This book is one of those must reads and always recommended for a disturbing dystopian science fiction reading experience. So, after being in my TBR list for eons, I finally picked it up as the first read of 2022. And, I am happy to report that it is worth all the hype and heaps of praises bestowed upon it, over the years.

The story takes place in the dystopian future year of 1984 where almost all the world is divided into three regional powers and fighting for control of whatever is remaining unoccupied. The main protagonist- Winston Smith is citizen of one of these nation states called Oceania and presently residing in London. The London which we encounter here is quite different from the familiar one, much altered by Great Wars and then by constant battles in the regime of Ingsoc.

Ingsoc or English Socialism is the supreme power here and Big Brother is it’s Supreme Leader, omnipresent and mysterious. Big Brother is watching everything, hearing everything and knows everything that’s the ultimate truth for the people of Oceania. Ingsoc monitors the citizens day and night with different means and devices. It has mastery in breaking down the false memories of its citizens and this fate awaits to almost all of them sooner or later.

So, then what happens to Winston? Does his meeting with Julia and carrying a secret affair in such risky circumstances lead to his incrimination? Well, answering these questions will be giving away the crucial details of the storyline. But whatever happens to him and Julia is so heartbreaking that their pain captures readers in its grip.

When the author, George Orwell written this novel in 1949, the key concepts of social breakdown through socialist movement and people control by means of scientific knowledge were indeed controversial and ominous. What he imagined to be coming true in next 30 years , that is the rise of authoritarian regimes and technological advancement to control people’s mind, actually took a bit longer to materialise. In fact, all these dystopian predictions are coming true now. Therefore, it is no surprise that people are turning to this classic book once more.

This book is surely worth all the praises and hype. It is a must read in today’s uncertain times and I can’t recommend it enough. Although I have read it for the first time, still the way it has stayed with me, I think I will surely come back to it in few years down the line.