I want to read Clockwork Orange?

Question

I'm 14 and recently heard about the book Clockwork Orange by Antony Burgess. I want to read it but I am unsure if I would be able to handle the contents.

I have recently read The Catcher in the Rye and loved it.

Answer 1

im 16 and i was recently contiplating weither to read this book as well, after doing some research on the book i would have to agree with the other responders and say that it does sound like a very interesting read!

Answer 2

Yeah! You bet!

At 14 you can handle any book! The film may be a bit nasty though. I saw that when I was 14 and it was a bit of an unpleasant experience.

And someone mentioned Yiddish. Well, let me tell you that all the words that sound a bit 'made up' - the strange argot that they all speak, are Russian, or based on Russian words. So you will go away knowing some Russian!

Some are literal -

like 'Babooshka = бабушка = babushka = old lady'

or

'Moloko =moloko =молоко  = milk'

Some are bastardised, like

Horrorshow = knorosho = хорошо = good

Eeema = Imya = имя = name

Groody = grud =грудь =breast

Anyway, read 'A Clockwork Orange' and you may, more or less, be able to communicate with a Russian! Although half the words that you will be able to say will be a bit offensive  :(

It's a good book. It's a little brutal and claustrophobic but just remember, none of it's that real!

Answer 3

i read it first when i was about your age.  it's a great book and very clever.  i am sure you'll be fine with the contents - it does have violent bits to it - but especially in this day and age - it's not too bad.  go for it - and enjoy!

Answer 4

If you can handle "Catcher," you can probably handle "Clockwork."  You may find it a lot of work, though.  The narrator speaks in a weird Russian English

Answer 5

The language is closer to Yiddish than Russian (though it does have elements of Russian in it, of course) - it's called Nadsat; it's how Burgess predicted slang might turn out in the future. I recommend buying a copy with a glossary at the back. There are about two hundred words he made up. The first ten pages or so are hard work, but the payoff at the end of the book is awesome.

If you enjoy it, try and watch the film by Stanley Kubrick if you haven't already. It's rated 18 here in the UK, and there are violent parts, but I believe it is how the narrator is portrayed (careless) which got it this rating. It's not at all scary.