How was it?

[Liz]

Did you like the book? Why/why not etc. Probably not a good idea to come here if you do not like spoilers...

[Liz]

I haven't quite finished yet - but that part where they are checking the basement really scared me! I think I held my breath the entire chapter...

[Liz]

Well I finally finished it. The last part was so sad! I can't tell you how much I cried.

I thought it was really clever the way the book would tell you things that were going to happen so that you'd let your gaurd down.

Like knowing Rudy was going to die then sending her Papa to war or when things you've been told come to pass - like seeing Max in the march and Rudy in the rubble.

It was so unfair though wasn't it, the way everyone was taken from her - I mean, I knew Rudy was going to die but then taking away her Mama and Papa as well was just devastating!

This was a book where I got very emotionally attached to the characters.

[Liz]

Well I just finished 1984 and I loved it! I think it has a lot to do with Orwell’s writing style, it's so timeless. Except for a few words and situations here and there, I didn't think it read like it was written in '49.

I just thought it was great! Part one sort of threw you into this bleak empty world with these hollow people who have nothing to cling to, then in part two Winston starts this love affair which is so real after so much nothing, and then part three was so intense! I was devastated when they got caught - I couldn't believe it was that nice old man (though I probably should have seen it coming...). I had to look away or close the book for a second at certain parts (is anyone else like that? I also gasp a lot when I read - which isn't good on the train).

When O'Brian first appeared I was so confused, like is he just here because he has to keep up his 'party identity'? Then you find he had known all along - it was horrible!
When he was interrogating him and talking about power I just wanted Winston to yell what's the point?! What's the point of having power over people who are nothing? That's just power over nothing!
Then room 101 - I kept thinking what would be in my room? But I know - it would be needles! I'd probably have a heart attack or pass out from hyperventilating! I wonder what was in Julia's room 101?

Then the ending. They just took everything from him! Everything! Before he was released he kept holding on to the idea that in the end they would kill him but he would still hate big brother and still have Julia hidden in his heart, so they would have lost in a small way. But in the end he couldn't even hold onto that.

I should have known he was defeated when he had that memory of his mother - earlier his last memory of her was him being greedy and selfish then returning to an empty home. Then he has this memory of a happy afternoon (probably one of the very, very few) and he just dismisses it as soon as it comes - the real Winston would have clung to that with all he had before, but he just threw it away.

Although it was depressing, I really loved it (as is probably evident from my rant...).

[Madi]

I finished 1984 the other day, but had not yet posted my ideas on it. So your lovely rant shall be my motivation.

I loved it, the storyline was amazing and I could not stop reading it. The concept of the war being used to keep the entire population under control gave me shivers and i could not help but imagine the future turning out that way. When the children were introduced I was reminded of the Hitler youth in Nazi Germany and the total control over every aspect of Winston’s life disturbed me.

Another aspect of the party’s control that interested me was the “newspeak” and the way that, by taking away the use of words. They could further control the thoughts and actions of the people they were trying to control.

The love affair in the little room was beautiful and the gradual opening of Winston’s mind to everything made me hope for a happy ending for him and Julie and, But then it was ripped away and I realised just how attached I had become to Winston and that I wanted him to succeed against the party.

Throughout the torture in room 101 I was expecting Winston to escape or somehow overcome O’Brian and when it ended and he was left with nothing I had to re-read the last paragraphs a couple of times to make sure that I wasn’t mistaken.

This book made me think about the future and although it was a rather bleak and desolate future to see, I still loved the book and would recommend it to anyone.

[Liz]

Yeah I thought the same about room 101. It was horrible when they broke him.

[Liz]

I'm so glad someone else liked it! I didn't really like the part where he was reading the book though, because it kind of read like an essay like 'explain how war is peace' etc.

[Liz]

I finished the hunger games last night and I really enjoyed it! I didn't like it at the beginning but I really got into it after part two.

The end of the games was so horrible though! With the werewolf-like people and them slowly killing Cato. It was awful. They should have thrown a berry in there for him, though he probably couldn't move.

Books that have societies like this really make me angry. You know when the rich can do whatever they want to the poor? In fact, anywhere that has a society like this.

I felt so bad for Peeta at the end because I really like him. I hope that she would choose him over Gale because I think that would be really unexpected.

I ordered the next book and can't wait to read it!

[Liz]

I think I could read anything George Orwell spat out. I'm going on a search for his books. I've only read two, but I just love his style. I want to read them all!

Books are as subjective as music I suppose, so everyone has different tastes.

I'm glad I was able to get past the way the hunger games was written because it really didn't matter in part two - or maybe it was so suited to pace of part two that I didn't have a problem with it anymore.

I liked 1984 better though, I just really got into it, but I can definitely see why some would find it boring.

[Liz]

Yes! The book reading was definitely the worst part! I thought it read like an essay, but that was the only problem I had with the book.

I haven't read battle royale but I always wanted to see that movie...

[Liz]

I finished uglies on my holiday a while back - what did you guys think of it?

I was quite interested in it at the time but looking back I'd say it's only alright, but I think that's because the book left me with a sort of 'to be continued...' ending which I generally do not like. I liked all the characters though and the world and the people seem interesting but the more I think about the book the more I realised nothing really happened. Also I feel like they flipped on Shay's character - before going to the smoke she seemed pretty smart and perceptive, then when she met up with her again she seemed so naive...

I'm interested enough to read the next one though.