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Synopsis
It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. The year is 1984, and life in Oceania is ruled by the Party. Under the gaze of Big Brother, Winston Smith yearns for intimacy and love - "thought crimes" that, if uncovered, would mean imprisonment, or death. But Winston is not alone in his defiance, and an illicit affair will draw him into the mysterious Brotherhood and the realities of resistance. Nineteen Eighty-Four has been described as chilling, absorbing, satirical, momentous, prophetic and terrifying. It is all these things, and more. The Authoritative Text. With an introduction by Robert Harris. *The jacket of this stunning hardback edition features period artwork by Elizabeth Friedlander, one of Europe's pre-eminent 20th-century graphic designers. Look out for complementary editions of Orwell's essential works Animal Farm and Down and Out in Paris and London .*
Tags
Is Nineteen Eighty-Four appropriate for my child?
Suitable for most readers 16 and up.
This classic novel contains an illicit sexual affair, psychological and physical torture, totalitarian state violence, and deeply disturbing themes of surveillance, manipulation, and erasure of identity — best suited for mature teens and adults.
What to know going in
This book has moderate violence, moderate sexual content, and moderate language. Content notes include torture, genocide, captivity, and mass death (see the full list above).
Who'll love this
A bleak but essential story about a man who dares to think freely in a world where the government controls everything — powerful but disturbing.