Reviews with content warning for Alcoholism - Animal Farm

A true work of genius. This is a story about how a totalitarian regime forms, in the simplest, purest form. And it is in the simplicity that the power of this story lies, I think. Because anyone, regardless of historical or geographical context, can read this story and see many world leaders behave just as the pigs do. It's easy to read, easy to understand and easy to see in the real world. And it's accurate. This is such an important story, I think everyone should read it.

Content Warnings

pey333's review against another edition

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dark reflective tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Content Warnings

katieplanet's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I "read" Animal Farm through a dramatized audio book by Steve Parker, which I highly recommend to anyone interested. It can be found free on YouTube here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oKznTu2hkE&pp=ygUbYW5pbWFsIGZhcm0gbm9TRlggYXVkaW9ib29r

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A satire on the corruption of communism, Animal Farm parodies real events in communist history such as the rise of Stalin and the original hopes and dreams of the communist ideal. Through corruption, manipulation, greed, and violence, Animal Farm's once perfect communist ideal is transformed into a dictatorship that leaves them worse off than before.

In reading Animal Farm, many misinterpret Orwell's novel, reading it as either a critique to communism or the inevitability of greed. Although Orwell touches on these points, I believe Orwell has greater message in Animal Farm, a warning that can be in 1984 as well. Orwell's true message is not to fear the oppressor, but to fear becoming a population that can be easily oppressed.

Orwell's work may hold the belief that greed and corruption are an inevitability, but the true danger lies in the passive, cowardly, and uninformed population which chooses to let is flourish. It is when we fail to take action against our oppressors, fail to bravely speak our minds against the masses, and let fear control our actions that we become a controllable population ripe for manipulation. Orwell warns us of the danger of, "Letting the beast grow" until one day it grows far too big for us oppose. Even worse, far too big to even see it for what it truly is.

Content Warnings

frondelka's review against another edition

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dark reflective tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Content Warnings

vibingjaren's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

It was an okay book. I had to read it for a class, but it did have me interested at some parts. Wish the ending was more exciting, but the ending makes sense for the story. Boxer deserved better.

Content Warnings

lethargicbat's review against another edition

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dark reflective tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Content Warnings

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