good luck. hopefully you'll enjoy this more than me

seems like almost everyone else really likes it.... i'm not really feeling it though!

Nope I tried it a looooooooooooong time ago and I can honestly say I didn't like it. I think if you read it in a class it must be cool to discuss what happens but by yourself it just kind of sucks.

agreed

Oh. My. God. Does this book ever end?!?!!?!?

Kristy, you bring up some interesting points about classics and how some people feel the need to "like" these works of literature. I will tell you, there are some classics that just aren't for me. Give me a YA book instead and I'm a happy girl. Not embarrassed to admit that.

However, this book... I gave 4 stars, not because I thought it was up my alley, more like because it left a lasting impression for me.

It really gave me the creeps that somoene over 60+ years ago could draw such a daunting picture of society gone wrong in more ways than one and present it in a way that's almost plausible to the world we live in now with the whole Big Brother/voyeuristic practices that currently exist.

Imagine a society with no existence of privacy, preservation of history, or freedom of thought, words or feelings... is it possible? I sure hope not, but Orwell scared the beejeezuz outta me with his portrayal of a messed up society.

Sorry this book wasn't for you. Personally, I wish I never read it because I don't need more stuff to worry about. LOL

But like you, it did take me a while to get through it, but not because I didn't like it. Small doses worked better for me. hahaha

Sorry for the ramble, but I really see your point about owning the fact if you just don't care for a classic. Own it! :)

I know what you mean about the lasting impression, it is a truely haunting book. I don't think the book is garbage, it's just not one that I enjoyed reading.
I think it would make a good movie; the story itself was not bad, I think it's his writing style that I just don't like.

I would not recommend this to someone, but on the other hand I would not want to discourage one from reading it.
This might be one of those books i like better in a couple of days... i just finished it this morning!

I tried reading this book about 5 times (or more, I lost count to be honest) now and I still haven't been able to finish it. I am going to one day.

Arlene, reading is supposed to be fun. I hate people who act like being a 'good' reader means you should have read Dostojevski, Tolstoj, or Dickens. Preferably at a very young age. Because only then you are also a 'smart' reader.

*eyeroll*

"I hate people who act like being a 'good' reader means you should have read Dostojevski, Tolstoj, or Dickens. Preferably at a very young age. Because only then you are also a 'smart' reader."

That's what I should have said instead of my rambling review :)

So true! Reading is suppose to be fun.

My reading preferences change from time to time. Sometimes I'm in a mood for a grown up fiction, most of the time it's YA, never in the mood for a mystery but I will admit that I read classics because I almost feel like I "have" to... being an avid reader. People know I read alot, but when they ask me... have you read War & Peace? I mumble no. What about Little Women... more mumbling... not yet, but I have it on my shelf! Have you read all of Jane Austen's works?? My response is Persuassion was great! Then they end with... well what DO you read? Ugh!!

So I guess I try to read about 5 or so classics a year to build my credibility as an avid reader...lame reasoning... I know, but I'm just being honest.

same here Arlene!! Some of them turn out to be suprisingly good though, you really never know.

I think i'm on book 104 this year and I believe 15-20 have been classics or non-fiction. I believe you can't just stick to one genre or you will get bored!

i think some books are out of place past it's time. i had to read it in high school around 1984...and at that time it was thought provoking...now, looking back 25 years later...well...

I've read 1984 twice, once with a class, and I'm glad I read it. I didn't exactly enjoy it, as a matter of fact I may be mentally scarred, but I thought it was an extremely valuable read.

I'm still in school, so I have to read about a classic a month, and I'm kind of glad the teachers make me read them. Although I don't always enjoy the books, I usually always find the value in them in the end.

Look. Just because someone says that they like/enjoyed a well known book doesn't mean that they are lying just to sound smart and well-read. Maybe they did genuinely enjoy it. Obviously contrary to your sadly deluded beliefs, just because their opinion is different from yours doesn't make them a liar. And if you hated this book THAT much, then why did you continue to read it? So that when people referenced it you would seem smart and well-read, when in reality you forced yourself through it for the sake of fitting in with literary society?

It's not true that just because you did not like this book, the rest of the world hates it too. I don't think that a lot of people say they like certain books just because they think they should. Have you ever thought of the possibility that all those other people truly liked the book and that maybe people can have other opinions than you do? I honnestly think it was an amazing, interesting, exciting and well-written novel, which I enjoyed a lot.