Animal farm is a political satire written by George Orwell. His dystopian worlds have become so well known that we describe tyrannies as Orwellian. A fable set on an English farm it deals with the corrupting influences of power and the danger inherent in communism and socialism. Based on the Russian revolution, It documents the descent into tyranny that inevitably follows a society based on equality.

About The Author

George Orwell is the pen name of Eric Blair. He was born in Bengal 1903 and served with the Indian Imperial Police. After his served Eric Blair traveled to Europe to write novels. He is best known for his dystopian works 1984 and Animal Farm.

The Good Stuff

• Animal Farm is rather comical. With its cast of horses, pigs, sheep and other barnyard animals, Animal Farm makes for a delightful read.

• It has a crucial emphasis on the dangers facing societies today. Plato argued that society will always eventually trend toward tyranny. Orwell modernizes this in his fable where the revolution leads to an even worse oppression.

• The writing is top notch. Orwell has a talent for writing believable characters even when writing about talking animals.

The Bad Stuff

• Animal Farm is a very depressing read, while it starts with liberation, the whole book serves to show how corrupting the influence of power is. Multiple characters are killed and the bad guys win.

• It is difficult to fully immerse yourself in the story because of the overview quality of the book. While you can enjoy the story, if you are looking to lose yourself in another world this is not the book for you.

Recommendation

This book is a classic for a reason, highly recommended: 7.5/10

Ideal for ages 12 and up; perfect for fans of 1984, Fahrenheit 451, and Charlotte’s Web.

Similar Books

• 1984 by George Orwell

• Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

• Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White