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Julia
- Narrated by: Louise Brearley
- Length: 14 hrs and 21 mins
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Summary
London, chief city of Airstrip One, the third most populous province of Oceania. It's 1984 and Julia Worthing works as a mechanic fixing the novel-writing machines in the Fiction Department at the Ministry of Truth. Under the ideology of IngSoc and the rule of the Party and its leader Big Brother, Julia is a model citizen - cheerfully cynical, believing in nothing and caring not at all about politics. She routinely breaks the rules but also collaborates with the regime whenever necessary. Everyone likes Julia. A diligent member of the Junior Anti-Sex League (though she is secretly promiscuous) she knows how to survive in a world of constant surveillance, Thought Police, Newspeak, Doublethink, child spies and the black markets of the prole neighbourhoods. She's very good at staying alive.
But Julia becomes intrigued by a colleague from the Records Department - a mid-level worker of the Outer Party called Winston Smith - when she sees him locking eyes with a superior from the Inner Party at the Two Minutes Hate. And when one day, finding herself walking toward Winston, she impulsively hands him a note - a potentially suicidal gesture - she comes to realise that she's losing her grip and can no longer safely navigate her world.
Seventy-five years after Orwell finished writing his iconic novel, Sandra Newman has tackled the world of Big Brother in a truly convincing way, offering a dramatically different, feminist narrative that is true to and stands alongside the original. For the millions of readers who have been brought up with Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four, here, finally, is a provocative, vital and utterly satisfying companion novel.
What listeners say about Julia
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- Alastair Davidson
- 15-12-23
An outstanding story
Written fully in the first person this is an outstanding story. I listened to the book and the narrator is first class.
Now for the radical comment; allowing that the background history is taken from the original 1984 this is a better story.
Sandra Newman has produced a masterpiece.
Very well done, thank you.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Jane Guy
- 06-12-23
Powerful and fascinating
Excellent parallel to an iconic book, I heard Sandra Newman discussing Julia recently which inspired me to listen, I was not disappointed, I hear the criticism of feminist literature but I wonder what Orwell would have written on the double speak, fake news and duplicity of our times, oh for essayists of his calibre today. Now off to re-read 1984.
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- carnie fingers
- 05-01-24
Reaches bleaker depths than 1984 but instills hope
Absolutley brilliant. Gives lots of nuance and clarity on living in Airstrip 1 as a woman, plus Julia's backstory. A magnificent ending which puts so much into focus and holds a mirror up to the obscene overindulgence of the rich and powerful.
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- Lara Diamond
- 21-06-24
Raw, harrowing, Close to the bone
Enjoyed but also felt sick at some points in this book. That humans can or have the potential to behave in such ways. Well written. Well read.
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- Irene
- 23-03-24
Satisfyingly familiar yet totally original
Seeing the same story from Julia’s point of view adds extra dimensions and nuance, making for an even more chilling telling of the classic 1984. A rare feat well accomplished and read.
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- Terry T
- 10-05-24
A great addition to the Orwellian narrative
A lot darker in places than 1984 with some fantastic twists and unexpected story lines that blend fantastically with the original a must listen for the fans of Orwell, not sure if I would listen again unlike Orwell’s 1984 but that is a very tough act to follow.
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- Karl Mccracken
- 26-06-24
Gripping and Terrifying Glimpse into Totalitarianism.
Fantastic story with much of the sparse writing style of Orwell’s original. It should be obvious from the title that it tells the same story as 1984, but as seen through Julia’s eyes. It’s longer and more complex though, and has violence far more graphically portrayed - some of this is particularly disturbing. The performance of the reader deserves ten stars, not just the five available, and helped make this the best book I’ve listened to for ages.
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- B. Whelan
- 23-10-23
Cracking story but could ruin 1984
Really good story and extended the world quite a bit. Harsh on Winston and has potential to annoy you if you love 1984
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- conrad
- 12-11-23
Loved it.
I really enjoyed everything about this book. I'm a fan of dark dystopian books, and this did not fail to please.
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- N Douglas
- 19-12-23
As dark and memorable as the original
This story fit perfectly into the original. The tone, language, storyline, all felt very true to 1984. Even though I knew what was coming, it kept me hopeful. Brilliant retelling.
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