Brave New World

This book has been on my reading list for years, but I've finally managed to read it. Feels like a major achievement when you can tick a book off your reading list. Brave New World is one of those super famous books that nearly everyone has heard of, even if they haven't actually read it. So I guess you could say that I had high expectations. And it's always a wonderful feeling when your expectations are met.

Brave New World is so very, very good. It's one of those books that just stay with you for ages afterwards because it gives you so much to think about. The most notable thing about the plot is the way society has changed into a scary, social class focused nightmare. No body has children anymore, instead babies are formed in test tubes, so words like 'mother' and 'father' have become taboo. People are encouraged to have multiple relationships and children are raised in factory like settings. Indoctrination is rife, hallucinogenic drugs are commonplace, and genetic engineering plays a major role in the structure of society.

I found the plot intoxicating. The ideas that Huxley presents of the future are both clever and frightening at the same time. His description of the way people are 'born' in the future shocked and angered me, but also fascinated me in a purely scientific way. I initially thought the writing style was a little strange because it's not particularly sophisticated. But, after reading the novel, I do have to admit that the writing style works well considering the main themes of the novel and the pace of the plot. Overall I think Brave New World works really well as a dystopian novel. It's exciting, full of surprises, and genuinely makes you think "What? How does that even work?" at several points in the narrative. If it's been on your reading list for a while, I suggest you make the effort to read it soon. And if it's not on your list, why not?!