There is a good reason it's a classic (Nineteen Eighty-four - George Orwell)

Member Name: omarl

Product:	Nineteen Eighty-four - George Orwell
Date:	15/10/09 (13 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Brilliantly written

Disadvantages: Non

I first read Nineteen Eighty Four 17 years ago, and even after multiple readings it's power hasn't diminished.

First published in 1949, George Orwell tells the story of Winston Smith, an everyman living in a dystopian Britain in the year 1984, and his attempts to rebel against a totalitarian government headed by the all-seeing "Big Brother". It's staggering at times to think that notions such as a surveillance culture or war being used primarily as a means to generate fear would be concerns which a great number of people worry about now, more than 60 years after Orwell originally wrote about it.

As mentioned above, you can read parallells between events in the book and events taking place now but the main reason I hold this in such high regard is because Orwell creates such a fully formed world for the book to take place in, with characters you care about and you are able to lose yourself in this broken, chaotic world for a while. The only slight criticism would be the section where there is a book, within the book (without giving too much away) - although it develops the themes already in place, it doesn't really further the story. Having said that it is still brilliantly written!

If you haven't read Nineteen Eighty Four yet I sincerely recommend you give it a try.

Summary: My favourite book of all time.