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A review by carlycormier_
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
4 / 5
"So now do you see why books are hated and feared? They see the pores in the face of life. The comfortable people want only wax moon faces, poreless, hairless, emotionless."
I enjoyed Orwell’s 1984 in high school so I thought I would give this one a read. I am very glad that I did! This book reignited ( pun intended) my desire to read. I had, oddly enough, fallen off the train some time ago in favor of podcasts and other forms of digital media. This book put me back on the path of reading for knowledge.
Fahrenheit 451 turned out to be the first book I have annotated in a really long time. I found myself enjoying Bradbury's word choice, blocking/highlighting sections simply for how beautiful it was. I had forgotten what it was like to read something then have to re-read it to experience it again! Specifically, the vivid and lyrical imagery of fire that is conjured up is one of my favorite parts of this book.
"Delicately, like the petals of a flower. Light the first page, light the second page. Each becomes a black butterfly... Light the third page... chain-smoking, chapter by chapter, all the silly things the words mean, all the false promises, all the secondhand notions and time-worn philosophies."
Bradbury has a way of peeling back your world view and exposing it in a new light. My favorite moments that showcase this are found in the interactions between Montag and Clarisse in the first part of the book. Clarisse's innocence sees through the falsities of the world with such purity and clarity, while also teaching Montag to do the same.
"How like a mirror, too, her face. Impossible; for how many people did you know that refracted your own light to you? ... How rarely did other people's faces take of you and throw back to your own expression, your own innermost trembling thought?" </spoiler>
This book is beyond its years in many ways: the plot, the ideology, the technology. It was thought-provoking in a way that I was not expecting. I knew I was going to be reading about a dystopian world that banned books, but not much else beyond that. I was pleasantly surprised by the concept of censorship of citizens by citizens as opposed to our western-normative understanding that censorship is a form of governmental power. Montag lives in a world that chose to rid itself of books in favor of technological advancements. I read this during the early days of COVID-19 quarantine which lead my brain down a meandering path of questioning my own reliance on technology as entertainment, information, and daily functioning.
I am writing this review a few months later and am still thinking about this book! Not five stars simply because the ending felt rushed, unfinished even, and I was left wanting more, but not in an unenjoyable way. Montag's story fell short while simultaneously ending exactly how it needed to. Conflicting feelings on the last dozen pages, but would still recommend this book for its thought-provoking content.
As a side note:
I would recommend the copy I had (ISBN 978-1-4516-7331-9). This version includes an entire section on the history, context, and criticism of the book. It was fascinating to read more about the book from a historical standpoint, as well as a contemporary appreciation for its role within the dystopian/sci-fi genre.
"So now do you see why books are hated and feared? They see the pores in the face of life. The comfortable people want only wax moon faces, poreless, hairless, emotionless."
I enjoyed Orwell’s 1984 in high school so I thought I would give this one a read. I am very glad that I did! This book reignited ( pun intended) my desire to read. I had, oddly enough, fallen off the train some time ago in favor of podcasts and other forms of digital media. This book put me back on the path of reading for knowledge.
Fahrenheit 451 turned out to be the first book I have annotated in a really long time. I found myself enjoying Bradbury's word choice, blocking/highlighting sections simply for how beautiful it was. I had forgotten what it was like to read something then have to re-read it to experience it again! Specifically, the vivid and lyrical imagery of fire that is conjured up is one of my favorite parts of this book.
"Delicately, like the petals of a flower. Light the first page, light the second page. Each becomes a black butterfly... Light the third page... chain-smoking, chapter by chapter, all the silly things the words mean, all the false promises, all the secondhand notions and time-worn philosophies."
Bradbury has a way of peeling back your world view and exposing it in a new light.
"How like a mirror, too, her face. Impossible; for how many people did you know that refracted your own light to you? ... How rarely did other people's faces take of you and throw back to your own expression, your own innermost trembling thought?" </spoiler>
This book is beyond its years in many ways: the plot, the ideology, the technology. It was thought-provoking in a way that I was not expecting. I knew I was going to be reading about a dystopian world that banned books, but not much else beyond that.
I am writing this review a few months later and am still thinking about this book! Not five stars simply because the ending felt rushed, unfinished even, and I was left wanting more, but not in an unenjoyable way. Montag's story fell short while simultaneously ending exactly how it needed to. Conflicting feelings on the last dozen pages, but would still recommend this book for its thought-provoking content.
As a side note:
I would recommend the copy I had (ISBN 978-1-4516-7331-9). This version includes an entire section on the history, context, and criticism of the book. It was fascinating to read more about the book from a historical standpoint, as well as a contemporary appreciation for its role within the dystopian/sci-fi genre.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Death