Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
One has to give Newman credit for her brazenness; she must know that her novel will forever be overshadowed by Orwell’s, that no matter how good Julia is it will always be compared and contrasted with the book that inspired it. I have tried to judge Julia on its own merits, and with that in mind Newman has accomplished what most people might consider impossible: a novel that in many ways surpasses its predecessor, a sort of the student has become the teacher situation.
1984 is a certified classic. So ingrained is it in our culture that even those who haven’t read it know of Big Brother, know of the basic conceit of the novel. It’s undoubtedly influential and it’s one of my favorite books of all time. But having just revisited it, there are flaws that stood out to me. Orwell’s treatment of women in particular—he seems to harbor some personal resentment which seeps into his male characters, and a lack of respect which seems reflected in his female characters. Julia in 1984 is not much more than a vehicle to get the story rolling. Julia in Julia is nuanced, she has a backstory, a whole life that doesn’t involve Winston Smith. And let’s face it, Winston isn’t the most personable character. But the world Orwell builds, the rules, the language, the atmosphere, the social commentary, they are what make 1984 so endearing. Newman takes that world and shades in the areas that are too light, adds color to the spots that are sorely missing it. There are times where I don’t quite agree with some of her choices, but that’s partly because I don’t want what makes 1984 dear to me tempered. But at the same time Newman’s embellishments are practical and piquant.
I can understand people’s disinclination to give Julia a chance, but if we appraise it for its own virtues, not as a book that is trying to usurp 1984, but as a story that stands on its own, using Orwell’s work as a way to readjust its balance on occasion, one would find a superb novel. And here’s the kicker, if Julia didn’t have to stand in Orwell’s shadow it would, in my opinion, be the superior of the two.
1984 is a certified classic. So ingrained is it in our culture that even those who haven’t read it know of Big Brother, know of the basic conceit of the novel. It’s undoubtedly influential and it’s one of my favorite books of all time. But having just revisited it, there are flaws that stood out to me. Orwell’s treatment of women in particular—he seems to harbor some personal resentment which seeps into his male characters, and a lack of respect which seems reflected in his female characters. Julia in 1984 is not much more than a vehicle to get the story rolling. Julia in Julia is nuanced, she has a backstory, a whole life that doesn’t involve Winston Smith. And let’s face it, Winston isn’t the most personable character. But the world Orwell builds, the rules, the language, the atmosphere, the social commentary, they are what make 1984 so endearing. Newman takes that world and shades in the areas that are too light, adds color to the spots that are sorely missing it. There are times where I don’t quite agree with some of her choices, but that’s partly because I don’t want what makes 1984 dear to me tempered. But at the same time Newman’s embellishments are practical and piquant.
I can understand people’s disinclination to give Julia a chance, but if we appraise it for its own virtues, not as a book that is trying to usurp 1984, but as a story that stands on its own, using Orwell’s work as a way to readjust its balance on occasion, one would find a superb novel. And here’s the kicker, if Julia didn’t have to stand in Orwell’s shadow it would, in my opinion, be the superior of the two.
challenging
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
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:
Complicated
This was - and I cannot stress this enough - the most unnecessary novel ever written. This could have been a speculative essay about women's position in the world of Orwell's 1984 or an AO3 alternate pov fanfiction, but no. Someone actually went through the trouble of publishing and advertising it to the masses.
''1984'' is one of the greatest novels ever written. Expanding upon its themes and lore would require someone skillful & intelligent. Someone with a deep understanding of detail who simultaneously gauges what Orwell was trying to say in his critique, and which real-life regimes and institutions the story depicts.
Sandra Newman frankly is not that person. Her take on this world was boring, uninteresting, and extremely predictable. She felt compelled to answer questions that Orwell had deliberately left unanswered to reflect the controlled and secluded environment of Airstrip One (again missing the point of Orwell's story). And worst of all, she made Julia, an unassuming and deliberately bleak character in a similar position to the protagonist of ''1984'' - somehow the catalyst for all major events of Orwell's novel, while mocking and belittling Orwell's original characters in the process.
The one moment I thought she was about to undo her storytelling-assassination attempt by making Julia's faith mirror Winston's in 1984, she took a complete U-turn and turned her into a 2014 Y/A dystopian protagonist. For what?
The beauty of ''1984'' is its ambiguity. We don't know if the rebels are real. If Big Brother is an actual person. What each character's motivations are. If there even is a common enemy. These are deliberate choices made to make you, the reader, feel as trapped and clueless as our protagonist. This is why part III of the original is so effective - it sucks the hope out of you and makes you feel completely defeated. There is no way out of a dictatorship and an environment of complete censorship. All you can do is yield.
Sandra Newman said ''Yeah, fuck that. Watch me Katniss Everdeen Julia'' and undo all of Orwell's brilliance. For NO REASON. Truly, a despicable literary crime was committed here.
My one positive note: she did a pretty good job speculating how women would be treated in a society like this (which could have been better executed in an essay format). That's it. The rest should be purged from my memory.
''1984'' is one of the greatest novels ever written. Expanding upon its themes and lore would require someone skillful & intelligent. Someone with a deep understanding of detail who simultaneously gauges what Orwell was trying to say in his critique, and which real-life regimes and institutions the story depicts.
Sandra Newman frankly is not that person. Her take on this world was boring, uninteresting, and extremely predictable. She felt compelled to answer questions that Orwell had deliberately left unanswered to reflect the controlled and secluded environment of Airstrip One (again missing the point of Orwell's story). And worst of all, she made Julia, an unassuming and deliberately bleak character in a similar position to the protagonist of ''1984'' - somehow the catalyst for all major events of Orwell's novel, while mocking and belittling Orwell's original characters in the process.
The one moment I thought she was about to undo her storytelling-assassination attempt by making Julia's faith mirror Winston's in 1984, she took a complete U-turn and turned her into a 2014 Y/A dystopian protagonist. For what?
The beauty of ''1984'' is its ambiguity. We don't know if the rebels are real. If Big Brother is an actual person. What each character's motivations are. If there even is a common enemy. These are deliberate choices made to make you, the reader, feel as trapped and clueless as our protagonist. This is why part III of the original is so effective - it sucks the hope out of you and makes you feel completely defeated. There is no way out of a dictatorship and an environment of complete censorship. All you can do is yield.
Sandra Newman said ''Yeah, fuck that. Watch me Katniss Everdeen Julia'' and undo all of Orwell's brilliance. For NO REASON. Truly, a despicable literary crime was committed here.
My one positive note: she did a pretty good job speculating how women would be treated in a society like this (which could have been better executed in an essay format). That's it. The rest should be purged from my memory.
I loved this. Really four and a half stars. The ending was good but it didn't live up to the rest of the book—that's the reason for the half star deduction.
challenging
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I listened to this as an audiobook and I wonder if I would have enjoyed it more if I had read it. The concept for this novel is great and there are some great parts, but ultimately I felt it dragged on.
dark
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
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
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:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes