1984
Ratings3,861
Average rating4.2
I revisited this book almost 40 years after the first time I was assigned to read it - in the year 1984 - when I was in 8th grade. I've changed since then and so has the world. I listened to the audio book, read of course by an author with a British accent, and was gripped by how much the world today is like the universe which Orwell creates.
Orwell's masterpiece feels increasingly relevant in our data-driven age. The concepts of thoughtcrime, doublethink, and the ever-watching Big Brother serve as powerful metaphors for modern surveillance culture.\n\nWhile written in 1949, the book's warnings about language manipulation, historical revisionism, and privacy invasion resonate strongly with current concerns about social media, data collection, and algorithmic control.
I often find myself thinking that classics are overrated and this was one of those instances where maybe I was too tired while reading it to see the greater epiphany, but ultimately felt that the whole story was a bit heavy handed and quite frankly not as poignant or original as it had been made out to be for me by literally everyone. Yes, I do understand now exactly what people mean when they say something is “orwellian” or Big Brother, but also my life and thought process has not been dramatically changed (or even like a teensy tiny, maybe I was just already disillusioned about humanity and politics or I am a much dumber reader than I thought lol).
Spoiler (sort of)
I did not expect the romance or the ~sex~ scenes, so uh points for surprising me Orwell??
final thoughts:
lowkey the book feels completely and utterly permeated by old white guy
The only thing in this book that i can say was somewhat well written are the political system and the portrayal of manipulation. This book 1984 by George Orwell however, lacked character development, plot development, any world building/structure, the romantic relationship presented lacked any development/wasn't memorable. Lastly the last chapter of the second part of this book just went on and on for no important reason, their wasn't much of a reason why that chapter needed to be that long, as most parts could've easily been cut out/weren't needed. One of the worst books I've ever read.
All'inizio non mi stava convincendo ma pagina dopo pagina mi ha preso sempre più, wow
Definitely ahead of its time, as has been stated many times before. I would definitely recommend reading the Appendices, wherein the concept of “Newspeak” and a rough dictionary of the propagandistic language is explained. It's darkly humorous in places, and deeply disturbing throughout. Winston is not a very deep character, however I get the impression that this is not through poor writing or by accident; Big Brother and The Company are very intentional in their machinations, and part of that is their deliberate suppression of independent thought and individuality of mind in members of the company. I would think that this would naturally lead to rather a shallow citizenry. What is left of Winston's personality is not likeable, but that somehow makes him more real. And the ending is both harrowing and, in a strange way, beautiful.
2.25
This was an unintentional reread for me because while reading it I found out that I have read this book before but didn't remember..
This book started out really good but got more boring and disturbing as you go on. It's great as something you can read to reflect on society and you can take away a lot from this book. It's a great classic in my opinion but I'm just not too keen on reading such a reflective book with so many political comments and theories. It makes the book rather dry and boring for me and not as gripping as it was in the first half of the book.
Well, I kind of knew what I was getting myself into. That doesn't mean I had to enjoy it. I guess I just wanted to figure out why this book is as popular as it is, I still don't. This alternative historical dystopian and the classic book were weird as hell. I didn't even empathize with the MC much, and why he hated BG.. it just felt like he's just different and that's all. Also, why did he suddenly just change? Maybe it's mentioned somewhere, but I don't know, as I skimmed quite a dozen pages with this one. It was just boring. How did someone read this when they were 12, I'm not sure. It's also very adult-y in some matters and I don't suggest this for 12-year-olds at all... I mean as boring as it is, I don't suggest it to anyone. In the beginning, I felt intrigued, but then it just fell down. especially with the introduction of Julia... I'm going now, to read some other books that I hope will enjoy.
Also for anyone curious why I gave this 3 stars... I don't know.
That bitch dragged on like the presidential debate. Literally what the fuck. I loved the idea of the story but you could just skip entire chapters and still be perfectly aware of whats going on. Very unsatisfying.
Great as a sociopolitical and historical analis yet boring, slow and kinda awful as a novel
I know I read this as a teenager but I don't remember it. World-building is great obvs, but there are so many nit-picky things that bugged me about pacing and flow.
I didn't remember this story except the major theme (from a youth reading of it).
It is terrifying. Also, I did not like it. Useful thought exercise, sure, but I did not like being in his head.
What can I possibly say about this amazing novel, 1984 by George Orwell, that hasn't been already said by many who have read the book for over half a century. When it is said that the book is ‘haunting', ‘nightmarish', and ‘startling' any reader would have to agree! This well known novel grips the reader from the beginning and does not even let go of the grip at the finished reading and the ending what can I say “Winston's welcomed acceptance and outright love of his defeat is what is so sad. In the end, he utterly betrays himself and all his values – and is glad to do so. If he was just defeated, it would be merely tragic; the hero fallen. In mere defeat, there can at least be a kind of grace or honor of having fought the good fight. But his almost ecstatic joy at being finally and fully defeated makes it so much worse. There is no dignity, no hope, no self, no human being left. And, of course, that's the point.”
. A classic you won't want to miss if you haven't taken the time to read it yet.
