Animal Farm   by George Orwell Penguin, 1989 (first published 1945), 95 pages, ISBN 0 14 012670 8

How easy was it to get stuck into this book?
This book is all about an animal rebellion, where animals take over from humans and resolve to live as equals. The idea is brilliant and overall the book is well-written and interesting, but occasionally the book can be a bit unrealistic and a little bit boring.

Who are the main characters?
The main characters are the inhabitants of Animal Farm: The most important of these are probably the pigs, Napoleon, Snowball and Squealer, the two horses Boxer and Clover and Benjamin, the donkey, there are a lot more animals, including a goat, sheep, ducks, hens, geese and some cows. There is also Mr Jones, the farmer who used to own Animal Farm before the rebellion, and the owners of the two neighbouring farms, Mr Pilkington, who owned Foxwood Farm and Mr Frederick who owned Pinchfield Farm.

What's the storyline?
Basically after the animals had rebelled against their owners they were feeling incredibly self-satisfied and had drawn up seven commandments which they were all to follow. They all agreed to this and carried on with their lives. However as things continued it was obvious that the most intelligent of the animals on the farm, the pigs, were leading everyone else. Because of their quick minds, however, they always found a way to get around their difficulties until they were unanimously in total control. But the pigs still wanted more, and started wearing clothes and committing executions and doing deals with the owners of neighbouring farms in money, although the other animals had been sure that the commandments had said the pigs weren't supposed to do these things, the animals didn't question it, until at last, many years later when many of them had died. They then saw that the pigs were no longer animals.

How's it written?
There are no hard words or pieces of language. This book seems suitable for readers 12 years and older.

Other books by the same author that Tim knows about?
Quite a few.

The overall verdict is
Well worth a look

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