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Reviews tagging 'Gore'
1984 by Umberto Eco, Miguel Temprano García, George Orwell, George Orwell
74 reviews
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
1984 is a terrifying cautionary tale.
I was immediately hooked on the prospect of what made past dictatorships from Russia and Germany terrifying and elevated it towards the extremes that turned such a reality leagues beyond more evil, cruel and insidious.
Following Winston as an expendable figure of helpless, hopeless and tragic example is heartbreaking to read about. It’s horrific to think and ponder about how the citizens of Oceania and including Eurasia and Eastasia, which meant anywhere around the world is experiencing the extreme totalitarianism, it’s what’s normal everywhere.
In this case, the people as individuals are isolated from any kind of freedom.
Freedom for their sexualities, attraction and pleasure is taken by ridding the people of the human nature and instinct of sexual pleasure and turning that energy into mass hysteria that fuels the hatred, triumph, loyalty and other emotions needed to maintain the Party.
Freedom for familial, friendship and romantic loyalties and relations by putting a rift between child and parent where the parents are scared of their own children since they are subjected and groomed towards only being loyal to the Party. The same can be said with friendships and especially with partners, women are especially subjected to believing that bearing children is their duty to the Party. There’s even a plan to rid children from their mothers as soon as they are born or the plan to bear children without sex.
Freedom for their own thoughts and words. Many offenses are considered punishable by death like simply owning a notebook. A notebook and a pen serves as a method of self-expression. People are not allowed to have their own thoughts and words even with the simplest disagreement and dissent that doesn’t even involve the Party. Two plus two cannot be four if the Party said it’s five or any other number.
Freedom for their own personal privacy. The people are subjected to 24/7 surveillance, they are being watched and even the smallest micro expressions that makes the Party suspicious is not allowed.
Freedom for their own feelings. Love is considered the biggest acts of betrayal in the story, considering Winston and Julia’s union became their form of resistance against the Party, especially loving each other. There is only love for Big Brother and the Party and Winston’s journey towards resignation and acceptance of it to the end is a major implication that Winston’s story isn’t the first. That if not all, almost everyone had a similar experience once they were taken away.
I can see why this book is a must read! This novel paints such a vivid picture of what could happen if a government subjects its citizens to the extremes.
The details and explanations made through Goldstein’s book is so fascinating at contextualizing the story and the world behind it. However, it did feel like those entries could have been turned into essays instead of being very textbook heavy because I was admittedly zoning out and had to repeatedly read paragraphs just to understand what is being said.
Overall, I like the book. I thoroughly enjoyed Winston’s journey and how he wasn’t even unique to have rebellious thoughts and tendencies against the Party. He isn’t the first and his offenses weren’t even grave but the Party making an example out of him was truly a dreadful experience in the best way.
I’m glad I went into the story blind. I was expecting that there was going to be some rebellion and abolishment against the Party. I did not expect the more insidious reality of specific persons being handpicked to be taken for their offenses. What makes it even more terrifying is how O’Brien said that he has been monitoring Winston for years, the implication that the Party didn’t even stop him from having his first rebellious thought and action, that they baited him towards acting out makes me think that the Party tests and handpicks people to keep acting out until it was time to take them and subject them to the most cruel conditioning and torture towards complete submission just because they enforce and gain power for the sake of power and having it.
It’s a horror story. One with no ghosts and grotesque monster hiding in closets.
I was immediately hooked on the prospect of what made past dictatorships from Russia and Germany terrifying and elevated it towards the extremes that turned such a reality leagues beyond more evil, cruel and insidious.
Following Winston as an expendable figure of helpless, hopeless and tragic example is heartbreaking to read about. It’s horrific to think and ponder about how the citizens of Oceania and including Eurasia and Eastasia, which meant anywhere around the world is experiencing the extreme totalitarianism, it’s what’s normal everywhere.
In this case, the people as individuals are isolated from any kind of freedom.
Freedom for their sexualities, attraction and pleasure is taken by ridding the people of the human nature and instinct of sexual pleasure and turning that energy into mass hysteria that fuels the hatred, triumph, loyalty and other emotions needed to maintain the Party.
Freedom for familial, friendship and romantic loyalties and relations by putting a rift between child and parent where the parents are scared of their own children since they are subjected and groomed towards only being loyal to the Party. The same can be said with friendships and especially with partners, women are especially subjected to believing that bearing children is their duty to the Party. There’s even a plan to rid children from their mothers as soon as they are born or the plan to bear children without sex.
