Reviews tagging 'War'

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

141 reviews

sadiaa's review against another edition

dark reflective

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

3.75

A classic piece of contemporary literature, accessible social commentary 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and War

Minor: Abortion and Suicide attempt

m_h_top's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.25

This book was wonderful. The writing style is so beautiful, and the message is really important. If you don't like slower books, I may not recommend it, but Fahrenheit 451 is so well written that maybe it's pacing doesn't matter in the end.
Some great quotes: 
- "Do your own bit of saving, and if you drown, at least die knowing you were headed for shore." (Pg 82)
- "You sound so very old." "Sometimes I'm ancient. I'm afriad of children my own age." (27)
- "He stood breathing, and the more he breathed the land in, the more he was filled up with all the details of the land. He was not empty." (138) 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Blood, Police brutality, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and War

Minor: Addiction, Self harm, Suicide, and Violence

ambaright's review against another edition

dark reflective 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

3.0

We’re nothing more than dust jackets for books. 

In Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury takes on the ideas of censorship and defiance. Fire Captain Beatty argues that it was the minorities that first burned the books, removing one page at a time until there was nothing left. Once the world came to accept that books were no longer critical, the act of book burning and the censorship of  free thinking became common. As the true crime in this society came from reading the books. 

This was definitely and interesting perspective and one that I hope remains a thing of fiction. Although there will always be some form of censorship in our world…

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicide attempt, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: War

unoriginalinspiration's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Police brutality, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and War

dalek_caan's review against another edition

slow-paced

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

1.25

Overall I found this book boring, repetitive, and lacking a coherent message. I understand that this book cannot be looked at through a modern lens, but even so I fail to see why it is so highly regarded and often included in academic curriculum. I would definitely recommend reading 1984 instead if one is looking for a better story in a similar vein from the same era. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Child death, Death, Fatphobia, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, and War

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Police brutality, and Abortion

laheath's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I knew the basic premise of the book, but it was never high on my list to read, probably because I don't read much of this genre. However, I'm always fascinated when I read something written so long ago that seems so eerily accurate in it's social commentary on the "future," which turns out to be when we seem to be living as I'm reading it. The messages on censorship, government-controlled broadcasting, higher education, literature, marriage, and child-rearing are so interesting. I was shocked at the coincidence of hearing we had started and won 2 atomic wars since 2022! It took me back to how it felt reading 1984 in 1984! Tim Robbins did a fantastic job with the narration too. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Death, Drug use, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, and War

verysillygoose's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

2.5

it’s a good plot but the ending felt rushed and was written in a way where it was hard for me to understand

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: War

brassnbooks's review against another edition

dark hopeful reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.75

Definitely one of my favorite books I read when I was younger
It really makes you think of the importance of books especially "classics" which "a lot of people" (quotes cuz it's just a lot of people I've seen) seem to hate on

It's also interesting to think that with how some books are marked now there's a very simple non insightful labels that can slap on them to make people wanna read them and I think of that when they talked about the tv and how they stripped media down to basically nothingness

I say this to draw parallels in conversations I've had/heard with other people

Overall it's a great book though the ending bits felt a little dragged 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicide attempt, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Child death, Murder, and War

Minor: Abortion

volcxtitan's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Suicide attempt and War

michael_richter's review against another edition

dark reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and War

Minor: Abortion