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Animal Farm: A Fairy Story (Penguin Modern Classics) New Ed Edition, Kindle Edition

4.6 out of 5 stars 98,934 ratings

'All animals are equal - but some are more equal than others'

When the downtrodden animals of Manor Farm overthrow their master Mr Jones and take over the farm themselves, they imagine it is the beginning of a life of freedom and equality. But gradually a cunning, ruthless élite among them, masterminded by the pigs Napoleon and Snowball, starts to take control. Soon the other animals discover that they are not all as equal as they thought, and find themselves hopelessly ensnared as one form of tyranny is replaced with another.

'It is the history of a revolution that went wrong - and of the excellent excuses that were forthcoming at every step for the perversion of the original doctrine,' wrote Orwell for the first edition of
Animal Farm in 1945. Orwell wrote the novel at the end of 1943, but it almost remained unpublished; its savage attack on Stalin, at that time Britain's ally, led to the book being refused by publisher after publisher. Orwell's simple, tragic fable has since become a world-famous classic.

This Penguin Modern classics edition includes an introduction by Robert Colls.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B002RI9ENW
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ 5 Jun. 2003
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ New Ed
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.0 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 125 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0141905914
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 11+ years, from customers
  • Customer reviews:
    4.6 out of 5 stars 98,934 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
98,934 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book to be essential reading, with a highly thought-provoking storyline that remains relevant to today's world. They appreciate its satirical take on social and political systems, with one customer noting its fairy tale with a twist of harsh reality. The book receives positive feedback for its social commentary and value for money, though opinions are mixed about the print size, with some finding the text good-sized while others complain about the very small font.

891 customers mention ‘Readability’833 positive58 negative

Customers find the book highly readable, describing it as a brilliant and classic masterpiece that is particularly important for young adults to read.

"easy read, interesting allegory" Read more

"I like this Much better than 1984. Very fascinating book in my opinion I can see why this is read at school still" Read more

"A classic, a novel like no other." Read more

"Such a brilliant book, which deserves its place in the test of time...." Read more

152 customers mention ‘Thought provoking’152 positive0 negative

Customers find the book highly thought-provoking and meaningful, noting that its messages remain relevant to today's world.

"easy read, interesting allegory" Read more

"...The characters are clever and considered, and they subtly represent the different types of people and their nature and behaviour in society...." Read more

"...It is a story that transcends the decades and it remains very relevant." Read more

"An excellent short novel, provoking thought and emotion about inequality and the nature of exploiting others for personal gain...." Read more

83 customers mention ‘Humor’69 positive14 negative

Customers appreciate the book's humor, describing it as a highly entertaining fable that serves as an apt satire of social and political systems.

"...This book serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of political manipulation and the importance of remaining vigilant in the face of oppressive..." Read more

"...I know why they read it in year 8 - it is such a simple political allegory to follow!..." Read more

"...of regime, and is really making a specific point about how a wonderful ideology such as democracy can be twisted out of all recognition and used as..." Read more

"...the book can be taken as a story in itself, without the subtlety of underlining politics, the book is a quaint tale of a fantastical overthrow of..." Read more

81 customers mention ‘Storyline’59 positive22 negative

Customers appreciate the storyline of the book, describing it as an excellent abridged version with a dramatic narrative, and one customer notes it's a fairy tale with a twist of harsh reality.

"...Of course, this fable is an allegory of the Russian Revolution and the rise of the Soviet Union...." Read more

"...It turns out I had been missing out big time. The microcosmic criticism of corrupt political systems, with a strong hint towards the Stalinist..." Read more

"I’m really glad to say I’ve finally read this. I thought the end was excellent...." Read more

"I suddenly want some bacon, the ending made me sit and feel empty for a while. Sadly reflects real life, but who likes that ?..." Read more

55 customers mention ‘Value for money’44 positive11 negative

Customers find the book to be good value for money.

"Great value :)" Read more

"great for the price, no issues as stated in some other reviews i’ve seen" Read more

"Good value, arrived on time. Had forgotten how good this is." Read more

"...The one thing that drives me crazy is the price sticker! The sticker is placed on the clothbound material...." Read more

40 customers mention ‘Social commentary’35 positive5 negative

Customers appreciate the book's social commentary, noting its important lessons and apt moral messages, with one customer highlighting its relatable discussions about power and equality.

"A salutary tale of the reality of socialism. It is a story that transcends the decades and it remains very relevant." Read more

"An excellent short novel, provoking thought and emotion about inequality and the nature of exploiting others for personal gain...." Read more

"...told simply, in unpretentious language, that can inform and change your outlook on life." Read more

".../leadership..... this is a great book for children +11 to encourage independent thinking and to understand the corruption and brainwashing that..." Read more

33 customers mention ‘Animal farm’29 positive4 negative

Customers love Animal Farm, appreciating its use of animals to convey political events and the intriguing analogy between animal characters and communism. One customer notes how the animals take over a farm, while another highlights the complex narrative structure.

"Bit dark for my liking but do like that it showing the communist politics using animals" Read more

"...the themes the novel portrays but bare in mind it is fairy story about animals, at times you will laugh and giggle at the allegories, while at other..." Read more

"If you are trying to understand human society, Animal Farm is a good place to start...." Read more

"It was an exciting book. The fact that animals take over a farm and there are just twist and turns throughout the whole book ...." Read more

57 customers mention ‘Print size’34 positive23 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the print size of the book, with some appreciating the good-sized text while others complain about the very small print.

"I’ve read this twice, and I think this is a must read for everyone. Short and comprehensive." Read more

"Generally, this book is ok, but Words printed a bit small. Some words are blurry. That’s why I only gave four stars." Read more

"Love this version of the book. Bigger than I thought it would be. Well illustrated" Read more

"A Short and easy to read novel, which has a lot to say in terms allegorical themes...." Read more

no issues
5 out of 5 stars
no issues
great for the price, no issues as stated in some other reviews i’ve seen
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Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 29 April 2025
    I snuck in another novella as I finished “Last Breath” while I was on lunch at work yesterday so needed something else to read on my Kindle. Somehow in all my years as a reader I’ve never read “Animal Farm”. I don’t know how it’s managed to pass me by.

    Similar to “1984” I was struck by how prescient Orwell’s writing is. Considering it was said to have been written in around 1943-44 he could have been writing about now. Napoleon was definitely reminding me of a certain US President.

    I would definitely recommend people to consider reading this as it is very much a reminder of being careful about the media you are consuming and the lies that are being pedalled that just a little bit of thought and independent research would show you are definitely lies.

    It’s a very short read and shows just how quickly power can corrupt and how harmful that pursuit of absolute power can be for the people at the bottom.

    An important read that I can’t believe I’ve never read before.
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 June 2025
    An excellent short novel, provoking thought and emotion about inequality and the nature of exploiting others for personal gain. Is a theme still very relevant to this day, and so the message of this story will live in for generations.
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 May 2025
    I like this Much better than 1984. Very fascinating book in my opinion I can see why this is read at school still
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 8 June 2025
    Excellent
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 June 2025
    easy read, interesting allegory
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 24 May 2025
    A classic, a novel like no other.
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 25 March 2025
    Such a brilliant book, which deserves its place in the test of time. The characters are clever and considered, and they subtly represent the different types of people and their nature and behaviour in society. Despite the story being an allegory linked to the Russian revolution, its themes can be applied to so much politically and socially - themes that repeat on every scale. Its relevance is an pertinent today as it was all of those years ago.
  • Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 24 December 2024
    A good read
    One person found this helpful
    Report

