1984 by George Orwell
Ok, so I just read it and I am old and have a graduate degree. When y'all were reading it in high school, I was reading the De Anima and the Summa Theologiae. So there.
After reading the first three sections, I had to admit several points. One, this was much better than I expected. Two, Orwell had an amazing imagination/vision. Three, its probably a book that people who read it when they are young should re-read when they are older.
After finishing the book, I re-read sections to really cement the book in my memory. I do feel that Orwell did obsess a bit much about sex in the book. I mean, I do see what he was presenting, but it also caused me to consider Orwell as somewhat repressed or a deviant. Anyway, the last section of the book (after the paperweight is broken) doesn't impress me too much. It gets quite preachy and seems to linger and stall. The ending becomes rather expected and flat. For this reason, I knocked off a star. Make no mistake, I "get it," but the writing/story is weaker at the end. (By the way, the paperweight thing throughout the story was interesting and neat. A good focal point for the story that doesn't pull away too much from the story, but adds a small detail to help the main character.)
However much should be made of the arrest scene. When the telescreen repeats Winston and Julia's words, I was chilled. That scene is definitely one of the creepiest scenes I have ever read at all - ever. Very cool.
4 / 5 stars
After reading the first three sections, I had to admit several points. One, this was much better than I expected. Two, Orwell had an amazing imagination/vision. Three, its probably a book that people who read it when they are young should re-read when they are older.
After finishing the book, I re-read sections to really cement the book in my memory. I do feel that Orwell did obsess a bit much about sex in the book. I mean, I do see what he was presenting, but it also caused me to consider Orwell as somewhat repressed or a deviant. Anyway, the last section of the book (after the paperweight is broken) doesn't impress me too much. It gets quite preachy and seems to linger and stall. The ending becomes rather expected and flat. For this reason, I knocked off a star. Make no mistake, I "get it," but the writing/story is weaker at the end. (By the way, the paperweight thing throughout the story was interesting and neat. A good focal point for the story that doesn't pull away too much from the story, but adds a small detail to help the main character.)
However much should be made of the arrest scene. When the telescreen repeats Winston and Julia's words, I was chilled. That scene is definitely one of the creepiest scenes I have ever read at all - ever. Very cool.
4 / 5 stars