Freedom for their own thoughts and words. Many offenses are considered punishable by death like simply owning a notebook. A notebook and a pen serves as a method of self-expression. People are not allowed to have their own thoughts and words even with the simplest disagreement and dissent that doesn’t even involve the Party. Two plus two cannot be four if the Party said it’s five or any other number.
Freedom for their own personal privacy. The people are subjected to 24/7 surveillance, they are being watched and even the smallest micro expressions that makes the Party suspicious is not allowed.
Freedom for their own feelings. Love is considered the biggest acts of betrayal in the story, considering Winston and Julia’s union became their form of resistance against the Party, especially loving each other. There is only love for Big Brother and the Party and Winston’s journey towards resignation and acceptance of it to the end is a major implication that Winston’s story isn’t the first. That if not all, almost everyone had a similar experience once they were taken away.
I can see why this book is a must read! This novel paints such a vivid picture of what could happen if a government subjects its citizens to the extremes.
The details and explanations made through Goldstein’s book is so fascinating at contextualizing the story and the world behind it. However, it did feel like those entries could have been turned into essays instead of being very textbook heavy because I was admittedly zoning out and had to repeatedly read paragraphs just to understand what is being said.
Overall, I like the book. I thoroughly enjoyed Winston’s journey and how he wasn’t even unique to have rebellious thoughts and tendencies against the Party. He isn’t the first and his offenses weren’t even grave but the Party making an example out of him was truly a dreadful experience in the best way.
I’m glad I went into the story blind. I was expecting that there was going to be some rebellion and abolishment against the Party. I did not expect the more insidious reality of specific persons being handpicked to be taken for their offenses. What makes it even more terrifying is how O’Brien said that he has been monitoring Winston for years, the implication that the Party didn’t even stop him from having his first rebellious thought and action, that they baited him towards acting out makes me think that the Party tests and handpicks people to keep acting out until it was time to take them and subject them to the most cruel conditioning and torture towards complete submission just because they enforce and gain power for the sake of power and having it.
It’s a horror story. One with no ghosts and grotesque monster hiding in closets.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: War
Minor: Rape
challenging
dark
funny
informative
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Yeah, this is still my Bible.
Upon re-reading, this is book is oddly more minimalistic than I remembered. But I think its simplicity is its strength as a manifesto. It's time to stop deeming texts like these as weirdly prophetic and recogize that we know exactly what we're doing wrong and always have.
Here's to 13 more years of never being able to shut up about this book.
Upon re-reading, this is book is oddly more minimalistic than I remembered. But I think its simplicity is its strength as a manifesto. It's time to stop deeming texts like these as weirdly prophetic and recogize that we know exactly what we're doing wrong and always have.
Here's to 13 more years of never being able to shut up about this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, War, Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Fatphobia, Gore, Infidelity, Suicide, Excrement, Vomit, Antisemitism, Grief, Stalking
Minor: Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Ich habe gemischte Gedanken über diesen Roman. Natürlich ist er ein wichtiges Stück Lektüre und momentan auch wieder extremst aktuell. Und ja, jeder sollte diesen Roman wirklich zumindest einmal im Leben gelesen haben, aber trotzdem fand ich ihn beim Lesen an manchen Stellen nervig.
Wir befinden uns im ehemaligen Großbritannien, jetzt Ozeanien,und befinden uns abwechselnd mit Eurasien und Ostasien im Krieg. Eigentlich ist es egal gegen wen Krieg geführt wird, da dieser genutzt wird um die eigene Bevölkerung zu kontrollieren und am Existenzminimum zu halten. Die Partei ist eine diktatorische Herrschaft und Der Große Bruder ist der "Führer". Den Parteimitgliedern wird alles vorgeschrieben und sie werden durchgehend überwacht. Die geringste Gesellschaftsschicht, also die Proles, dürfen mehr machen, aber haben auch weniger. Die Geschichte wird immer so umgeschrieben, dass die Partei recht hat, und eine Sprache wird erfunden, so dass man mit dieser keine Kritik an der Partei äußern kann.
