Fahrenheit 451
by Ray Bradbury
Classics
Dystopian
Science Fiction
Review #1
* * * Stars (Pretty good)
It’s about a future American society where books are illegal. If you have one it is required you get rid of it or you will be prosecuted. I liked it, but at the same time didn’t like it because it’s interesting why they didn’t want to learn anything new, they thought they knew everything they needed to. Didn’t like it because it was at times slow and boring.
Review #2
* * * * Stars (Great!)
Guy Montag is a firefighter who burns books because the government thinks of books as a threat because they give people ideas. Guy steals books and shows his wife, but she turns him in. His house is burnt down and he runs away from the mechanical hound that tries to kill him. He escapes and ends up meeting other men who have memorized books. Montag and the others see that the city is bombed and they return to help people. This book was good because it showed the importance of reading and having books.
Review #3
* * * Stars (Pretty good)
Firement. This calls to mind the heroic men who fight to keep our country safe: however, in this book’s world, think again. Firemen are called upon to enforce the ban of all books, poetry, and thinking. So, instead of putting fires out, they ignite them. Guy Montag is a normal fireman, with no qualms whatsoever about burning the forbidden books: and often, their owners. That is, he has no qualms until he meets a seventeen-year-old girl named Clarisse who is not afraid to think, and not afraid to get others thinking along with her. Day by day, she walks with him to the corner, always asking questions, always asking him to think. Soon hebegins to think about things: he thinks about his relationship with his wife, he thinks about his job, and he thinks about books. Then, one day, Clarisse is gone. Later that week, he also goes to start a fire: and it’s a hidden library. He begs the owner to leave, but she won’t. In fact, she lights the match that seals her death. That night, he has doubts. Will Guy do the right thing and save the books, or will he succumb to the pressures of his society?
This book is indesputibly a classic dystopian book. However, there were two things that will go against it: Firstly, it is a confusing book. Yes, it has character development, and yes, there seems to be a plot chart (though, some elements will have to be sought after). However, it is hard to keep track of what is actually going on, and what the characters are actually doing. Secondly, there is quite a bit of language in every conversation. With these elements, I would advice caution. Recommended for older teens and adults.
