I listened to the Blackstone Audio version of this book.

What struck me most is the despair that permeates the book. It is derived not only from the hopelessness of the situation that Winston finds himself in, but the loneliness of it all. Winston wants so much to find others like him, and, he does, but he finds himself even more alone than ever.

My favorite part of the book was the ending where Winston finds all of his ideals tested. My least favorite parts were the long bits of exposition describing party policy and its effect on society. I suppose the exposition might be necessary because this book was one of the first dystopian novels of the modern era? Still, I didn’t enjoy those parts.