Brave New World

Title: Brave New World

Author: Aldous Huxley

Genre: Dystopian Science Fiction

Pages: 229

Synopsis:

Far in the future, the World Controllers have created the ideal society. Through clever use of genetic engineering, brainwashing and recreational sex and drugs, all its members are happy consumers. Bernard Marx seems alone in feeling discontent. Harbouring an unnatural desire for solitude, and a perverse distaste for the pleasure of compulsory promiscuity, Bernard has an ill-defined longing to break free. A visit to one of the few remaining Savage Reservations, where the old, imperfect life still continues, may be the cure for his distress.…

(from goodreads)

My Thoughts:

This book was a disappointment to me. While I did like that it was very readable, and I love the philosophy in the book between Happiness vs Freedom. I also found the concept of the Utopia interesting. However other than that it wasn’t very good.

None of the main characters were that likable. The only two characters that I did like were John (who was arguing for Freedom) and Mustapha Mond (arguing for happiness) as I did like the philosophy debate they had near the end of the novel.

One of my main criticisms of this novel is that this story is told by the Alpha Caste. All of the named characters come from this Caste. We don’t get any real characters from the other castes in this society. Which I feel is a missed opportunity. While we do know what the other castes are and their purposes, I feel that having a Point of View from the rest of the Castes could have added more to the story and help with the world-building in this book. Giving us only the Alpha Caste’s POV gives a very narrow perspective in this novel.

I also feel that if the story was told in the First Person with Bernard Marx. It would have really improved his character development. I feel we would understand this character a lot more if this story was told from his perspective. To be honest Bernard Marx was the worst main protagonist in a book I’ve read so far this year. He originally started off interesting by being the person who was questioning everything and being a bit of an outsider. But when Bernard brings John back with him from the trip. Bernard uses John for his own selfish desires and quickly becomes a selfish jerk.

I also found the worship of Henry Ford in this novel just very far-fetched to me.

I usually like reading dystopian/utopian novels, but this has got to be the weakest novel I’ve ever read in the genre so far.

Rating: