Paperback, 400 pages
English language
Published Oct. 21, 2023 by Granta Books.
An imaginative, feminist, and brilliantly relevant-to-today retelling of Orwell’s 1984, from the point of view of Winston Smith’s lover, Julia, by critically acclaimed novelist Sandra Newman.
Julia Worthing is a mechanic, working in the Fiction Department at the Ministry of Truth. It’s 1984, and Britain (now called Airstrip One) has long been absorbed into the larger trans-Atlantic nation of Oceania. Oceania has been at war for as long as anyone can remember, and is ruled by an ultra-totalitarian Party, whose leader is a quasi-mythical figure called Big Brother. In short, everything about this world is as it is in Orwell’s 1984.
All her life, Julia has known only Oceania, and, until she meets Winston Smith, she has never imagined anything else. She is an ideal citizen: cheerfully cynical, always ready with a bribe, piously repeating every political slogan while believing in nothing. She routinely breaks the rules, but also collaborates …
An imaginative, feminist, and brilliantly relevant-to-today retelling of Orwell’s 1984, from the point of view of Winston Smith’s lover, Julia, by critically acclaimed novelist Sandra Newman.
Julia Worthing is a mechanic, working in the Fiction Department at the Ministry of Truth. It’s 1984, and Britain (now called Airstrip One) has long been absorbed into the larger trans-Atlantic nation of Oceania. Oceania has been at war for as long as anyone can remember, and is ruled by an ultra-totalitarian Party, whose leader is a quasi-mythical figure called Big Brother. In short, everything about this world is as it is in Orwell’s 1984.
All her life, Julia has known only Oceania, and, until she meets Winston Smith, she has never imagined anything else. She is an ideal citizen: cheerfully cynical, always ready with a bribe, piously repeating every political slogan while believing in nothing. She routinely breaks the rules, but also collaborates with the regime when necessary. Everyone likes Julia.
Then one day she finds herself walking toward Winston Smith in a corridor and impulsively slips him a note, setting in motion the devastating, unforgettable events of the classic story. Julia takes us on a surprising journey through Orwell’s now-iconic dystopia, with twists that reveal unexpected sides not only to Julia, but to other familiar figures in the 1984 universe. This unique perspective lays bare our own world in haunting and provocative ways
It's been so long since I read 1984, the world felt familiar but I had no idea what was coming. Kind of like real life, maybe too much like it?
Welcome back to 1984. Newman does a wonderful job of taking the reader back to the world Orwell created. However, this time it's through the eyes of Julia Worthing. We see more of the political history of Airstrip One and gain insight into the life of a female member of the outer party. In doing so, the reader is shown a broader view of the horrors of Big Brother's dystopian society. However, there are also small pockets of hope. The novel remains true to Orwell's world and stays on track by the use of Ingsoc and the inclusion of key plot points from 1984. If you're keen on dystopian fiction then add this one to your reading list.
A good book for our time. What does freedom really mean, and how do we live free lives in a politicized environment?
Julia is cool. Winston Smith, not so much. Anyway, you don't need to have read 1984 to appreciate "Julia." It's excellent. Frightening, but not (entirely) hopeless. A bit queer, in the best sense. Both in that queer people are present, and in that Julia's interest in sex for pleasure renders her suspect in the eyes of the regime. Definitely worth reading in these times of repression and spreading fascism.
If you read 1984 and thought, “wow, Orwell did Julia dirty,” this book is for you. If you read 1984 and thought, “wow, I wish this was more of a story and less of a treatise,” then this book is also for you.
I reread 1984 just a few months ago not even knowing this book was coming out. I definitely think it adds to the experience to have the original fresh in your mind.
I knew that Orwell wanted me think of Julia as shallow and dumb in 1984, but I liked her anyway. When she fell asleep while Orwell read Goldstein’s book, I was like yep, girl, same. I feel like Newman kept some of that air-headed feel to Julia but basically didn’t fault her for it.
There are a few memorable icky bits of dialogue with Winston from 1984 replayed here from Julia’s perspective. Newman creates motivation …
If you read 1984 and thought, “wow, Orwell did Julia dirty,” this book is for you. If you read 1984 and thought, “wow, I wish this was more of a story and less of a treatise,” then this book is also for you.
I reread 1984 just a few months ago not even knowing this book was coming out. I definitely think it adds to the experience to have the original fresh in your mind.
I knew that Orwell wanted me think of Julia as shallow and dumb in 1984, but I liked her anyway. When she fell asleep while Orwell read Goldstein’s book, I was like yep, girl, same. I feel like Newman kept some of that air-headed feel to Julia but basically didn’t fault her for it.
There are a few memorable icky bits of dialogue with Winston from 1984 replayed here from Julia’s perspective. Newman creates motivation for Julia to say what she says, which is mainly that she wants to placate Winston so they can get to the sex. Can he PLEASE shut up? Hahaha.
Newman explores the lives of women in this system, including pregnancy, birth control, and queerness. She also gives Julia a much more complicated role.
I enjoyed the last bit of the book a lot. It felt like it had the same spirit as the ending of 1984, which is one of the best parts of the original to me.
I’m baffled as to how this got published with Orwell’s estate’s approval, but I’ll take it!
Would give this 6 stars if I could. What a book.
Not just a retelling but a complete recasting of 1984. It's helpful to consider this as a separate work: a response to 1984, in a way, rather than a layering on top or a direct sequel. It's a criticism, an extension, a modernization, and a deep appreciation for the ideas all in one - and I was hooked. There's so much I want to write about here, but I don't want to spoil it. The ending, in particular, is perfect.
