With Orwell being one of the 20th century's best known writers, most people are familiar with the basic principles of Animal Farm. There are a few commonly misunderstood impressions, however, that should be cleared up. This is not a book that criticises socialism - Orwell was actually an advocate of the system. What 'Animal Farm' does criticise, however, is Stalin's form of socialism. For those who don't know, Stalin led a revolution in Russia, with the aim of the people taking their country back from an oppressive government, and when he was successful, took over himself, and became just as oppressive as those he deposed. That is the true message of 'Animal Farm': ...  Read the complete review

...it was with these words, in February 1944, that George Orwell himself described the release of his latest book, a more belittling statement could not have been chosen to describe what was to become a stalwart of English political literature and the bane of students to this day. To quote from the author, “There is a farm, and the animals get fed up with the way the farmer runs it, so they chuck him out and try to run it themselves. But they run it just as badly as the farmer and become tyrants like him.” It one respect that does suffice as a summary of the plot as read at face value. A fairy tale story, straight out of Aesops fables. But this is George Orwell and there  Read the complete review

Yes, theediscerning is aware 22 other people have already given their opinions about Animal Farm on this site, but there is always time for a reminder where these things lie. If you always have a nagging doubt that you never read enough of the really "important", "famous", "classic" literature, then you may as well resolve to get this from the library and peruse. It serves all those spurious categories mentioned - although it is only a modern classic, being published first in 1945, but at less than 2 hours to read, you can only come out of the experience feeling you have done something worthwhile. That feeling might, of ...  Read the complete review

Animal Farm is one of the most widely read and known novels by George Orwell. It is studied by many, much to their dismay, as a text for English exams, or as an aid to the teaching of Russian history. It is a brilliant novel, which can be appreciated on many levels and by a variety of people. The Story… Animal Farm is primarily a satire of the Russian Communist revolution of 1917, and the subsequent rise of Stalin to power. This is done via the close connections and parallels to the key events in Russian history. However this is not the only correspondence to history, Animal Farm is, on a higher level, a representation of all dictatorships and ...  Read the complete review

George Orwell's Animal Farm is one of the twentieth century's seminal works of political fiction. A novel rich in ideas and colourful imagery, it effortlessly combines a fairy-tale narrative with brutal real world politics. In doing so, it delivers a message of dystopian inequity, upset and strife with chilling effect. The story is set on Manor Farm, later to become Animal Farm. A group of farm animals, inspired by the words of a spiritual leader, rise up against their oppressive, drunk owner, Mr Jones, and evict him from the farm, taking control of the facilities and production for themselves. For a brief period a utopian ideal is achieved, with all animals ...  Read the complete review