Book Review: Nineteen Eighty-Four

1984, George Orwell

Well, I can honestly say I'm glad I read it and I'm glad I purchased it (because classics on the shelf are just always a good thing). However, I can't guarantee I'll read it again, at least until maybe my kids have to read it in school or something. Let me explain:

Just in case you were born in a box, 1984 by George Orwell is a dystopian society in 1984, written in 1949. In fact, I'd say it's a bit of a stretch classifying it as a dystopia genre book because there is nothing even remotely Utopian about it. The scene is dismal, depressing, and dis-heartening. Not a feel good book at all.

On that note, however, I would call this book a "Must-Read," just because it's a classic, extremely well-written, and ultimately asks a lot of good questions regarding government's role in our lives (as well as a number of other themes, but that one in particular stood out to me). The other neat thing about reading this "dystopia" is that the projected date of this societal breakdown has already happened, so it was neat to consider how "right" Orwell was.

Overall, I'm going to have to give this

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

but that's because even though the writing was really, really great, I just have no desire to read it again anytime soon. Sad stuff!