Scan barcode
theodoreeeeeeads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Vomit, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Body horror, Medical trauma, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Physical abuse, Rape, and Torture
pt_barnum'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The gimmick of ACO is that contains a lot of non-english words, specifically a lot of Russian and Russian-influenced-yet-still-made-up slang, like the word "girl" is rarely used in the book, but the term "devotchka" is used in abundance. This is the biggest barrier to getting into the book, as you have to flip to the appendix to learn every new word. While somewhat frustrating at first, it makes it so much more fun to read once you get the hang of it (I was able to read without the appendix about a third into the book). It makes you connect with the setting so much more as it adds another layer of immersion. Just read it if you can get past all the red flags mentioned below, at least so you can brag that you did.
Graphic: Sexual content, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Death, Murder, Body horror, Rape, Cursing, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Blood, Drug use, Drug abuse, and Sexual harassment
basti's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Gore, Suicide, Misogyny, Addiction, Sexism, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Sexual violence
or10n's review against another edition
3.0
I read this book as an assignment in college. I really couldn't get into it in any meaningful way. It was pretty much unreadable, from the topics to the diction to the characters. I understand that is supposed to be an unreliable narrator, but it was just a bit much imo. I'm sure it's for someone, its just not for me.
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, and Gore
shoohoob's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Blood, Death, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Rape, Police brutality, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Drug use, Gore, Hate crime, Murder, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, Torture, and Toxic friendship
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
thereadingdude'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
4.75
Graphic: Sexual violence, Violence, and Gore
Moderate: Vomit and Alcohol
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
minnie_xx's review against another edition
- 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
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
- 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