Date Finished: 14/04/2011
My Rating: 4/5
I have been struggling to decide what to write about Brave New World. I have now read the book twice, and without doubt have enjoyed it both times, however I just haven't been able to think of anything to say about it.
Set in a future where humans are not born, but genetically engineered to fit perfectly into their 'caste', be it the high performing Alphas or the 'semi-moron' Epsilons. They are conditioned from birth (although 'birth' is probably not the right word... er, conditioned from detachment from the machines, I guess), fear and unhappiness are pretty much a thing of the past. People don't question their lot in life, and if things do get too much they can always take a 'soma holiday', a drug-induced state without the come-down.
Introduce to this a 'savage', one actually born in the Indian reservation to a mother who got lost on a trip there. She has tried to condition her son as best she can, and with his arrival in the 'utopian' society you get the expected conflict between having an engineered, yet content(ish), society and a desire, and in fact need, for art, beauty, creativity and individualism.
Brave New World is definitely a 'thinker'. The style of writing flowed well for me, and I found it an easy read, although not so easy on my emotions, particularly with that ending!
So, who should read this book? Definitely one for those who like stories of a dystopian society, but I think it's a great book to read for anyone. It would be interesting to have read it when it was first published, not that this will help anyone that didn't, and then go back to it now and see just how the world has changed and what Huxley got right. In fact, it's a very interesting read anyway just to see exactly what he did get right.
Oh look. I did think of something to write about this book.
Next book: Vicky Angel, Jacqueline Wilson
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