I couldn’t resist buying this when I saw it – a novel from Julia’s perspective from 1984. 1984 was one of the set texts for my A’level English course as it was 1984 when I took my exams. (Yes I realise I am very old!) I haven’t read 1984 and was then in a dilemma of whether I should re-read it, or start straight on with Julia. My head has rules that if a new series of a book or film comes out, I have to reread/rewatch the beginning.
Having searched my bookshelves and not finding a copy of 1984 anywhere, I decided to order it and start on Julia whilst I waited for it to arrive. To be honest the first part of the book felt a bit depressing as so much of the political description is comparable to current events. However, this was my ‘bus book’, ie one I keep in my rucksack to read when I go into the office two days a week. With waiting at bus stops and the actual journey itself I could read for about an hour or so each time which was not enough time to get too miserable! Reflecting on this, I think it was the knowledge of knowing what happened to Winston and Julia – had I been reading it without any prior knowledge I think it would have been a very different read.
However, once I had finished the section set in the Ministry of Love I became hooked on Julia’s experiences, her processing of what she had experienced and her subsequent actions. It is one of those books that if someone asked me what I thought, I would answer, ‘I’m still processing it’ as I need to think about the ramifications of the ending and how I feel about it.
So yes, it was a book that I initially struggled with (if the current world was peaceful and optimistic I may have found it easier), but then the story took me along to the point where I couldn’t put it down and have had to read the finale on the sofa and not on the bus!
So, 1984 will be my next bus book. It’ll be good to see things from Winston’s perspective and remind myself of all the parts that I’ve forgotten in the past 40 years
The Obsessive Bookworm 