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becandthebooks's review against another edition
4.0
I can understand how this book has divided readers throughout its time. This was the first Classics Readalong that I'm hosting with my friend Sam for 2024 and, oh my brothers, did it divided the group. Not in a bad way, but what an interesting discussion we all had. Some finished it and enjoyed it like myself, some DNF'ed it and the majority were on the fence with the general consensus being "it gave me the ick... but it is one of the most impressive pieces of literature" (as quoted by @exlibris_emily).
During Part 1 we are introduced to our narrator Alex who, along with his teenage friends, loves to go out at night partaking in "ultra -violence" - beating, stealing, bribing, raping, even murder. The language that Burgess has created within these pages, Nasdat, really helps to read through these horrifying ordeals, it almost creates a sense of putting it at arms length, you know what you are reading, but its not as graphic as what it would be in a normal language. Nasdat also helps to create a sense of the dystopian world we are visiting, dark, grungy and unsafe. "It's a stinking world because it lets the young get on to the old like you done, and there's no law and order no more."
During Part 2 we are with our self-proclaimed 'humble' narrator whilst he is in prison for a couple of years and ends up being the guinea pig for a new rehabilitation program designed to cause illness and stress whenever violence occurs and in turn take pressure of the criminal system. He is held down with his eyes pinned open and forced to watch "ultra-violence" on a screen while listening to classical music, which just so happens to be his favourite type of music. This, in turn, also destroys the enjoyment of the thing he appreciates the most. "Horrorshow is right, friend. A real show of horrors."
As we move into Part 3 Alex is out of the program and attempting to find his place again in society. He ends up with a political party that want to use him for their plight. "To turn a decent young man into a piece of clockwork should not, surely, be seen as any triumph." He accidentally helps them out by a whim-of-the-moment choice and at the same time accidentally cures himself of the illness he feels when he comes into contact with violence, violent thoughts or Beethoven.
Will he go back to his old ways, or will he end up on the straight and narrow after all of his punishments?
"And all it was was that I was young."
I've never read anything like "A Clockwork Orange" before. I started off reading it with a Nasdat dictionary in one hand and the book in the other. Once I was through Part 1 I put the dictionary down and just went with the flow. It took a lot of concentration and for such a short book felt like a lengthy undertaking. Having said all of that, once I got into the flow I enjoyed the challenge and I can see how it has become a classic. It's so unique and it would have also been breaching on taboo subjects with the actions and mindsets the main characters demonstrate.
Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Sexual violence, Death, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Police brutality, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Violence, Drug use, Emotional abuse, and Gore
greenan26's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Blood, Death, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Misogyny, Violence, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Pedophilia, Police brutality, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Torture, and Medical trauma
Minor: Vomit, Antisemitism, and Racial slurs
esihler's review
- 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
2.5
While the book did have interesting themes, I struggle with the use of violence (especially sexual violence) to develop themes around government control and the importance of personal freedom without really including any significant female characters beyond the context of sexual violence. It was a very uncomfortable read, made even more so by the distance you feel from the story while trying to get a grip on the language.
Graphic: Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, and Racial slurs
christian_g's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Suicide, Sexual content, Murder, Torture, Sexual violence, Self harm, Sexual assault, Rape, Violence, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment, and Sexism
noranie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Drug use, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Pedophilia, Genocide, Police brutality, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Blood, and Alcohol
jaimc's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Drug use, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
Moderate: Police brutality
nanna_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Murder, Confinement, Torture, Emotional abuse, Police brutality, Suicide attempt, Drug use, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, and Suicidal thoughts
bookishdreamer's review against another edition
- 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
0.25
Graphic: Torture, Sexual assault, Rape, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Police brutality
moscatel's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Moderate: Confinement, Torture, Alcoholism, Blood, Drug abuse, Gore, Death, Rape, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Violence, Alcohol, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Child abuse, Murder, Police brutality, Bullying, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
kai_okay's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Death, Blood, Murder, Police brutality, Sexual violence, Violence, Drug use, Hate crime, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture
Moderate: Suicide attempt