Book Review: Fahrenheit 451

451͒ Fahrenheit is the temperature when paper starts burning. Guy Monteg knows it for sure. He’s a fireman. However, his job is not to put out the fire, but to make it and burn the books. He likes his job, but there is something that he hides from everyone, including his wife.
From every fire, Guy saves a book. In his society, books are forbidden, as they are considered to make people unhappy, evolving complicated emotions and making the readers think. No books means no worries, but a careless life, full of joy and simple entertainment.
One day, Guy Monteg decides that he does not want to live like he used to anymore. He finds a former English professor and asks to teach him to understand what he reads about. Together, they make a plan to save more books in the hope that war will destroy the existing system that they have to live in.
But any secret becomes clear, and the next night Guy gets an order to burn his own house. He destroys it with a flamethrower, as well as his captain, co-workers and the Mechanical Hound.
Monteg escapes. He does not know though, that after all the dangers on his way, he will finally find his destination and meet those whom he will belong to.
It may be hard to feel, but the book is sharp and straightforward. Through the adventure in a fictional universe, Ray Bradbury shows us what might happen, if humanity keeps moving in a direction that will only satisfy basic needs and bring momentary pleasures. I’m sure, some of us can already recognize ourselves with shame in Beatty or Mildred. We’ve already made that first step on the path to the world, where people burn books. This dystopia teaches us that we can always make a difference in the world and change our lives the way that we believe is right. There will be those who will try to destroy you, but there will also be those, whom you will be able to rely on.
The novel creates a tense engaging atmosphere, where you can smell threat in the air and hear the chase behind your back. It does not let the reader go till the very end and stays in mind days after.
Reviewer Grade: 11