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fox_at_the_circus'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? It's complicated
3.5
The setting was interesting, a society with calculated happiness, and the book really does a lot with the ideas of happiness and freedom and has some really thought-provoking lines.
Moderate: Medical content, Sexism, and Torture
dragonfiddler's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.75
Minor: Death, Sexism, and Torture
saraaaa's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Although this reads more similar to Animal Farm, with its bitter irony, facing the readers with the cold hard truth of the situation and letting them come to a conclusion fn their own. A fine piece of literature, in this sense.
It's full of mathematical and even biblical references, but nothing too hard for the common reader, and offers some brilliant, very modern philosophical and sociological considerations – truly a book that makes you think.
There were some racist descriptions and misogynistic observations that made me physically wince – were the prejudices really so engraved in Zamjatin's head that he couldn't imagine they would have not persisted in a culture 900 years into the future?
Apart from this, it was almost funny to note how technologically "backwards" (though I hate this term) such a culture was if compared to ours, just a century after the novel was written. Really puts into perspective how much has been discovered and invented in so little time, and how unexpected this development must've been.
But back to the book. I'd say by the end of story, it gets almost unbearably slow – otherwise it's a very quick read –, but I guess I have to take into account that this was a reread for me. Still, I highly recommend it – has to be read at least once in a lifetime.
Moderate: Racism, Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, Racial slurs, Police brutality, Forced institutionalization, Drug use, and Alcohol
Minor: Pregnancy, Violence, Blood, Sexual content, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Sexual violence, and Misogyny
philosopher_kj'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
4.75
Graphic: Forced institutionalization and Confinement
Moderate: Torture, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Sexism
Minor: War and Suicidal thoughts
srm'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? It's complicated
5.0
Minor: Violence and Torture
silvermist'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
3.5
Moderate: Torture and Death
Minor: Sexual content, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, and Medical content
daisydoolie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Moderate: Murder and Torture