Reviews tagging 'Death'

1984 by Umberto Eco, Miguel Temprano García, George Orwell, George Orwell

273 reviews

allonsy_ozzy's review against another edition

4.5

dark mysterious reflective 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: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, War

Moderate: Infertility, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual violence, Vomit, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail

lindasoderlundd's review against another edition

2.0

challenging dark reflective tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Torture, Xenophobia, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Classism

Moderate: Body shaming, Slavery, Stalking, Colonisation, War

Minor: Animal cruelty, Homophobia, Sexual content, Excrement, Death of parent, Murder

alekslemoon's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Dementia, Stalking, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, War

Moderate: Cursing, War

lightningmc_logyn's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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A book so devastating, it can swing the reader back around to hope. I first read this in highschool, nearly a decade ago, and chose to read it again as I’d forgotten most of the books events. As a teenager it struck me, and I’ve displayed my copy on my bookshelves ever since. 

I am glad I re-read it. Orwell’s writing is masterful. The novel is a journey that is folded in on itself, details constantly evolving in light of new context. The reader feels the hope and despair Winston oscillates between. The plot is full of intrigue. It stays firm in its recount of horrid events as well as simple human joys. The parallels drawn to our world are startling. The passionate determination of Winston is palpable. Orwells mind has created a world that is not only real within its pages, but persists in one’s subconscious afterward. 

This book is intelligent and poignant. The themes discussed and analyzed are intentionally parallel to our society. The awareness this book awakened in me as a teen and distilled once again as an adult is something I am grateful for-though the reading experience is quite emotionally turbulent.  The story is dark, startlingly so, and I recommend reading it with care.

The latter third was painful for me to read, and the torture Winston endures and what he becomes is frightening.

The version I read has an afterward that I enjoyed, as it handles the dark subject matter honestly, but leaves the reader with a small branch of hope. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Cursing, Rape, Colonisation

Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide

This is a dark book where violence, war, and oppression are normalized and upheld. The main character endures dark situations and entertains dark thoughts, largely due to the oppressing society he lives in.

turquoisetyto's review against another edition

3.5

dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence

Moderate: Death

mayaspasta's review against another edition

4.75

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Torture, Violence, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol

bernardblack's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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This was my first audio "book", and I won't lie to you and say "I didn't listen to this because I'm gay for Andrew Scott!!" because I very much did go into it with that mindset. That being said, I love Andrew Scott's villain performances, but as I was laying in my room at 1 am in intentional-complete-darkness with my noise cancelling headphones on and my eyes closed (I took immersive a bit too seriously), listening to the final 40 mins of this. I felt my skin crawl, like I was afraid to move, as if I was paralyzed, every second was horrifying and I loved it.

Regardless of Andrew though, I love books that pull apart at themes that feel so fucking relevant right now. I essentially went in blind. I was wary of audio books because I love tangible books, my partner prefers audiobooks and so with such a impressive cast (Tom Hardy and Chukwudi Iwuji are also actors I really love to see/hear) I gave in. Originally I intended to read the book first then listen, but time got away from me and I just went for it. I'm so glad I did, I reacted so naturally, the twists and fear of not knowing what would happen next was exhilarating!! I'm now reading the physical copy to underline my favorite lines and take notes, but I'm so grateful to myself for listening first. I have to say Andrew Garfield really blew me away, his talent, his emotion, he really embodied Winston in a way I can't quite put into words. I'm trying and even now I'm floored by how talented he is. He brought the story to life.

Also the music, the two composers (one of which is the frontman of Muse) for the soundtrack score really hit different. I love 80s music, specifically New Wave synth. The moment when those synthesizers hit my ears I knew they understood the assignment. I did some research and not only was this recorded at Abbey Road Studios (I'm a Beatles fan) but they used real synthesizers from the 80s!! With the intention of capturing nostalgia and looking towards the future in one cohesive sound.

Finally back to the bare bones of this story. Totalitarianism, fascism, a oppressive, manipulative government, censorship?? Why does it all feel so familiar. I think what I couldn't stop thinking about was the work being done in the Ministry of Truth. The way history, records of event, books, films, poems, all get destroyed and replaced by something The Party deems appropriate. I couldn't stop thinking about book bans, book burnings, and the censorship of history in schools. Something very prevalent in my current state. I even spoke to my parents about this book and book bans and even they were gaslighting me, saying "it's for the best" and that "it's to protect children/the next generation".

I really understood how Winston was feeling, being surrounded by individuals who are so blind to what is in front of them or actively choose to repeat harmful rhetoric to push that ideology. It's torturous.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

Moderate: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Death of parent, War

samanthabreading's review against another edition

3.5

challenging dark informative mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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First time read. Brutal. Thought provoking for sure. I didn’t love this book, but I understand why this is a required read and banned book in some areas. The concepts like loss of individualism, dehumanization, and the meaning of ‘rats’ were very interesting. It’s not often that I dislike ALL of the characters, especially Winston’s perspective on women, but assuming this was purposeful. 😳 

While I think everyone should read 1984, I don’t think this book is FOR everyone. For example, I recently saw someone on social media say that a clear parallel in Oceanian society to today’s society is the rise of feminism…🥴 Not for everyone in that it may require some logic to make some of the more prominent connections that Orwell likely intended. 🤭 

Also, may not be for everyone as it’s quite dark. Strongly recommend to check trigger warnings. That ending sure had an impact. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Death, Sexism

Minor: Rape, Suicide, War

kaz_brekkerrr's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Murder

Minor: Death, Sexual violence, War

els4lp's review against another edition

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War

Moderate: Death, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Alcohol

Minor: Slavery, Suicide, Vomit