Fahrenheit 451 in Pick-a-Shelf

Jan 14, 2010 BJ Rose rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, loaned-to-me, futuristic, sci-fi, social-issues

Is this a straightforward message about the horrors that can arise if there is total government control, or a cautionary tale about unintended consequences - or is it both?

In the Author's Afterword of this book, Bradbury talked about the various faces of censorship. He said that there's more than one way to burn a book, including editing and revising to try to please everyone. And he depicts this in the story by talking about how books were first burned by minorities who objected to something in ...more

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Sep 21, 2009 Sam rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction, proper-books, books-about-books, classics

I'm completely torn by this book, it depressed me, angered me, tormented me, pleased me and cheered me up. The opening line of 'it's a pleasure to burn' starts you off on a journey through a literature-less society that is dominated by noise and light powered 'entertainment' that runs 24/7 that is streamed into people's homes through the walls themselves. Although the basic premise of this book is quite simplistic it's implications for society are complex, far-reaching and utterly crucial. The l ...more

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Dec 26, 2018 GracieKat rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audible

Ah, Ray Bradbury. We meet again. As I mentioned in our recent Top Ten Tuesday I've had an indifference/hate relationship with Ray Bradbury. Oddly he's an author that I prefer to listen to rather than read, I started Fahrenheit 451 a while ago but didn't get very far into it. So I tried it again with Lilyn to coach me through the rough spots. I managed to finish it this time. I can say that I'm happy to have read it, but as I mentioned in our Top Ten, I can't say that I will read it again.

First, Ah, Ray Bradbury. We meet again. As I mentioned in our recent Top Ten Tuesday I've had an indifference/hate relationship with Ray Bradbury. Oddly he's an author that I prefer to listen to rather than read, I started Fahrenheit 451 a while ago but didn't get very far into it. So I tried it again with Lilyn to coach me through the rough spots. I managed to finish it this time. I can say that I'm happy to have read it, but as I mentioned in our Top Ten, I can't say that I will read it again.

First, the good. When Ray Bradbury is on he can really paint a picture. It's almost like poetry. Some of his descriptions are very vivid. Like The Hound. It was so creepy sounding. The way its hunting apparatus is described is nothing short of terrifying. Putting in a person's chemical signature so it can hunt them down, specifically? Holy hell. The world was built well enough. It was enough to picture what it looked like and how it functioned but not so overly described that it was dull. If the focus of the book is not the political minutia then I could care less about it. Some of it was also a bit eerily accurate.

Now, the bad. Bradbury's dialogue is always so...off. It never sounds like real people speaking to each other. I can't say that I liked the characters very much. Clarisse was a straight up Manic Pixie Dream Girl if I've ever seen one with no resolution or answers to her character. Mildred, oh my Cthulhu, Mildred. She was one of the most annoying characters I've come across. I haven't read but three of Bradbury's works but sometimes I wonder if he's ever interacted with a human woman. Ever. Montag, in my opinion, is pretty unlikable as well. After his 'awakening' he gets pretty high and mighty about it. Way too self-righteous for my taste. He also doesn't act very logically at times. A lot of it has to do with major plot points so I won't spoil it. Let's just say that a lot of the time I wanted to give him a Bobby "You ijit!" speech.

The plot meandered quite a bit. I honestly can't say the book riveted me. The ending didn't thrill me at all. It seemed so flat. That might seem weird given the ending but it seemed more like he was just like, "I'm done writing so this is the end." As far as the Audible reading goes, Tim Robbins is a fairly decent reader. The narration and Montag were done well. Clarisse wasn't too bad but again...Mildred. I get her character is supposed to be very out of it but the way Tim Robbins narrated her was so horrid. She sounded like a whiny five year old Valley Girl. It was almost painful to listen to.

As I said up top, I'm glad to have read it but I doubt that I ever will again. So, I'm sorry Mr. Bradbury but here is where we part ways.

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Dec 01, 2009 Andrea rated it liked it

Interesting book! I had to read this one for my class, but did enjoy it! Once you reflect back after you read, and realize the date this was written and the story line, it makes it that much more fascinating. I don't want to say too much, for I feel it will give too much away! ...more

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