A Clockwork Orange Book Review
Skyler Powers
Over the summer, I read Anthony Burgess’s A Clockwork Orange for my English class. I went into this book with high expectations since I had heard great things about the book, as well as the movie that succeeded it. This novel is a dystopian story, which also happens to be one of my favorite genres. I will start off this review by saying that the book exceeded my expectations immensely.
First of all, the main character, Alex, is very interesting and oddly very likeable. I am hesitant to call him the protagonist of the story since he spends much of the story robbing people and vandalizing property with his “droogs” (the book’s slang term for friends). Despite Alex’s cruel and insensitive actions, he is still very likeable, especially as the story goes on.
The plot is also very interesting. The story begins with Alex and his droogs having a night of “the old ultra-violence.” The reader is taken with them as they attack drunk men, fight rival gangs, and vandalize futuristic houses. At one point, the story takes an unexpected turn and Alex is convicted of murder after he accidentally kills the female owners of dozens of kittens. The outlook is bleak for the main “protagonist” until he is put through an experimental treatment to cure him of his violent tendencies. The treatment wasn’t what he was hoping for, however, and it leaves him mentally altered in a negative way. After being released from prison, he unwillingly becomes stuck in a political battle between rebels and the government. At this point in the story, there are several twists and turns that always kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat.
This book was incredibly thought-provoking, incredibly disturbing, entertaining, and sometimes even funny. The book also convinced me to watch the movie, which I loved just as much, if not more. The movie was far more disturbing and hilarious, while being just as thought-provoking. It is one of the best movies that I have ever seen and the book is one of my all-time favorites as well. Both the book and the movie are works of art and deserve all the praise that they receive. They may not be elegantly written, but that is what makes them good. The never-ending chaos and semi-surrealism makes the book, as well as the film, truly memorable experiences. I highly recommend both, but you must know what you are getting into first. They are very disturbing and are not for the faint of heart. If you can handle the initial horror, you will find an absolutely phenomenal story.
