- It’s a classic – and more importantly, a classic I haven’t read.
I also recommend:
- Wild Swans by Jung Chang
- 1984 by George Orwell
Summary from GoodReads:
Animal Farm is the most famous by far of all twentieth-century political allegories. Its account of a group of barnyard animals who revolt against their vicious human master, only to submit to a tyranny erected by their own kind, can fairly be said to have become a universal drama. Orwell is one of the very few modern satirists comparable to Jonathan Swift in power, artistry, and moral authority; in animal farm his spare prose and the logic of his dark comedy brilliantly highlight his stark message.
Taking as his starting point the betrayed promise of the Russian Revolution, Orwell lays out a vision that, in its bitter wisdom, gives us the clearest understanding we possess of the possible consequences of our social and political acts.
My Review:
For the longest time, I got Animal Farm (the book) and Animal House (the movie) mixed up in my mind and thought they were one and the same – and so, I held off reading the book because I didn’t like the movie. (I know, I know, save your gasps for later).
So when I finally did get the two straightened out, I avoided reading Animal Farm because it was written by George Orwell and must, therefore, be boring because it was a classic and people kept saying I should read it. Mind you, I don’t consider Jane Austen to be boring, so I’m not sure why I avoided Orwell.
Then, fairly recently, I hosted a read-along of George Orwell’s 1984, and I found his writing to be completely approachable, easy to understand, enlightening, entertaining and .. well, fun. So I put Animal Farm on my short list to be read and, today, while going through my books, I decided to take the dive.
Animal Farm is a short, satirical story that’s meant to portray communism clearly. And Orwell succeeds at that. It’s important, or was for me at least, to understand that the animals are symbolic, and not to take the story as some type of fantasy in which animals can really walk, talk, read and create things like windmills. Once you get past all of that, the story really unfolds beautifully.
There’s nothing I can add to my review of Animal Farm that hasn’t been said by many, many more before my time, so I’d just like to apologize to George Orwell for mixing up Animal Farm with something like Animal House, to feel remorse for thinking that anything he could write would be dull and lifeless, and to walk away from reading this book with a more thorough understanding of why communism is frightening.
Check out these reviews!
LOL
That’s hilarious! I really like Animal House (so surprised that it stands up over time). I read Animal Farm in high school & didn’t like it, turning me off Orwell since, but I’m very willing to retry it and finally read 1984 in adulthood. I probably will kick myself for not liking it 
Oh definitely try it again! I never read Orwell in high school, but my experience is it’s always more enjoyable reading something for pleasure rather than for class (like in school)
I have not read this yet…. you inspire me to try though
You should! I think you would really dig it, Sheila!
This review made me smile. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on Animal Farm. I’m looking forward to reading it, both Animal Farm and 1984 are on my 100 book challenge.
I’m glad! It’s a short little book (they both are) so easy to read and mark off your list!
I really enjoyed your post. I think I was put off by this book because someone told me back in high school that it was about talking animals, so I never felt like reading it (not that I wouldn’t like talking animals). After reading 1984, I vowed I would read this as well but then have put it off for years. Your post has reminded me that I should get to it.