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A review by oddfigg
Burning Down George Orwell's House by Andrew Ervin
3.0
Whisky, Winston Smith, and werewolves? Oh my!
This is solid debut novel with good writing. It's clear that the author has thought a lot about Orwell and [b:1984|5470|1984|George Orwell|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348990566s/5470.jpg|153313], and the only clunky parts of the book were when he goes too "literary theory" and feels the need to flag down the similarities between the themes of 1984 and main character Ray's situation like an insane airplane marshall.
What is interesting is the parallel though inverted journeys of Winston Smith and Ray Welter. While Winston fights Big Brother for as long as possible before succumbing to save himself (which itself is debatable and we don't have to go into it here), Ray has built his life by supporting Big Brother. As a high-powered ad executive, he uses propaganda and cunning persuasion to make most of America think they want gas-guzzling, environmentally unfriendly SUVs. With the weight of his bad choices piling around him, he looks for escape on the Isle of Jura, a remote island of Scotland's Outer Hebrides where Orwell penned his classic dystopian novel.
What I find myself still thinking about is if in the end Ray becomes enlightened and makes a free decision to end up where he does, or if he is just like Winston Smith, succumbing to the powers that be and letting them control him if only to maintain a bit of himself and his sanity. The similarities between 1984's Julia and Molly, the young Scottish girl Ray befriends, are striking, especially in the ending. I don't want to give it away, but Molly's final decision is a confusing one. Maybe Ray, like Winston, realizes that Big Brother is going to be there no matter how far he runs. Is the ending optimistic or not? I think it can be read both ways, but you'll have to read for yourself to see.
A quick read, but a good summer book with a lot more meat to it than any of the pulpy beach fiction floating around right now.
This is solid debut novel with good writing. It's clear that the author has thought a lot about Orwell and [b:1984|5470|1984|George Orwell|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348990566s/5470.jpg|153313], and the only clunky parts of the book were when he goes too "literary theory" and feels the need to flag down the similarities between the themes of 1984 and main character Ray's situation like an insane airplane marshall.
What is interesting is the parallel though inverted journeys of Winston Smith and Ray Welter. While Winston fights Big Brother for as long as possible before succumbing to save himself (which itself is debatable and we don't have to go into it here), Ray has built his life by supporting Big Brother. As a high-powered ad executive, he uses propaganda and cunning persuasion to make most of America think they want gas-guzzling, environmentally unfriendly SUVs. With the weight of his bad choices piling around him, he looks for escape on the Isle of Jura, a remote island of Scotland's Outer Hebrides where Orwell penned his classic dystopian novel.
What I find myself still thinking about is if in the end Ray becomes enlightened and makes a free decision to end up where he does, or if he is just like Winston Smith, succumbing to the powers that be and letting them control him if only to maintain a bit of himself and his sanity. The similarities between 1984's Julia and Molly, the young Scottish girl Ray befriends, are striking, especially in the ending. I don't want to give it away, but Molly's final decision is a confusing one. Maybe Ray, like Winston, realizes that Big Brother is going to be there no matter how far he runs. Is the ending optimistic or not? I think it can be read both ways, but you'll have to read for yourself to see.
A quick read, but a good summer book with a lot more meat to it than any of the pulpy beach fiction floating around right now.