There are numerous genres of fiction, this one falls under the category of reality fiction, don’t know if the word exists or I have made it up, but this book is so close to the reality and our surroundings that at times while reading it, I had to stop and close my eyes to let go of all the comparisons my mind was drawing to the current happenings. In my opinion, it feels closer to our times because of the surveillance and security systems that are used nowadays, as every now and then and at almost every place we are being monitored either physically by the cameras or virtually by whatever we do online.

There came countless moments when I was awe stricken while reading it but some of the most profound accounts in the book were deliberate infliction's of lies either by controlling, modifying and erasing the past or by false proclamations of all kinds and at all times as felt suitable by the governing bodies. I kept comparing consciously and otherwise the way the story proceeded to what is happening around us nowadays, I compared the telescreens to the media of our time may it be in any form of social media, newspapers, news bulletins or books. The bombardments of media are so frequent and are changing so rapidly that I found myself helplessly bound and controlled by it, for instance, it is media that has let everyone believe that certain parts of the world are still living in the medieval times, that certain races are full of criminals, that certain religion is the industry of terrorism, that certain regions are rape republics. Yes, we are not tortured physically and somehow it feels that we are free to choose between right and wrong but the attraction of the “telescreens” of our time is so compelling that we are forced to believe in them regardless of their authenticity.

 

The pace of the book remained the same until the very end, with melancholy it all began and even the happiest moments were full of grief and gloominess. It is not a page-turner thriller but once you start reading it you will feel its ridiculous closeness to the reality of our times in such a way that you might doubt that the author had really written it more than 65 years ago.

Was the author such a genius so as to predict it all so early or those who are governing the systems of our time are smart enough to use his writings as the instruction manual, my thoughts goes to the latter.