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A review by emmaisnotavampire
Coming Up for Air by George Orwell
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I might be influenced in saying this by the fact that I have read this book right after To The Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf, but I genuinely believe that it is Orwell’s equivalent to Mrs Dalloway. Although nothing will ever parallel the absolute mastery required to tell a whole life story in a rather eventless day like that, Coming Up For Air achieves a similar effect by focusing on a week or so in the protagonist’s for the most part ordinary life. The difference, however, is quite evident: Woolf’s novel is a lot more about emotions, introspection, personal experiences, whereas Orwell’s has
much more sociopolitical commentary, more talk of status, war, alienation, more dissatisfaction, and the usual reality-based dystopian feeling that characterises his work… more Orwell, in a nutshell.
Unfortunately, I am not completely sure that it always fully worked; most of the time it did, don’t get me wrong, but it did occasionally get a little slow and static. Now, I do love me some good slow and static introspective literature, but I surely was not expecting something of the sort from Orwell; I was anticipating another of his shocking, unpredictable, intense plots with lots of twists and surprises, and I still think that is what he does best. Still a very enjoyable read, I’m just a little disappointed it didn’t leave me as much as his other stuff did.
much more sociopolitical commentary, more talk of status, war, alienation, more dissatisfaction, and the usual reality-based dystopian feeling that characterises his work… more Orwell, in a nutshell.
Unfortunately, I am not completely sure that it always fully worked; most of the time it did, don’t get me wrong, but it did occasionally get a little slow and static. Now, I do love me some good slow and static introspective literature, but I surely was not expecting something of the sort from Orwell; I was anticipating another of his shocking, unpredictable, intense plots with lots of twists and surprises, and I still think that is what he does best. Still a very enjoyable read, I’m just a little disappointed it didn’t leave me as much as his other stuff did.