What a way to start the year.. especially with two distopian novels. But of course we all realized that vampires and such would taper off, and books like the Hunger Games with a message that ignites some perspective about the system would prevail, especially over stories that involve gushing about the trivial qualms concerning the teenage libido. I know Orwell's 1984 wasn't the first novel to question the ways of the government control, but it certainly put ideas of Big Brother and the Thought Police into the mainstream. Although written 60 years later, Patrick Ness pulls the same themes into his book and does it provokingly well. In the first book of the Chaos Walking trilogy, Todd is the last citizen to become a man in a town where everyone can hear each others' inner dialogue, including those of the animals. The Noise has somehow drove those in charge to enforce the notion that silence, as well as not having come of age into adulthood means that one is hiding their sins and needs some kind of convertion. This means the women have been obliterated and the men are left to the unspoken initiation of the army that will kill to conquer the rest of the new world. (yea, abruptly said). The premise seems to hint more towards the ugly side of American history... colonization and such in another time/universe, but it is all about those in control instilling fear and violence to gain power.

The beauty of it is the development of all this, as the reader experiences with the young protagonist the confusion, self-doubt, desperation, and yes, chaos of having to leave one's home and family without definite reason. Plus the emotion of not knowing where to go and encountering groups of people who will act on their misgivings just because of the town one has came from. I realize that 1984 carries its own set of meanings, but like Catcher in the Rye I am sure I was the last few people who read this book and who was not assigned it in high school English. So it does seem to be understood and redundant to mention...


Let me add that, as my personal preference, it was not my favorite of Orwell even though it stands to still be enjoyable and nonetheless a classic. Clergyman's Daughter and even Keep the Aspidistra Flying I still found to be not as cold as this, but he is still deserves every bit of reputation he has. (Still TBR is The Road to Wigan Pier). Zamyatin's WE is also worth picking up as it was said to be the main influence for it.