Book reviews

1984
George Orwell Book Review

Read a book review online (click here to search reviews)
Books Movies  
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Mystery/Thriller Literature Romance Biography Video
George Orwell Books
New book search
George Orwell Message Board
Get more information about this book
Plot Summary of 1984
"This book is about a supposedly socialist government that is more totalitarian. Big Brother and the Thought Police constantly monitor all citizens of Oceania with telescreens, and if people oppose the party, they will be killed, therefore ceasing to ever exist and becoming "unpersons." The Party controls the past, present, and future as they alter historical records and effectively brainwash the population. The plot focuses around Winston Smith and the woman he later falls in love with--Julia--as they begin to realize the truth, quietly defy the Party in any small ways they can, and eventually must struggle against the most terrible brainwashing of all."
Six Madine, Resident Scholar

"1984 was without a doubt, George Orwell's most profound novel. Through a very descriptive "worst case scenario" Orwell presents to the reader the possibility of an "unchecked government" and what freedoms will be lost.

"

Anthony Selbe, Resident Scholar

"The main character and the rest of the continent is controlled by The Party, which is controlled by Big Brother. The main character does his best to harm The Party, meeting a women who has the same ideas. He ends up getting captured, and The Party makes him change his mind. Rats!"
blaksun, Resident Scholar

"This dystopian novel describes Winston Smith's rebellion against the totalitarian "socialist" society of the fictional country of Oceania, set in London. With vague references to an underground anti-government community (the "Brotherhood"), help from some lower-class (proles) and upper-class (Party members) citizens, and some unexpected persons, Winston attempts to stay alive while betraying and rebelling against the Party."
Eugene Kim, Resident Scholar

"1984 is about the future, which was created by George Orwell's imagination, and it is about what would happen in the future if the Communists were allowed to rule.
1984 is the story about a Communist rule where whatever you do is seen by Big Brother and his secret police. There is even a Thought Police which know all your thoughts. There was a man named Winston who doesntt like the Communists at all. He buys a diary from an antique store (note: diaries were forbidden and keeping them was punishable by death) and he smuggles it into his apartment.
In his apartment, there is a video camera where the police could see everything that he was doing. But there was one corner in his one room apartment where the video camera couldn't see him and this was where Winston wrote in his diary. He wrote Down with Big Brother! Which he knew was all in vain because he knew that Big Brother would always rule.
Winston then meets a girl named Julia who is part of the police. They fall in love and eventually get married. But such things are not acceptable by the government or society.
They get caught and they are separated and beaten until they believe that Big Brother is always right.
Someone who was supposed to be his friend beats Winston until Winston becomes to be insane. Somehow, the beating affects Winston in a way that he hates Julia now and not only thinks that Big Brother is right but that he loves Big Brother."

alisa, Resident Scholar

"Winston Smith is a low-level government employee, writing phony news articles for the totalitarian society of Airstrip One, a province of Oceania.

Winston, against the law of the dictator Big Brother, falls in love with the young woman Julia and has an adulterous relationship with her, and he seeks aid from the seemingly friendly O'Brien.

He is arrested by the Thought Police for his crime, and he is placed in a prison chamber in the Ministry of Love, and is tortured in Room 101, the place where there is no darkness."

Adam, Resident Scholar

"Big Brother and the thought police have control. Winston Smith, an above average writer is placed in a world of double speak where the words of the english language are being wittled down to the point where thought itself is being infantized along with the language. Winston is tempted to stray from his accepted place in society in order to pursue not only a love affair but also the possibility of freedom. The thought police have other ideas.

When captured, Winston is tortured on a cerebral level, trapped by his own words and again tortured on a physical level. His physical health is restored when his cerebral health has broken. He learns to enjoy, with the renewal of his physical health, the new state of mind in a state of politic where the citizen itself is considered a domestic threat to Big Brother.
"

Kevin, Resident Scholar

"Winston Smith is an average forty something man living and working in a totalitarian system where each and every person (except for the poor folk, aka proles) live under, and are constantly watched by Big Brother a symbol of fear and respect. Children are evil little brats who spy and tell on dissenters, who are then sent to the Ministry of Love for reeducation.

Smith questions and ponders his society and is rewarded by meeting up with a young girl called Julia, whom he has a love affair with, and who both, together, attempt to join the rebels against Big Brother and evade capture by the Thought Police, who investigate traitors of Big Brother."

Nico Self, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of 1984
Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 38.6%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 42.9%




Tone of book - cynical or dry-wit
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - alternate history
Repressive society story Yes
Repressive because: - controls your mind - strict rationing of freedoms/goods
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Who's a slave/repressed? - humans are slaves of other humans

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Age: - 20's-30's - 40's-50's
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events? Yes
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters

Main Adversary
Identity: - an organization
Profession/status: - dictator
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor

Setting
Earth setting: - 20th century
Takes place on Earth? Yes

Style
Person? - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - explicit references to torture
scientific jargon? (SF only) - none/very little science jargon needed
Sex in book? Yes
What kind of sex: - vague references only
How much dialogue? - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
Most similar books to 1984
American Empire: The Victorious Opposition by Harry Turtledove
The Plot Against America by Philip Roth
The Man In The High Castle by Philip K. Dick
Freedom Lost by Edward J. Kleinschmidt
K is for Killing by Daniel Easterman


Click here for more information about this book


George Orwell Resident Scholar Profiles

TOP SCHOLAR:
  
Nico Self  

SCHOLARS:
Kevin  Adam  alisa  Eugene Kim  Anthony Selbe  


Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
Three ways to search for Science Fiction books!

1) One-click plot searches! Simply click on a plot or subplot below!

Animal Story

Clones

Coming of age

Cultural problems, alien culture

Explore/1st contact/ enviro story

Family relations

GIANT monster(s)

Horror story?

Inner Struggle

Lifeform altered?

Mental/magical powers focus

Parody

Political power play

Religious overtones?

Repressive society story

Robots, Computers, VR

Romance

Spying & Investigations

Tech./$$$/Info hunt

Time Travel story?

Training/Apprent.

War or Invasion



or 2) Simple lookup
(title or author)

or
3) Even more search options available with a Detailed Booksearch (click here)

Use our site!
17 FREE Sci-Fi Ebooks!
FREE "How to be happy" Ebook!
Feedback


Most recent discussions:

General Book Talk
Book writing discussion
Off-topic message board
Suzanne Weyn 10:35:23 PM
George W. Bush 5:33:46 PM
Kin Platt 12:58:29 AM
Anonymous 12:47:34 PM
Lilian Jackson Braun 10:05:52 PM
Jane Rubino 10:04:38 PM
LaVyrle Spencer 10:04:00 PM
G.A. McKevett 10:03:31 PM
David Williams 10:03:01 PM
Steven Pressfield 10:02:30 PM
Jeanette Walls 10:00:19 PM
Darryl Ponicsan 9:59:27 PM
Ann Rinaldi 9:58:30 PM
R.L. Stine 9:57:34 PM
Geoffrey Huntington 9:57:14 PM
Betty Mahmoody 9:56:38 PM
Deric Longden 9:56:11 PM
Mary Downing Hahn 9:55:48 PM
Iris Johansen 9:55:24 PM
Marlo Morgan 9:54:58 PM

More message boards