemary and Gordon's rich friend, in trying to puzzle out Gordon's self-destructive behaviors. Definitely not the type of dude you'd want as a relative, lover or friend.
Outside of that, Orwell once again takes us into the grimy, dirty world of London's poor, this time through the lens of a poet whose abilities don't measure up to his ambitions. Throughout the book the reader is given a vista into the social issues of MONEY, class, and sex & gender during the time period. I found these explorations interesting, as I always do with Orwell.The English from this period seemed especially obsessed with class and the appearance of what's "proper".
A strong feature of Orwell's writing and storytelling was missing in this one. Orwell often has one or two major dialogue rants in his stories that are distillations of truth on some aspect of the world. These are usually delivered to the protagonist by a side character or antagonist who finally breaks things down and gives the reader and main character a heavy dose of reality. Unfortunately, there was none of these truth bomb moments in the story. If there had been, I would have given the book a fourth star. That's how powerful these moments of dialogue can be.
If Orwell is your man, I'd say you can't go wrong with this one. If he's not, you're better off sticking to his more well regarded works.
Outside of that, Orwell once again takes us into the grimy, dirty world of London's poor, this time through the lens of a poet whose abilities don't measure up to his ambitions. Throughout the book the reader is given a vista into the social issues of MONEY, class, and sex & gender during the time period. I found these explorations interesting, as I always do with Orwell.The English from this period seemed especially obsessed with class and the appearance of what's "proper".
A strong feature of Orwell's writing and storytelling was missing in this one. Orwell often has one or two major dialogue rants in his stories that are distillations of truth on some aspect of the world. These are usually delivered to the protagonist by a side character or antagonist who finally breaks things down and gives the reader and main character a heavy dose of reality. Unfortunately, there was none of these truth bomb moments in the story. If there had been, I would have given the book a fourth star. That's how powerful these moments of dialogue can be.
If Orwell is your man, I'd say you can't go wrong with this one. If he's not, you're better off sticking to his more well regarded works.
pillgirl2012's review against another edition
slow-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
2.75
white man tries desperately to find something to feel opressed about