A review by aryan7477
1984 by George Orwell

challenging dark informative sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

“Reality exists in the human mind, and nowhere else.”

My First Novel. I read some books when I was younger. I always thought I didn't have the attention span for them. I considered cinema a superior medium for storytelling, so I never gave books a chance.

I was introduced to this book by an acquaintance, and the premise fascinated me. I love stories about individuality and rebellion, so I gave it a chance. I read the preview on Google and liked it and decided to buy the book. I was surprised by how accessible it was. 

This book follows the journey of Winston Smith and is told from his point of view. I was blown away by the world Orwell created. How far he had been ahead of time to imagine this in 1949. The book's first part is my favorite, where Orwell introduces us to the world of 1984. The concepts of Doublethink, Thoughtcrime, and Newspeak were amazing. 
 
I was never much into Love Stories, so the romance between Winston and Julia never engrossed me much but I understood they maintained their relationship as an act of protest. In the middle, we get into Goldstein's book. While I liked the book and what it had to say about the world of 1984, it felt somewhat off-route, and part of my mind wanted to return to the characters. 

I knew what the final part would be about as I spoiled myself by watching movie clips. But still, It was fantastic and terrifying. The ending was perfect and depressing. 

1984 becomes more relevant each day due to the use of technologies like social media, and A.I. It serves as a warning about unrestricted surveillance and how it could lead to a loss of individuality which means the loss of humanity. 

What a Great Start for my reading journey.