La revolta dels animals (1945)

This book was shocking. The analogy of the animals was clear from the start and the roundness of the novel was sad and beautiful, the naked message beneath it all resonating within me.
The irony of the animals miserable lives, slaving away every day and unable to have a better life, is best displayed by the cyclical recurring of misery. The ending scene felt like a great closing parenthese before the curtains swing shut and everything starts over again.
SPOILER ALERT
Soon, the next generation will come and the rebellion will start anew, only to sour and rot from from its very foundation, or the pigs will lose control of the farm and the human tyranny will commence yet again. My heart went out to that sour old donkey and his great understanding of the world. What beauty this book contains.
END OF SPOILERS
Reading it was a lot more easy-going than Orwell's other masterpiece, 1984, and its compressed nature allowed me to read it in a mere hour, which, with my limited leisure time, is wonderful. To be able to learn as much as possible in the least amount of time is what I most strive for and that, my dear readers, is exactly what I received.
This novel provides much food for thought and is perfect for reflecting upon. I imagine one could do great things with this book in an English literature classs or something of the like, as there is much to interpret and discover in it. There can be much controversy as to what each thing stands for and I could go on and on reading things into it, but I'm afraid my rambling must also come to an end.
So, to summarize, one should definitely give this book a try, if only for the fact that it is an enjoyable story with only 55 pages. Good day!
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The world can probably do without my review of this classic. Things are still a lot like they were back on the farm. Too many pigs and sheep among us, I guess.

Around the year in 52 books practice notes:
#4. A book set in a place or time that you wouldn't want to live ( )

I first read this maybe 20 years ago. I recently reread it with my nine-year-old daughter, and we loved it. It was thrilling to watch her growing indignation as the situation on the farm grew worse and worse. The book provided a great entry point for talking about power, corruption, partisanship, and the incredible ability of great authors to say important things about the world in often simple, pleasurable ways.

Reread this in early 2017 with both my kids and enjoyed it while also being horrified. When I read it with my daughter three years ago, politics in the U.S. looked a lot less grim than they do now, when I can draw pretty clear lines between characters in the book and in our current government. ( )

One of the most disturbing books I have ever read. Glad i read this classic ( )

This is a classic which I'd somehow never actually read. Definitely worth it. A simple allegory about the Russian Revolution, communism, and how power dynamics emerge.

The audiobook presentation was excellent, although there's a newer BBC audio performance which might be better (with a cast of performers vs. single reader). ( )