Winston Smith ist eindeutig ein politischer Gegner der Partei, welcher Stück für Stück eine immer deutlichere und extremere Meinung gegenüber der Partei hat. Zumindest anfangs denkt er aber auch extrem negativ über all seine Mitmenschen und stempelt fast alle als dumm ab. Dies wird mehrfach wiederholt beschrieben und wird langweilig . Vielleicht verstehe ich den Sinn dahinter nicht, aber auf mich wirkte es nur komisch und lässt ihn fast einfach nur wie ein "Hater" wirken. Dieser Eindruck fällt recht zügig wieder, da er sich weiter entwickelt und sich die Handlung mit der Beziehung zu Julia sehr ändert. Etwas was lange bleibt ist, dass Winston extrem abgestumpft gegenüber Grausamkeit und Gewalt ist. Dies wird auch mit dem Schreibstil sehr betont, da grausame Handlungen steril und emotionslos geschildert werden.
Julia ist extremst negativ der Partei gegenüber eingestellt, aber nur wenn es sie direkt betrifft. Dies lässt sie oberflächlich wirken und anfangs ist sie nicht an Veränderung interessiert. Man gewinnt den Eindruck, dass sie nur Veränderung bewirken will, weil Winston dies will. Bis zum Schluss wirkt sie nicht überzeugt davon für Veränderung zu sorgen.
Julia und Winston sind der Meinung einer Rebellion beizutreten, aber in Wirklichkeit ist all dies nur eine Intrige der Partei und mindestens Winston wird bereits seit Jahren genauestens überwacht. Bei der "Verhaftung" wird klar, dass man in dieser Welt absolut niemandem trauen kann, was später mit dem offen Legen der Intrige unterstreicht wird. Julia und Winston werden getrennt und ab jetzt folgen wir nur noch Winston, da wir immer nur erfahren, was er erfährt. Nun erleben wir mit wie Winston immer weiter und immer extremer gefoltert wird. Wir erleben wie er erst nur vortäuscht, als hätten sie es geschafft sein Willen komplett zu brechen; dann erleben wir wie sie seinen Willen und Ihn als Person wirklich brechen und er deren Ideologie übernimmt. All dies wird in grauenhaften Details berichtet, es ist unmöglich dabei nicht mitzufühlen. Die Leser erfahren und fühlen wie grauenhaft solch eine Diktatur ist.
Schließlich wartet Winston als "freie Person" nur noch auf seinen Tod; ob und wann dieser kommt bleibt offen. Auch bleibt offen, ob der Krieg zu einem Wendepunkt gekommen ist.
Es gibt Sachen im Roman, welche heutzutage kritisch zu sehen wären, aber für die Zeit in der dieser geschrieben wurde Sinn machen. Ein paar Abschnitte sind scheinbar grundlos sehr wiederholend und können die Leser langweilen.
Der Schreibstil ist oft sehr emotionslos und teilweise fast sachlich, was die Handlungen sehr viel verstörender wirken lässt. Dies macht auch die Gesellschaftskritik, welche mit dieser Literatur geäußert wird, deutlicher und lässt sie wesentlich dringender und wichtiger wirken.
Insgesamt ist dies also ein sehr wichtiges Buch mit einer extremst wichtigen Aussage dahinter. Im Großteil hat es mir auch gut gefallen, aber besonders im ersten Teil gab es einfach Sachen, welche ich eher langweilig und fast sinnlos fand. Trotzdem sollte jeder dieses Buch zumindest einmal gelesen haben, besonders weil die politische Situation es leider wieder extrem aktuell gemacht hat.
Wir befinden uns im ehemaligen Großbritannien, jetzt Ozeanien,
Julia und Winston sind der Meinung einer Rebellion beizutreten, aber in Wirklichkeit ist all dies nur eine Intrige der Partei und mindestens Winston wird bereits seit Jahren genauestens überwacht. Bei der "Verhaftung" wird klar, dass man in dieser Welt absolut niemandem trauen kann, was später mit dem offen Legen der Intrige unterstreicht wird. Julia und Winston werden getrennt und ab jetzt folgen wir nur noch Winston, da wir immer nur erfahren, was er erfährt. Nun erleben wir mit wie Winston immer weiter und immer extremer gefoltert wird. Wir erleben wie er erst nur vortäuscht, als hätten sie es geschafft sein Willen komplett zu brechen; dann erleben wir wie sie seinen Willen und Ihn als Person wirklich brechen und er deren Ideologie übernimmt.
Schließlich wartet Winston als "freie Person" nur noch auf seinen Tod; ob und wann dieser kommt bleibt offen. Auch bleibt offen, ob der Krieg zu einem Wendepunkt gekommen ist.
