"1984" by George Orwell

Winston Smith lives in a world ruled by fear.  Everyone fears their children who are trained as spies for the government. They fear the thought police. They fear emotion and even speaking. They fear being killed. Most of all, they fear The Party.

 In the city of London, country of Oceania, the year is 1984 – or so Winston thinks, he can’t quite remember the date. He does know that The Party rules Oceania, and he is an outer member working for the Ministry of Truth. His job is to keep information ‘up to date’. Sometimes this means manipulating the records of the amount of supplies distributed to make The Party seem generous. Other times, if people were vaporized, it’s Winston’s job to make them unpersons. He deletes them out of all records as if they never existed. Winston also alters the facts of history. So much history has been rewritten; no one knows what life was like before The Party existed.

Winston loathes The Party, but just like everyone else fears it. He never shows any emotion and never speaks unless he must. Anything could be seen as rebellion and anyone can report to the ever present thought police. But one day Winston buys a journal on the black market and begins writing. It’s against The Party, but he knows his punishment would be minimal. Stories and emotions slowly begin to fill the pages. At first he is so nervous he almost can’t write, but as he continues rebellion is sweet. His hatred of The Party gradually conquers his fear and his anti-Party actions increase in number and severity. 

I have never read anything quite like Orwell’s 1984. As a lover of young adult literature, dystopian novels have a special place in my heart, but this novel is nothing like the ones I have ever read. The society Orwell created is so fear based that no one ever talks; there is rarely dialogue. Yet, from the outsider’s view of Winston’s thoughts, a clear picture of the setting, society and time is painted.  Written in 1949, this novel predicted the future as Orwell saw it.  1984 gives readers the unique ability to compare a past prediction to what actually occurred. I found it extremely intriguing and highly recommend it!

Clare gives 1984 5 out of 5 carrots!

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"Persuasion" by Jane Austen

Jane Austen's last novel, though overshadowed by her other wonderful classics, is fully worthy of the highest praise. Anne Elliot is the unmarried heroine of the story, having been persuaded to deny her love her hand in marriage, due to class distinctions. Now a handsome naval officer, a resentful Captain Wentworth and Anne are brought back into the same social circle. Various love interests and crises spice the pages, which go by altogether too quickly.

Unique charaters make this novel the intriguing satire that it is. Proud Sir Walter Elliot, conniving Mrs. Clay and fickle Mary Musgrove are a few who make their appearances. Anne Elliot herself is described by her creater as "almost too good for me", according to every description of the book that I've read. The plot jaunts across England, from Lyme to Bath, and the latest news is never far behind. An intelligent commentary on England's gentry, it is moreover an artfully scripted lesson in love and true character.

Kerry gives it five out of five carrots!

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"A Clockwork Orange" by Anthony Burgess

I tried. I really tried. I just could not force myself to finish "A Clockwork Orange". I flinched my way though the opening chapters, squinting just long enough through the horrible scene in which the title is explained. At this point, I was thoroughly disgusted enough to promptly slam the book shut and push it away from me.

Granted, Burgess is portraying a dystopian world, in which droogs run amuk, drinking vellocet-laced milk and violating devotchas. It is supposed to be horrible. For my taste, it accomplishes this goal a little too intensely, but I'd imagine if you could stomach the violence easily enough it would be a good read. The book is quite creatively written in an inventive Russian-inspired slang, which at times is rather difficult to decipher but without which the emotive character of the book would be lost. For this sake of this interesting writing, I'll give the novel a second chance once the aftertaste has left me--though that might end up being quite some time.

However, don't let this scare you away from dystopia-inspired novels. "1984", by George Orwell, is one of my all-time favorites. Though for me personally, "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley doesn't hold a candle to "1984", I enjoyed reading it and know many friends have liked it just as much if not more than my beloved Orwell.

Kerry gives it 3 out of 5 carrots!

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"Lolita" by Vladimir Nabokov

Maybe I'm just too head over heels for any and all Russian writers. However, it seems to me that even a Russian novel would have to be extremely captivating to keep me up, reading all 336 pages in the wee hours of the night. Nobody writes like this anymore. This quality cannot be found in any modern romance; it's almost a lost art. I suppose I'm being a bit melodramatic...but this unique story worth getting all worked up over.

The characters are more than well-rounded and complete; they are fascinating. Throughout the book, you're never quite sure of whose side you're supposed to be taking, or who exactly is "the good guy". Refreshing and frustrating, it keeps you from hating the narrator Humbert Humbert, though he would normally be representative of a clearly evil character, a pedophile, and kidnaps a young "nymphet", Lolita. Nabokov spins their story, however, so that everything is seen in shades of gray rather than a distinct good and bad. It is still a love story, albeit a strange situation--but above all else, Humbert does love Lolita. And since when is love ever black and white?

Philosophy notwithstanding, the book is a classic for a reason. The first page will capture you completely, just as Lolita did Humbert. "Lo-lee-ta: the tip of the tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate to tap, at three, on the teeth. Lo. Lee. Ta."

Kerry gives "Lolita" five out of five carrots!

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