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Julia  By  cover art

Julia

By: Sandra Newman
Narrated by: Louise Brearley
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Publisher's 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.

©2023 Sandra Newman (P)2023 Sandra Newman

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At first I thought it was going long…but, oh, that ending!

At first I thought it was going long…but, oh, that ending! Big Brother is …

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Wow. Erie.

The connections and different pov. I got bored in the first third but then it picked up and wow. Unexpected and I’m just stunned and blinking over here lol

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1 person found this helpful

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My favorite book of 2023, captivating narration

I listened to 1984 immediately before listening to Julia. A refresher is a good idea for maximum understanding. I was blown away by this companion novel. I also found the narration to be exquisite. Having just finished, I'm still sitting with the material. A masterpiece, especially given the likely guidelines from the Orwell estate.

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3 people found this helpful

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Fantastic Novel & Outstanding Reading

Excellent all around—an amazing retelling of 1984 and stunning reading by Louise Brearly. Highly recommend!

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Double+Good companion to 1984

This expands so much on the world of 1984, Julia's childhood, the early days of The Party, and more. I hope more 1984 point of view stories are authorized. O'brien, Syme, and more should have their own stories told. Both writing and narration are excellent.

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Letdown

Disappointing. Orwell is turning in his grave. I thought I was going to read a compelling retake of the looming surveillance society. Instead, it read like a soft porn. A waste of both money and time.

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