Take a photo of a barcode or cover
This felt like 1984 and handmaid's tale were put in a blender and the horror dial was set to an 11.
Obviously, this book follows Julia and her life in Oceania. We revisit familiar characters, and of course Winston Smith, and other concepts that Orwell left us: 2+2=5, room 101, rewriting history, newspeak, telescreens, big brother, etc etc etc. and I wasn't sure if and how the world would be expended beyond that.
And oh boy. This book left me more horrified than many of the horror books I typically read. The bleakness is akin to bleakness in movies like Children of Men and the Japanese movie Kairo (Pulse). The nightmares that Julia has, and are described so vividly, make the Saw movies comparatively tame. I'm using cinematic comparisons because this book is tremendously cinematic. The descriptions of horror linger and extend through every horrific detail. This is especially true of the 80% mark, when Julia is captured and tortured in the ministry of Love and experiences room 101. And what follows may well have broken my brain.
And the themes... oh how I love a good exploration of themes! In the feminist realm, there is a lot about reproductive coercion, maternal bonds, female friendships (and more than friendships), using sexuality to gain power, etc etc etc. but this book focuses most on the tension between Truth and Narrative, things Orwell explored almost a century ago and that continue to feel painfully relevant. The last few moments of this book are absolutely chilling in that regard, and I'll be thinking about this one for a while.
I try to be stingy with giving out five stars, but I can't imagine giving this retelling anything less. Colour me impressed. I'm so glad that the Orwell estate authorized this powerful counter-piece to the classic. Highly recommended if you enjoy female-centric dystopian/speculative fiction, have at least a cursory familiarity with the original book, and have a strong stomach for physical and psychological torture.
With that, I think it's time for my banana. (The mild spoiler here is that an Important Character looks forward to their daily banana)
I only have one question for the author: Brave New World retelling when??
Obviously, this book follows Julia and her life in Oceania. We revisit familiar characters, and of course Winston Smith, and other concepts that Orwell left us: 2+2=5, room 101, rewriting history, newspeak, telescreens, big brother, etc etc etc. and I wasn't sure if and how the world would be expended beyond that.
And oh boy. This book left me more horrified than many of the horror books I typically read. The bleakness is akin to bleakness in movies like Children of Men and the Japanese movie Kairo (Pulse). The nightmares that Julia has, and are described so vividly, make the Saw movies comparatively tame. I'm using cinematic comparisons because this book is tremendously cinematic. The descriptions of horror linger and extend through every horrific detail. This is especially true of the 80% mark, when Julia is captured and tortured in the ministry of Love and experiences room 101. And what follows may well have broken my brain.
And the themes... oh how I love a good exploration of themes! In the feminist realm, there is a lot about reproductive coercion, maternal bonds, female friendships (and more than friendships), using sexuality to gain power, etc etc etc. but this book focuses most on the tension between Truth and Narrative, things Orwell explored almost a century ago and that continue to feel painfully relevant. The last few moments of this book are absolutely chilling in that regard, and I'll be thinking about this one for a while.
I try to be stingy with giving out five stars, but I can't imagine giving this retelling anything less. Colour me impressed. I'm so glad that the Orwell estate authorized this powerful counter-piece to the classic. Highly recommended if you enjoy female-centric dystopian/speculative fiction, have at least a cursory familiarity with the original book, and have a strong stomach for physical and psychological torture.
With that, I think it's time for my banana. (The mild spoiler here is that an Important Character looks forward to their daily banana)
I only have one question for the author: Brave New World retelling when??