1984 - George Orwell

1984

ByGeorge Orwell

  • Release Date: 2013-09-03
  • Genre: Classics
Score: 4.5
4.5
From 346 Ratings

Description

75th ANNIVERSARY EDITION

“Orwell saw, to his credit, that the act of falsifying reality is only secondarily a way of changing perceptions. It is, above all, a way of asserting power.”—The New Yorker

In 1984, London is a grim city in the totalitarian state of Oceania where Big Brother is always watching you and the Thought Police can practically read your mind. Winston Smith is a man in grave danger for the simple reason that his memory still functions. Drawn into a forbidden love affair, Winston finds the courage to join a secret revolutionary organization called The Brotherhood, dedicated to the destruction of the Party. Together with his beloved Julia, he hazards his life in a deadly match against the powers that be.

Lionel Trilling said of Orwell’s masterpiece “1984 is a profound, terrifying, and wholly fascinating book. It is a fantasy of the political future, and like any such fantasy, serves its author as a magnifying device for an examination of the present.” Though the year 1984 now exists in the past, Orwell’s dystopian classic remains an urgent call for the individual willing to speak truth to power.

Reviews

  • Great read

    5
    By PapiLosPollo
    Read it. It’s a good book.

  • Drifting mind game

    4
    By Turbofats
    A long wonder to a world like today. I hope it’s not us but could be soon. Almost too ethereal for me.

  • HIGH 4

    4
    By Brian LeClair
    Part I:
    All time great world building. I love how every single detail of the story is built in and ties back to the greater themes of the book. Orwell is able to cultivate such a vivid world that is so easily understood by the reader. I also enjoyed how Orwell evolved Winston's disillusionment with the Party. It is clear that he starts the book more annoyed and frustrated, and is turned into a more outright hater of everything the party stands for.

    Part II:
    I did NOT expect so much of this book to be such an interesting love story. The way Julia is introduced and brought into the story was so enthralling and I really enjoyed how it plays out. I also like how she is so obviously the smarter and more cunning of the two. That being said, this part of the book had easily my two least favorite parts. First, the line about Winston wanting to rape Julia was insane. I understand the dichotomy of Winston's feelings for her when she is first mentioned. Orwell is trying to show he hates her but also kind of loves her (at least how she looks). However, he straight up says "I wanted to rape you". I don't think I need to further explain why that rubs me the wrong way. Similarly, the need for Orwell to spend so much time on the age difference between the couple was weird. It is a pretty irrelevant detail that is brought up time and time again, sometimes in a sexual way that is gross. Yes, they have different perspectives on the Party and their way of living under it. However, that is something that doesn't need an age difference to explain. And that definitely isn't a good excuse for the author talking about how young Julia's naked body is. Both of these small details are minor and are ultimately unnecessary and not worth it. I can't help but feel Orwell let his own weird feelings about younger women drive the inclusion of these small details.

    Part III:
    The end of this book did not go the way I foresaw. Part of me really felt like I was going to get an action packed rebel story about how Winston and Julia worked towards the fall of the Party. However, this book isn't like the Hunger Games books I grew up on. There is no happy ending. And I am glad that there isn't because it makes all of the themes of the book feel that much more dangerous.

  • Forever relevant classic

    4
    By Akillies the Demigod
    A sad reminder of the lengths that people will go through to obtain and keep power despite displaying the blunt hypocrisy in their every statement

  • Every Literate person should read this book

    5
    By Nernemsaa.G
    A must read for the societal intellectual.

More by George Orwell

About "1984"

Explore 1984 by George Orwell on eBooksStore by Arnlweb. Discover book details, reader ratings, reviews, release information, genres, and related digital books available through the iTunes Store.

This book is part of our growing collection of bestselling eBooks, popular digital reading materials, and trending author releases. Readers can explore similar books, discover new authors, and browse related genres including fiction, romance, mystery, fantasy, business, self-help, educational books, and more.

Our platform helps readers discover highly rated digital books optimized for smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktop devices. Browse fast-loading book pages, reader reviews, and popular recommendations from bestselling authors worldwide.

Why Readers Explore This Book

  • Detailed book information
  • Reader ratings and reviews
  • Popular author collections
  • Related digital books
  • Mobile-friendly reading discovery
  • Fast-loading book pages
  • Trending eBook recommendations

Popular Reading Categories

  • Fiction & Literature
  • Business & Finance
  • Romance & Drama
  • Mystery & Thriller
  • Fantasy & Adventure
  • Educational eBooks
  • Self-Help & Motivation