1984

I don't think I've read this book since high school. I only re-read it now because I had to for my Readings in Fascism class. As a teenager, I read the book through the male gaze, but not this time. This time I wondered why even a sexpot like Julia would be interested in such a schmoe as Winston. And why would Big Brother care enough about him to "rehabilitate" him? Who does Orwell think he is? 

The totalitarian story--yes of course, deeply awful, and yes, echoes today of what Trump would like to be. But it's too cartoonish, not enough kernals of truth to make it believable, and way too much of Winston in his own head before he meets Julia. I am so sick of men who think they're interesting enough to be dull.