A review by inquiry_from_an_anti_library
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

adventurous challenging dark hopeful informative medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

Is This An Overview?

This is a world in which eugenics is the prevailing method of social engineering.  People are produced via technological instruments, and conditioned for their intellect, abilities, and wants.  People are predestined to fit into a particular social class, have certain jobs, and have specific likes and dislikes.  Even though people are conditioned to be happy with who they are and what they do, people are still given a state sponsored drug that makes them happy.  All this is done for the stability of society.  Part of the world is dedicated to a reserve, a place where people carry on with the traditional social methods, without eugenics.  This story follows those who question the culture, question their conditioning.  This is a story of how people perceive those different then themselves.

 

Caveats?

The narrative was derived from the prevailing ideas of the era in which it was written, that of eugenics.  The book was written in support of the ideas, but the author changed values to disapproval of the ideas after reality showed the horror of eugenics.  The book was not changed, but the message of the book was changed to a warning against such a society. 

 

The experiment in world building is wonderful, but the way in which the book was written is not.  The book can be difficult to read.