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r0sem4rie's review against another edition
4.0
“And, like children, you will only swallow all the bitter stuff I have to give you if it is carefully coated with a thick syrup of adventure.”
“It was clear to me: everyone's saved, but there's no salvation for me any more, I don't want salvation…”
“And whatever is this final revolution you're wanting? There is no final one, revolutions are infinite. The final one—that's for children: children are frightened by infinity, and it's essential that children should sleep peacefully at night...”
“It was clear to me: everyone's saved, but there's no salvation for me any more, I don't want salvation…”
“And whatever is this final revolution you're wanting? There is no final one, revolutions are infinite. The final one—that's for children: children are frightened by infinity, and it's essential that children should sleep peacefully at night...”
hlublin23's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
3.5
paola_mobileread's review against another edition
2.0
I am glad I read this book, but I cannot say I liked it. The issue is not the writing (at least [a:Gregory Zilboorg|452347|Gregory Zilboorg|http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66-4df4c878d4149c45fac159e88cb784ad.jpg]'s translation reads very well), nor his portrait of subdued personalities in a totalitarian, brain washing environment, but for me this book simply did not stand the test of time. Since then we have so much knowledge of the terrible things man is capable to do on man, and of the terrifying simplicity in truth ([b:Death Dealer: The Memoirs Of The Ss Kommandant At Auschwitz|10540650|Death Dealer The Memoirs Of The Ss Kommandant At Auschwitz|Rudolf Höss|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328316537s/10540650.jpg|267311] is the starkest example for me), not to mention what we now now about the horror of Stalin's Soviet Union, or the tragedy of North Korea's Camp 22 (the story and the BBC documentary) so that this dystopian novel falls somewhat short of what it should have accomplished.
In terms of the narrative, too, it felt a bit incoherent: why is the protagonist allowed home after each and every odd encounter with people of authority (including the Well Doer himself?). Why can he go back home after the Integral debacle? Sure, minor issues - read it if you care for its "historical" value (it is said to have inspired Brave new world and 1984, so you can put those in context - Wikipedia has some interesting information on this).
In terms of the narrative, too, it felt a bit incoherent: why is the protagonist allowed home after each and every odd encounter with people of authority (including the Well Doer himself?). Why can he go back home after the Integral debacle? Sure, minor issues - read it if you care for its "historical" value (it is said to have inspired Brave new world and 1984, so you can put those in context - Wikipedia has some interesting information on this).
meglee7's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
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
3.5
Much preferred Brave New Worlds plot and writing style, but can easily see how Huxley was influenced by We.
erkkmoon's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
brisingr's review against another edition
3.0
This book was one of the picks for our Eastern European literature book club! If you'd like to diversify your reading in this direction, please feel free to give us a follow (https://www.instagram.com/kultbookclub/) or join our discord (shoot me a message for the link!)
We apparently inspired Orwell's 1984 and Huxley's A Brave New World - and you can definitely tell. Technically, if you know the story of one, you kind of know the story of all.
However, this is by far the best-written dystopia about a totalitarian state! Zamyatin really is a writer, capital W. I found really catchy the format of the book as well, as we read D's diary entries, put onto paper for aliens in outer space, as he works on the State's biggest creation, the one that will allow him the travel to other spaces.
However, once D finds himself owning a soul, a fact absolutely forbidden for his happiness under the State, his entries change as well, and following his inner adventure is even more satisfying than figuring out the things going on around him.
This is also the oldest of these books, turning 100 this year (!) so it was also interesting to read a cautionary tale for a potential reality so early in the making. Absolutely horrible that so much of it can ring true even a century later, or how fresh and actual some of these characters' worries and everyday life was.
Unfortunately, its age is showing in other areas, such as racist depiction of black characters and rampant misogyny.
We apparently inspired Orwell's 1984 and Huxley's A Brave New World - and you can definitely tell. Technically, if you know the story of one, you kind of know the story of all.
However, this is by far the best-written dystopia about a totalitarian state! Zamyatin really is a writer, capital W. I found really catchy the format of the book as well, as we read D's diary entries, put onto paper for aliens in outer space, as he works on the State's biggest creation, the one that will allow him the travel to other spaces.
However, once D finds himself owning a soul, a fact absolutely forbidden for his happiness under the State, his entries change as well, and following his inner adventure is even more satisfying than figuring out the things going on around him.
This is also the oldest of these books, turning 100 this year (!) so it was also interesting to read a cautionary tale for a potential reality so early in the making. Absolutely horrible that so much of it can ring true even a century later, or how fresh and actual some of these characters' worries and everyday life was.
Unfortunately, its age is showing in other areas, such as racist depiction of black characters and rampant misogyny.
jennkei's review against another edition
3.0
Not sure what I was expecting. Not the easiest read (fragmented was a word used by the translator, and I can see the ellipses in the text!) but an interesting one. Seems it is basically a piece of history by now so at least now I have checked it out.
zannmato's review against another edition
5.0
I think this story needs another read.
At times confusing, I think the impressions the writer creates disprove the assumptions on which the entire society is built. Reason must be protected, but there is no reason to be had/divined even in a society supposedly ruled by it; I think that's the point.
Additionally, it was great to see the source of all my favourite dystopian sci-fi stories. 1984, Equilibrium, GATTACA, THX 1138, all the elements that comprise these stories can be seen here in We.
At times confusing, I think the impressions the writer creates disprove the assumptions on which the entire society is built. Reason must be protected, but there is no reason to be had/divined even in a society supposedly ruled by it; I think that's the point.
Additionally, it was great to see the source of all my favourite dystopian sci-fi stories. 1984, Equilibrium, GATTACA, THX 1138, all the elements that comprise these stories can be seen here in We.