George Orwell in 1949 envisioned a world 35 years in advance through this book. It is a fictional story about a society where every move is under surveillance 24*7. It takes place in 1984 in London. Oceania, a dictatorial state, is under the governance of Big Brother who controls the Party and he is omnipresent through telescreens, mikes, and hidden cameras. The people have no freedom of speech or action. The government is always right and people have to follow the rules without raising a word. Winston Smith is the protagonist of the novel who works in the Ministry of Truth as a historian. He hates his job as scripts are tailor-made according to the government’s needs and situations. In Oceania, rebellion is punished without any notice. People live in constant fear and love is prohibited. The outer world is shut from the people of this society. Brainwashing, propaganda, economic collapse, and bombs are regular things in Oceania.

Winston yearns for a life of individuality. He hates to be controlled. To keep the people in the dark, history is constantly rewritten to the government’s advantage. This irks him all the more and gradually he gives in to the inner desire of moving against the government. He bumps into like-minded people and the plot has many interesting twists and turns that keep the reader hooked till the very end. It has love, betrayal, chilling experiences of totalitarian regimes, and torture. It’s a must-read for a phenomenal experience in totality.