Full version of the book as originally written by Burgess. This book is amazing in its language and story. ( )

This edition is the one that was originally published in the United States without the last chapter of the book because apparently Americans didn't need to have a happy ending tacked on? But Burgess didn't like that it was cut, or that the movie was made based on this version. I love this book, but not the edit that was made to this version. ( )

Throughout my reading, I felt there was some message I should be getting from what was otherwise a set of otherwise slightly related incidents. ( )

Real horrorshow?

3.9/5

A classic that has sat on my shelf much too long, and one that I think in some ways I had built up in my mind as being something detestable and likely unpleasant to read. However, while the subject matter and goings-on are shocking, dirty deeds are not nearly as prominent as I was expecting and are in some ways lightly veiled by our "humble narrator"'s adopted whimsical language: a near futuristic-slang that derives its terms from a mix of Russian and Cockney-rhyming. Initially disorientating, it becomes considerably easier to read as you go, many phrases having light shed by context. Some are harder to "viddy" than others, but regardless it's all part of the experience and gives the book an oddly poetic charm that may not have been quite so present (or stomachable) had the gross acts of sexual violence been described with sole use of the English dictionary.

A Clockwork Orange sometimes gets dangerously close to being preachy but never dives nose deep into such territory. Its commentary on youth culture, violence and freedom of choice is relatively blatant, without being too explicit.

The fact that for two decades this remained published only in truncated form in the US (where it saw most success) is a sad thing, and the fruit of this is most interesting. The novel has 21 chapters divided into three parts with seven chapters each. The very last chapter was what was excluded, messing with the clearly intentional numeracy and providing the novella with an entirely different outlook; the difference is pessimism vs. optimism - the latter of which Burgess was shooting for, the former being what Kubrick emphasised in his film, being based on the truncated version of the book (although, even Burgess' more "positive" ending is bittersweet).

I am yet to watch the film, but I will have to now for curiosity and comparison. I am not sure whether or not I prefer a version of A Clockwork Orange with or without its original closing sentiment, but I feel it's important to preserve an author's original intent (not to discount other versions being made available). Reading the introduction to this edition, it seems Burgess got a very poor deal financially when giving the rights for Kubrick's adaptation, and it must have been a hard thing to not only receive practically nothing, but to witness an inaccurate portrayal of his vision gain such widespread acclaim (both in terms of the film's long-term success, and the lack of availability in the US of the "right" version of his novella until 1986). ( )

I put moloko in my chai for about a week after reading this.