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A review by salemlockheart
A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
5.0
"Is it better for a man to have chosen evil than to have good imposed upon him?"
hoooly fucking shit. talk about horrorshow. this book was incredible. i knew absolutely nothing about a clockwork orange going in, nor had i seen the film, so it was like multiple slaps to the face every time i turned the page. at the beginning the language was a bit annoying, but once i was 1/3 of the way in, i soon become obsessed with it.
our narrator alex is undeniably evil and cruel to those around him. he enjoys beating, raping, and killing people with his friends (at only fifteen years old). obviously alex's endeavors catch up to him, and he is eventually arrested.
once in prison, he offers himself up to be tested on. he's told they can change him, make him good. so good, that he'll feel physically ill at even the slightest thought of violence. and he laughs, and laughs, and laughs, and gives it a go.
classical music, which at the beginning, was his god, is soon turned into his worst nightmare, for it's now accompanied by graphic videos of torture, rape, and gang violence that he is forced to watch as part of his "rehabilitation." he is strapped to a chair, eyes pried open, and unable to turn his head away until the graphic films are finished. i mean, what the fuck, right?
if you're squeamish this book is definitely a hard read, and if you can't get past the language, it's an even harder read. i'm glad i made it past the made up pseudo-slavic slang and pushed through to the end, because this book was worth it.
it's hard to say if i enjoyed it, per say. it's a vile novella. full of horrible and horrific things, but it was an interesting read, and i'm kind of in awe of burgess' mind.
hoooly fucking shit. talk about horrorshow. this book was incredible. i knew absolutely nothing about a clockwork orange going in, nor had i seen the film, so it was like multiple slaps to the face every time i turned the page. at the beginning the language was a bit annoying, but once i was 1/3 of the way in, i soon become obsessed with it.
our narrator alex is undeniably evil and cruel to those around him. he enjoys beating, raping, and killing people with his friends (at only fifteen years old). obviously alex's endeavors catch up to him, and he is eventually arrested.
once in prison, he offers himself up to be tested on. he's told they can change him, make him good. so good, that he'll feel physically ill at even the slightest thought of violence. and he laughs, and laughs, and laughs, and gives it a go.
classical music, which at the beginning, was his god, is soon turned into his worst nightmare, for it's now accompanied by graphic videos of torture, rape, and gang violence that he is forced to watch as part of his "rehabilitation." he is strapped to a chair, eyes pried open, and unable to turn his head away until the graphic films are finished. i mean, what the fuck, right?
if you're squeamish this book is definitely a hard read, and if you can't get past the language, it's an even harder read. i'm glad i made it past the made up pseudo-slavic slang and pushed through to the end, because this book was worth it.
it's hard to say if i enjoyed it, per say. it's a vile novella. full of horrible and horrific things, but it was an interesting read, and i'm kind of in awe of burgess' mind.