This is now my second reread of Orwell’s ‘1984’ and it still holds strong as my indisputable favourite book. Orwell is so masterful in his political commentary, he criticises totalitarian power in the most direct and impactful ways, yet plays with its inevitability and the bleak reality of the world Orwell creates is so realistic and hence so terrifying. I still get goosebumps in certain parts and his manipulation of the mind is so strong and language so effective, at occasional points it is even convincing that the party makes sense and then you remember what you are reading.
 

This time round I was reading with an especial focus on song and nursery rhyme for my dissertation, and the way Orwell weaves it in, the meaning of the occasions holding so much weight and significance while being such an overlooked element of the text with the political commentary taking the forefront, it is utterly masterful. 

Admittedly on the third read I did start to see a lot more flaws with the book. Plot conveniences and poor writing was seeping through the cracks which were too thin in my first reads of it and the writing of Julia as a character is truly awful. I did not realise how blunt Orwell is in places with quite frankly tragic writings of female characters. 

Nonetheless, the love affair between Winston and Julia is not the primary focus of the book nor impacts the core messages and ideas that Orwell is trying to portray, and for that I am still confident to give it the past and once again reward it five stars. It is brilliant every single time for the same and so many new reasons.