I mean, it's Orwell, what do you expect?
It's great political commentary and it can really be scary on the total power of the Party.
I can basically recommend this book to anyone really, it's probably a must-read.
This book is not simple nor it has an amazing story. For me, it has an interesting message and I wanted to know what the writer wanted to say and not how the story will progress. I know that this story is an extreme example but there are a lot of connections between our world and Orwell's world.
I recommend this to those who like complex reading, also to those who enjoy a good book about social and governmental manipulation.
Read and reviewed: Jun 07, 2021
This book was selected for the book club. I've wanted to read it for quite some time, but I didn't realize it would be so gripping. I read it in 3 days. Could barely put it down. Spent my full Friday in bed reading it. The book is divided into three parts. Life under Big Brother. The revolution. The Ministry of Love. Great universe creation on the first part. The second part is getting long when all you do is reading the book, and it feels like reading 50 pages in a row of political essays. It is interesting, mind you, but it was still a lot to digest in this form. Not the biggest fan of how women are treated in this part. And then, there is part 3. And wow, that was difficult to read. For the actual torture. I read The Kite Runner and Po-on just before, but I found this part harder to read than anything I read in those last two books. And then, this ending. I am satisfied with it. With the extension of Oceania by winning the war, if it is even true, and the final love for Big Brother, the tear of idolatry and realization.
Now, really, what I think about the book. Really well written. George has this capacity to summarize and explain systems with such clarity. To understand the layers of internalized manipulation and control. The way it modifies behaviors and interpersonal interactions. Identity, pride and sense of belonging. It's frightening, when you no longer know what is real or not, what can really be refuted. The book was written more than 70 years ago, and is so relevant right now. I don't think I would have wanted to read it or study it in high school. But at the same time, I watched A Clockwork Orange, even if very different.
Now for some spoilers. Of course, O'Brien would be on the Brotherhood. Of course it would be a way to trap, target and magnetize dissidents. How brilliant. Now, the question is, is there still another resistance beyond the fake resistance lead by Big Brother? And is Winston really completely empty inside? Playing chess and drinking alcohol at the coffee, not really talking to anyone, besides a few hours at work each week? What is still happening inside? There is still this fight. The fond memories with his mother. Of course, they are immediately delegated to doublethink, to fake memory, but there is this tension, still. Not to her, of course, after such torture. But still. Does everything that constitute him really disappear?
I understand why it is a classic and considered a necessary read. There is sadness. Because this has been real, is and will be, to some degrees, to some people. You know, the world, today. 4.5 stars
English
I'm totally devastated and pleased at the same time! This book is a masterpiece.
Español
¡Estoy totalmente devastada y complacida al mismo tiempo! Este libro es una obra maestra.
How does one go about reviewing this book? A book which has had so much already written about it?
How do I find myself having only just read this book? I have read a reasonable amount of Orwell, but until now, not this book. I have nearly read it a few times, but for whatever reasons I gave myself, chose something else.
I will say only that it is an incredibly relevant book. We see a phenomenon in the world where people believe things that are are simply not true. In the USA, Trump only flirted with the most minimal of truths, and his cry of ‘Fake News'. Anti-vaxxers, chemtrail looneys, QAnon. The ability for a country to control the information that its people receive - stand up China, and North Korea.
These things make this book relevant.
The following two excerpts I found particularly powerful.
“Did I not tell you just now that we are different from the persecutors of the past? We are not content with negative obedience, not even with the most abject submission. When finally you surrender to us, it must be of your own free will. We do not destroy the heretic because he resists us: so long as he resists us we never destroy him. We convert him, we capture his inner mind, we reshape him. We burn all evil and all illusion out of him; we bring him over to our side, not in appearance, but genuinely, heart and soul. We make him one of ourselves before we kill him. It is intolerable to us than an erroneous thought should exist anywhere in the world, however secret and powerless it may be. Even in the instant of death we cannot permit any deviation. In the old days the heretic walked to the stake still a heretic, proclaiming his heresy, exulting in it. Even the victim of the Russian purges could carry rebellion locked up in his skull as he walked down the passage waiting for the bullet. But we make the brain perfect before we blow it out. “-“Do not imagine you will save yourself, Winston, however completely you surrender to us. No one how has gone astray is ever spared. And even if we chose to let you live out the natural term of your life, still you would never escape from us. What happens to you here is for ever. Understand that in advance. We shall crush you down to the point from which there is no coming back. things will happen to you from which you could not recover, if you lived a thousand years. Never again will you be capable of love, or friendship, or joy of living, or laughter, or curiosity, or courage, or integrity. You will be hollow. We shall squeeze you empty, and then we shall fill you with ourselves.”-“He who controls the past controls the future. He who controls the present controls the past.”
We are introduced to Winston, a party member of the Big Brother Party, and he works in the ministry of records. This is where they totally erase any mentions of past allies, vaporized traitors, and any facts that went against the Party's “facts.” I was going to make a joke about Trump and his alternative facts, but this isn't the case with Big Brother. Those facts are simply the true ones and anything else in the contrary is a lie.
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