Reviews tagging 'Injury/Injury detail'

A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess

50 reviews

becandthebooks's review against another edition

4.0

"What's it going to be then, eh?"

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. 

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Content Warnings

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

challenging dark medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

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 against another edition

challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

• 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

I can understand why this book is “in the canon” and still think it is worth trying to read. In general, once I got more of a grip on the nadsat, I was interested in seeing the book to its end. 

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. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, and Racial slurs

georgwithey's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-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

4.25

A difficult read at first but a classic nonetheless.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Rape, Murder, Bullying, Mental illness, Hate crime, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Racism, Torture, and Medical content

noranie's review against another edition

dark tense fast-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

2.0

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Content Warnings

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

nikita_barsukov's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Unexpectedly deep story, and spot-on slang. Russian-speakers will be horror-show delighted!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, and Suicide attempt

minnie_xx's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

interesting. so interesting in style, it draws you in. the story is told in a lighthearted and very self-detracting way and with a serious discussion of the nature of free will in relation to morality. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Sexual assault, Death, Torture, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Rape, Suicide attempt, Gore, Police brutality, Violence, Murder, Classism, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, and Drug use

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Addiction, and Alcohol

nanna_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

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

cosmicruin's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

• 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

2.75

Challenging to read at times because of the thick langauge

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual harassment, Blood, Fatphobia, Sexual content, Murder, Police brutality, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Death, Forced institutionalization, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Violence, and Bullying

pixelited's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Despite being quite graphic and somewhat normalizing horrendous acts of violence, the message of this story is clear and insightful. The copy I read included a foreword by the author, which I found very interesting. I didn’t know that the last chapter was excluded during its first publication in the United States and—of course—the book would have taken on a completely different meaning if I had not had the chance to read the final intended chapter. This last chapter is what really brings meaning to this work and sort of ties it in a pretty bow while still acknowledging human tendencies towards violence.

Additionally, while the language was at first disorienting, you’re able to get a grasp on how the words are used quickly. I find this aspect of the book particularly interesting, being part of a younger generation with all sorts of slang, and it makes me wonder how the slang I use today may become a “nadsat” language in other years. I also enjoyed the stark difference when characters speak in proper English and how that plays into the story as well.

Overall, while the nature of the book is disturbing and upsetting, I am glad to have read it and gotten such a perspective on human nature and change.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Addiction, Alcohol, Medical trauma, Sexual harassment, Bullying, Murder, Police brutality, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Death, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Vomit, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Violence, Animal cruelty, Blood, Gore, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Torture