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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
tense
slow-paced
Loveable characters:
No
Finished the trifecta with this one (BNW, 1985, Clockwork Orange). It was very on-the-nose which took away from its message imo.
dark
reflective
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:
No
I have got to stop reading 20th century dystopias. The parallels do not give me any warm fuzzies. Also, maybe don’t read this if you work with children. I’m sure every older generation says this about the younger, but if you’ll allow me to preach a bit: “Today’s youths are far too attached to their cellular devices.” And they just crave immediate gratification and to be told exactly what to do, then left alone.
I feel like a large portion of people I know would actually be happy in the World State. All the sex and drugs I want? People just tell me what to do and I do it? I never get ugly or worry about my appearance? Smellivision exists? Yea, best not to dwell on that.
Anyhow, it starts off slow and builds up a pretty good pace. Weirdly enlightened considering all the racisms present. I enjoyed it for the exact reasons we are supposed to be worried about society and I think I will take a break before continuing the genre. Best to lock this one away on some island somewhere and go read something that makes me happy. Maybe I’ll turn on the TV for some background noise and drink some caffeine…
I feel like a large portion of people I know would actually be happy in the World State. All the sex and drugs I want? People just tell me what to do and I do it? I never get ugly or worry about my appearance? Smellivision exists? Yea, best not to dwell on that.
Anyhow, it starts off slow and builds up a pretty good pace. Weirdly enlightened considering all the racisms present. I enjoyed it for the exact reasons we are supposed to be worried about society and I think I will take a break before continuing the genre. Best to lock this one away on some island somewhere and go read something that makes me happy. Maybe I’ll turn on the TV for some background noise and drink some caffeine…
It's a bit tough to get into this story's writing style, but worth the effort. Great story.
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Note: This review contains spoilers, or—more exactly—trigger warnings.
Brave New World describes one version of “utopia.” The story starts in a factory where babies are produced. Yep, you read that correctly. In Aldous Huxley’s controversial novel, babies are made, not born. In fact, it is blasphemous, scandalous, horrific to think of women actually giving birth. Instead, some women donate an ovary. The totalitarian state of BNW has discovered ways to make individual ova “bud” so that hundreds, even thousands of fetuses can be produced from a single egg. In the production lines, embryos are treated, conditioned, fed, and sometimes poisoned in a eugenics program that produces the different castes of people: alphas, to lead of course; betas, gammas, and epsilons are all intended to become varying levels of working class individuals. Production line workers dispense toxins to some, to make them resistant to toxic environments; or they withhold oxygen to make the individuals less intelligent, therefore happier in a lower-caste job/role.
And this is just the beginning. Individuals are conditioned from birth to be resistant to emotions, to be calloused about death, to be promiscuous (the book even depicts young grade-school level children being encouraged to engage in “erotic play” and are taught that “everyone belongs to everyone else”); to despise anything that doesn’t meet the classic definition of beauty; to consume, consume, consume; to indulge in mini “vacations” through the use of a government sponsored drug called “soma,” which makes them happy no matter what; and the list goes on. As the storyline develops, adult characters demonstrate their love of societal structure or, in the case of one, then two, then three characters, their disillusionment and even hatred of it.
Huxley’s story is a startling glimpse of what such a world could be like. Some sources have gone so far as to say BNW is Huxley’s depiction of an “anti-utopia.” Where 1984 (George Orwell, reviewed here-https://www.dremadeoraich.com/index.php/2024/04/05/1984/) depicted a world living under crushing authoritarianism, BNW is quite the opposite. Its citizens can do what they like, for the most part, as long as they “color between the lines.” Take your soma, have sex with as many people as you can, don’t get too attached to anyone or anything, don’t have any deep thoughts or ideas, behave as you are expected to, and everything will be glorious. You can be content. Even happy. Just not passionate.
This is an absolutely horrific story. I almost couldn’t finish it, but I’m glad I did. There is a scene, near the end, where one of the characters (John) has a private conversation with a world leader, Mustapha Mond. Big revelations are given here, insights that make the reasons behind the world order at least more understandable, if not relatable or forgivable. Even so, the ending was more depressing than I can say. My initial reaction was one of horror and disgust. But having given it more thought, I can almost see what Huxley was trying to do—show us just how truly horrific a “perfect” world could be. In addition, given the era in which the book was written, there is a plethora of racism, misogyny, classism, body image issues, and so much more that made finishing it a real challenge.
Why did I read it then?
Because BNW is a banned book, and I wanted to know why. It’s been controversial since it was first published. Ireland was the first to ban it in 1932, but other nations followed. Reasons for banning or objecting included insensitivity, offensive language, racism, and sexually explicit scenes. I found it hard to endure, but it does point out frightening possibilities for a horrific future that I hope never becomes a reality. BNW illustrates a theory that seems to come ‘round in the minds of leadership from time to time—that idea that with a little tweaking, they can make people better. More compliant. More easily appeased. Ultimately more easily governed.
Brave New World is a startling, horrific, depressing read. Yet if you can bring yourself to stomach it, it just might open your eyes to chilling alternatives to our current world. Let’s hope they never become a reality.
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The world that Huxley paints is a world that becomes so perfect that no one is ever unhappy. No one loves or hates. No one fears death. There are no families and no connection to others besides operating within your assigned caste to help the system. I thought this was extremely thought-provoking and it surprised me with the turn that it took. I do think some of the language is outdated, especially when referring to indigenous Americans. There is also some pretty tough scenes of domestic violence and self harm as well. I do think some of the predictions Huxley makes are far fetched, but some are not. For a book written in 1932, he makes some poignant points about humanity and choice.
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes