The book has moments that pose considerable challenges for the reader. I picked it up out of curiosity, and I have to say there were times I felt like my boots were stuck in the mud. Although I am not a huge admirer of the book, I can understand how the provocative ideas resound in a contemporary world. That being said, I’m torn as to whether you need to read the book at all, given its extreme popularity. I’m fairly certain a SparksNotes version would give enough context without having to slog through rough parts of the book. The characters are lackluster at best, the writing is not great, and the strength of the book lies in its political commentary. In fact, if I pretend this is not a book, put a political essay, the writing makes a lot more sense. That’s not to say it’s not provocative; quite the opposite, actually. Its depth of understanding of the human and political condition can hold its own against anything contemporary.

It goes further than straight authoritarianism, probing deeper into the mechanics of power and control. Manipulation, marketing, and messaging infiltrate the psyche, affecting truth and identity. A society precariously balanced on lies and surveillance, Orwell shows that while tyrannical power is effective in maintaining said structures, it is also very afraid of that which is wants to control: the masses. Dehumanization works until it doesn’t, and history’s sheer volume of peasant revolts plays this out again and again. Yes, we’ve made some additions to the themes that aren’t there in order to relate the book to our current socioeconomic situation, but overall, it’s really not that big of a leap.

Still, despite the timelessness of the book and my understanding of its importance, I can’t get past the writing. I wouldn’t blame you for getting the condensed point-form version.

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Created Apr 05, 2024 at 2:10pm • Submit your own review...