A review by laurenleigh
1984 by George Orwell

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

5.0

My first time reading 1984! I was extremely impressed by Orwell’s level of detail. I almost want to call it world-building, though I suppose it’s still the same old Earth Orwell found himself on too. I think it’s important to note that Orwell was not a fortune teller. He was commenting on certain facts of his current reality and extrapolating a possible future, which happened to be remarkably true for a number of reasons. It makes me wonder if he was alive today, what might a 2084 book look like? The reality of this fictional work is scary and depressing, but still fascinating. I was most struck by the relationship between media and memory. Can’t help but think of the modern phenomena of fake news. I particularly enjoyed this audiobook narrator, and I think it added a whole new layer of complexity.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings