Warning! The following review contains humor. However, as far as the triumvirate of classic dystopian science fiction goes.1984 is still the undisputed champ. Plus, it is short enough that the stale boring segments aren't too tortuous to get through. It's important book and there is much brilliance here. I could just have easily summed it up by just saying.īottom-line, I think this is a book that should be read. It was a test of endurance to get through this portion of the book, so I'm being generous when I give it a weak 2.0 to 2.5 stars. Sorry, this just did not strike me as a big enough payoff for this dry, plodding section. The only purpose of this long, long.LONG section seems to be to allow the reader to see Bernard Marx do a complete 180 in his views on the society once he finds himself in the role of celebrity by virtue of his relationship with John the savage. Throughout this entire portion of the book, all I kept thinking was. THE BAD/AWFUL - I thought the middle of the book including both the trip to the 'reservation' and John's initial return to London was a sleeping pill and felt disconnected from the rest of the narrative. Thus, a superior 4.5 to 5.0 stars for this portion of the book. This last chapter/ending of the book, while abrupt, was masterful and struck the proper chord with the overall theme of the book. I also thought the final 'debate' near the story's climax between John (the 'savage') and Mustapha Mond, the World Controller, was exceptional. Now, long jumping to the end of the novel. This was easily the best part of the novel for me, and Huxley's mass production-based society of enforced hedonism and anti-emotion was very compelling. The reader gets a crash course in world and its history in a way that fit nicely into the flow of the narrative without ever feeling forced. This was as good a use of infodumping exposition as I had come across in some time and I was impressed both with the content and delivery method. We learn of the cloning/birthing process, the caste system and the fundamental tenets upon which the society is organized. The narrative device employed by Huxley of having the Director of Hatchery and Conditioning provide a walking tour to students around the facility as a way to knowledge up the reader on the societal basics was perfect. THE REALLY GOOD/EXCELLENT - I loved the first third of the book in which the basic outline of the 'Brave New World' and its devalued, conveyer belt morality is set forth. In the end, the wowness and importance of the novel's ideas as well as the segments that I thoroughly enjoyed carried the book to a strong 3.5 star rating. I need to parse my rating of this book into the good (or great), the bad and the very fugly because I thought aspects of it were inspired genius and parts of it were dreggy, boring and living near the border of awful.

Brave new world barnes and noble