Es gibt Sachen im Roman, welche heutzutage kritisch zu sehen wären, aber für die Zeit in der dieser geschrieben wurde Sinn machen. Ein paar Abschnitte sind scheinbar grundlos sehr wiederholend und können die Leser langweilen.
Der Schreibstil ist oft sehr emotionslos und teilweise fast sachlich, was die Handlungen sehr viel verstörender wirken lässt. Dies macht auch die Gesellschaftskritik, welche mit dieser Literatur geäußert wird, deutlicher und lässt sie wesentlich dringender und wichtiger wirken.
Insgesamt ist dies also ein sehr wichtiges Buch mit einer extremst wichtigen Aussage dahinter. Im Großteil hat es mir auch gut gefallen, aber besonders im ersten Teil gab es einfach Sachen, welche ich eher langweilig und fast sinnlos fand. Trotzdem sollte jeder dieses Buch zumindest einmal gelesen haben, besonders weil die politische Situation es leider wieder extrem aktuell gemacht hat.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Homophobia, Medical content, Lesbophobia, War
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
This is soooo good it’s worth the listen. The ambience is truly incredible and the performances are spectacular! 10/10 would absolutely recommend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Torture, Violence, Blood, Gaslighting, War
adventurous
challenging
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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:
Complicated
“If there is hope,” wrote Winston “it lies in the proles.” (Pg. 90)
This was a fast moving train wreck that I could not look away from. It was like an extremely progressed version of the US climate. It showed how history can be “changed” and how news invaded the minds of the masses. The scariest part was the children grew up this way and didn’t know another life, so they became spies on the adults and parents around them.
Secondly, the breakdown of the human psyche through the gradual elimination of vocabulary and changing all historical documents around the clock. I know it sounds like I’m talking about 2025’s news headlines… This is why professors, museum curators, archivists, and librarians everywhere are scrambling, because they did see this coming. It is the biggest lesson this book can teach us; hoard historical documents, study them, and never forget.
Additionally, Margaret Atwood clearly studied this novel before writing, The Handmaid’s Tale. The idea that Orwell was basing this on WWII and warning us to change the future and we still haven’t learned.
“He was not certain the he would use the razor blade even if he got the chance. It was more natural to exist from moment to moment, accepting another ten minutes’ life even with the certainty that there was torture at the end of it.” (Pg. 290-291) like a dv victims…
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gore, Self harm, Murder
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting
Moderate: Death, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Minor: Ableism, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual content, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Antisemitism, Abandonment
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Gaslighting, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Minor: Ableism, Racism, Self harm
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
“Who controls the past, controls the future. Who controls the present, controls the past.”
A nauseating yet necessary read. If you told me this book was written yesterday, I’d fully believe you. Of course that was the point, but it’s still horrifying how comparable it is to our current political climate.
A nauseating yet necessary read. If you told me this book was written yesterday, I’d fully believe you. Of course that was the point, but it’s still horrifying how comparable it is to our current political climate.
It’s unsettling, realistic, defeating, crushing, and so very heartbreaking. I felt sick and emotional throughout, and now that I’ve finished it, even though it’s been a few hours I’m left with sadness and unease, and still finding myself crying thinking about it.
This is one of those books that are typically in high school curriculums, but I am so glad I read it for the first time as an adult at 26. I don’t think I would’ve fully understood and appreciated the impact this book has when I was a teenager, and most likely wouldn’t have returned to it. And if you had read it when you were in high school, reread it. I may need to come back to this book myself.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Racism, Sexism, Trafficking
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
When I read this book in high-school it was - I'll be honest - a bit of a snooze-fest. I don't know whether that's the format or the fact that it was in school or the fact that I was a 17-year-old whose brain hadn't finished developing yet. But good god - the format of this elevates the story so well, adding to the intensity while still honoring the actual content and commentary. The actors are of course phenomenal, but what really blew me away was the sound design. What can be a very technical and sometimes overly intellectual book becomes extremely visceral and immersive, turning a dystopian novel into something that felt more like horror. There are definitely some passages that wax poetic for a while, and some philosophizing moments that drag a bit, but that was a complaint I had of the original book just as much, if not more. Overall, such a cool format, such an excellently produced adaptation - from performances to production - and such a unique experience.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Gaslighting
Moderate: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Vomit, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, Classism