Rejoice, comrades! Almost 75 years after George Orwell鈥檚 鈥�1984鈥� was published in 1949, readers can return to Airstrip One with its Newspeak and Ministries of Truth, Peace, Love and Plenty. On second thought, maybe it鈥檚 not a place anyone wants to revisit. Maybe Orwell鈥檚 depiction of an ultra-totalitarian society in which 鈥渄oublethink鈥� 鈥� 鈥淭ruth is Hate. Plenty is Hate. Peace is Hate. Love is Hate鈥� 鈥� rules, hits a little too close to the real world in 2023.
But don鈥檛 let that argument dissuade you from reading Sandra Newman鈥檚 remarkable new novel, 鈥淛ulia.鈥� Marketed as a 鈥渞etelling鈥� of 鈥�1984鈥� (Orwell鈥檚 estate actually approved its publication), it鈥檚 not quite as bleak as its progenitor. And the omniscient third-person feminist perspective from inside the head of Winston Smith鈥檚 lover, Julia, is refreshing.
Julia is a mechanic in the Ministry of Truth鈥檚 Fiction Department, 鈥減erpetually fascinated by the plot machinery, how it worked and the ways it could go wrong.鈥� When we first meet her, she鈥檚 an ideal citizen 鈥� embracing the Party line in public, but always cognizant of Big Brother watching via the ubiquitous telescreens and expressing her cynicism only in private. Oh, and she鈥檚 falling in love with a young woman named Vicky at the hostel where they both live. In fact, it鈥檚 Vicky鈥檚 fondness for Julia that sets in motion the events that spark the plot of 鈥�1984.鈥� The love note Julia slips to Winston Smith? Turns out Vicky actually slipped it first to Julia!
鈥�1984鈥� fans will enjoy experiencing the story from this point forward through Julia鈥檚 eyes, but for readers who aren鈥檛 Orwellian scholars, it鈥檚 important that 鈥淛ulia鈥� hold up on its own as well. Newman introduces the tenets of the Party 鈥� 鈥淲ar is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is Strength鈥� 鈥� and describes the surveillance society of Big Brother in great detail and it鈥檚 all just as horribly shocking as when you read it the first time.
Don鈥檛 be discouraged though 鈥� after Winston and Julia, ahem, 鈥渞at鈥� each other out to their torturers, we鈥檙e treated to a 鈥淧art Three鈥� that actually goes beyond the plot of 鈥�1984.鈥� It鈥檚 the rare answer to that perennial question at the end of a good book, 鈥渁nd then what happened?鈥� And for a little while, just a little, readers can hope that rebellions aren鈥檛 always doomed, and an individual might have some power over the collective.
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AP book reviews:
Rob Merrill, The Associated Press
