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steveatwaywords's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Huxley's experimental form in Ape and Essence (a movie transcript partially framed inside a couple of Hollywood-types seeking its author) is an intriguing choice. I wondered frequently what it accomplished: What does the story frame (offered only in Chapter 1 and not again) and then the odd, surreal, hypnotic story (with apocalyptic fables, ape characters, and pseudo-Greek chorus beside a post-war irradiated survivor-society)--what does it add to Huxley's clearly satirical and heavy-handed lecturing on human morality? My answer is, largely nothing but a creative distraction, perhaps from the ranting politics of its author (only poorly disguised as the script-writer himself).
So distracting was this quaalude-induced storybuilding, that I had a difficult time enjoying Huxley's vision for what it was: a darkly accurate portrayal of how close to the cultural skin our biology sits, and how a literal flick-of-the-social-switch can turn human behavior upon itself, transform our sense of reason and submission, surrender our ambition to happiness to one of deserved misery. And it requires little more than a reinterpretation, a reinscribing, of our existing symbols to accomplish it. As intimate as culture and biology are, so too are Christianity and devilry, procreation and devastation, abeyance and detestation, peace and destruction.
Many are reading this now, in the 2020s, as prophetic of our current political malaise, globally and in the US. I agree that we can be much informed by books like this, our politician machinations and our own subservience might be made transparent. But nothing about Huxley is merely contemporary: this condition of fragility has always existed, and for this, missing Huxley for the over-obsessed Orwell misses something darker in our own hearts.
So reading Ape and Essence now--whenever your now is--makes a lot of sense. Just swallow hard at the opening weirdness, feel free to dig into the first chapter's historical references or not, but dwell on the story. And pray for detumescence.
So distracting was this quaalude-induced storybuilding, that I had a difficult time enjoying Huxley's vision for what it was: a darkly accurate portrayal of how close to the cultural skin our biology sits, and how a literal flick-of-the-social-switch can turn human behavior upon itself, transform our sense of reason and submission, surrender our ambition to happiness to one of deserved misery. And it requires little more than a reinterpretation, a reinscribing, of our existing symbols to accomplish it. As intimate as culture and biology are, so too are Christianity and devilry, procreation and devastation, abeyance and detestation, peace and destruction.
Many are reading this now, in the 2020s, as prophetic of our current political malaise, globally and in the US. I agree that we can be much informed by books like this, our politician machinations and our own subservience might be made transparent. But nothing about Huxley is merely contemporary: this condition of fragility has always existed, and for this, missing Huxley for the over-obsessed Orwell misses something darker in our own hearts.
So reading Ape and Essence now--whenever your now is--makes a lot of sense. Just swallow hard at the opening weirdness, feel free to dig into the first chapter's historical references or not, but dwell on the story. And pray for detumescence.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Child death
Moderate: War
This is a stark novel on the bestial nature of mankind, very explicit for Huxley's time (1948).georgiaanne___'s review against another edition
The way it’s written, in the form of a play and with overly flowery and pretentious language was pretty boring.
mmckinnon10's review against another edition
4.0
Huxley depicts a post-WWIII world, which is a hellish landscape (except for New Zealand). It's interesting that he framed this as a script within the book, which juxtaposes an un-ruined world with an apocalyptic one.
I found the two indicated causes for the third world war fascinating. The first is nationalism, which has even now been on the rise. The second is the loss of the individual within society. When in our world, political tensions are rising alongside nationalism, thinking about the role of the individual is an interesting thought experiment.
I found the two indicated causes for the third world war fascinating. The first is nationalism, which has even now been on the rise. The second is the loss of the individual within society. When in our world, political tensions are rising alongside nationalism, thinking about the role of the individual is an interesting thought experiment.
imrogers's review against another edition
3.0
I alternated between enjoying this novel immensely and being confused, bewildered, and incredibly bored by it. At its best, this is a brilliant novel of satire, where restrictions are placed upon human sexuality, paranoia reigns supreme, and the Other in a post-apocalyptic society is blamed for all ills. While I was impressed by Huxley's use of the screenplay form and the story-within-the-story frame, the rapid jump between scenes with little to no warning or drama caused the action to often become confused, making it difficult to follow the action and drama. At times, it reminded me of Brave New World's more pedantic exposition scenes, and made me wish the structure had been overall stronger and clearer.
petalat's review against another edition
4.0
set in 2108 after world war III. It's only fitting to read it in 2018. All Hail Belial.
kristtiiina's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
medium-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? Yes
3.0
I am not really a of the way Huxley writes in general. I like the ideas, think that they are good although they become a little repetative when you start reading more of his works. It just feels like good ideas not written properly. Also he seems to think that his opinions are oh so revolutionary when in reality from this perspective he is nothing but stuck in his ways. All in all the writing is kind of pretentious with not much to show for it. It's okay at best and far from extraordinary.
technomage's review against another edition
1.0
This is told as a screenplay about a post WWIII expedition to see what is left of North America. I expected better. It doesn't really say anything of note and I wouldn't recommend it.