Top reviews from other countries

  • Srimal
    1.0 out of 5 stars Not good
    Reviewed in Saudi Arabia on 25 February 2025
    Discount cheat mentioned. Selling at original price. Cheating
  • Viktor Dahlberg
    5.0 out of 5 stars All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.
    Reviewed in Sweden on 14 February 2025
    Great story! Nothing I say in this review can say anything that has not already been said better by so many people before me. Therefore I will just say that this specific clothbound classic edition is of the quality and beauty worthy of this classic story!
  • ANU LAL (Bestselling Author)
    5.0 out of 5 stars A very good read; political and artistic.
    Reviewed in India on 20 June 2015
    I started reading Animal Farm with a prejudice that I incurred through my academic career as a teacher of English Literature. I mean, the allegory stuff. The matter of solidified criticism in the book is the communist totalitarianism in Europe. However, this view received a serious self-analysis as I reached Chapter-3. I realized that George Orwell has created a marvel of literary art with his animals that ran a farm in England. The animals spoke English too, and like many other instances like hoisting a flag or singing an anthem, it didn't feel odd. The "fairy tale" model has worked immensely for Mr. Orwell. A Fairy Story is the subtitle of Animal Farm,and aptly so. This subtitle not just gives a space for philosophical discussions, but it also renders to the story technical perfection. How efficiently George Orwell represented human realities using animals is the key factor any student of writing might find fascinating and useful in this book.
    Animal Farm allegorizes many cultural stereotypes and not just political systems. A novella in size, Animal Farmmade George Orwell popular. George Orwell had written books such as Burmese Days (1934), Down and Out in Paris and London (1933), The Road to Wigen Pier (1937) and Coming Up for Air, before Animal Farm. Orwell's life changed, as a writer, with the publication of Animal Farm. Another book that followed asserted his popularity. This book was titled Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949).

    Animal Farmends with the shattering of hopes and irredeemable desperation. The leaders of the revolution, drained of all the ideological zeal appear to be profit mongering megalomaniacs. They become "too practical", to use a terminology from popular culture. Animal Farmends with an apt scene that exemplifies this.
    "The creatures from outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which."

    This scene narrates a confusion. No confusion, however, can be felt as a reader. It's crystal clear that the leadership of the animals have compromised. They no longer resemble the folk that started it all through the Rebellion. Yes, a rebellion with a capital R.

    Three philosophical quantum moments mark the body of the Animal Farmwith transcendental wisdom. I am not sure if Orwell had any intention to tell a story that was oriented in higher consciousness and the awareness of the Source. These three philosophical quantum moments help us tune into an unforgettable wavelength of higher consciousness through the story of animals that play human roles. These three quantum moments appear as follows: 1. Rebellion 2. The seven commandments 3. Banquet with humans.

    The Rebellion with a capital R serves the distinct purpose of establishing the harmony with an awareness that comes to Major through a dream-experience. Remember that this book is nothing else but animals pretending to run a world of humans. Plus, it's an allegory. This means, once we succeed in seeing through the maze of meaning in Animal Farm these concepts and nuggets of awareness can be assimilated into our personal lives too. This, I believe is the great historical value of Animal Farm. One receives the visionary idea about a political system that is going nowhere, but to the doom of its inhabitants, and at the same time can see through the meaning, the essence of human spiritual experience. Animal Farm, in this regard, is a deeply spiritual book. The best example for this experience is the scene of Major giving the lecture to the animals in the barn about an ideal society. The society resembles Thomas Moore's Utopia and Carl Marx's socialist state. However, the spiritual side of the book tells us to look into this scene and see why all those inhabitants find Major's concept of ideal society inviting. A harmony is at play here.

    The animals of the farm find themselves aligned with Promised Land that until then only existed in Major’s head. In Animal Farm, this Promised Land seems to be within the territory of Manor Farm. Only they have to bring it into life through their active participation. By giving the animals an anthem, Major extols the role of imagining a society where all animals are equal. Major has clearly attained a glance at his higher consciousness. It is from there he receives the dream as well as the anthem song, which he himself affirms to be lost in the chaos of childhood memories. Major represents any individual deriving his or her knowledge from one’s conscience. And conscience, as Dr. Viktor E Frankl points out connects our physical self with higher self. The farm animals feel the resonance with their needs and the dreams shared by Major.

    The Seven Commandments are written on the wall of the barn where Major first spoke of the dream of a society sustained in equality. This happens after the Rebellion. The Rebellion is a decisive moment that acts like a bridge between a dream and its manifestation into reality. As a result, the excited animals of the farm rename the farm as Animal Farm and assemble under the seven commandments.

    First commandment reads: “Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy.” Engraved in the first commandment is the commitment the animals make towards building their new society—destroying humans. At one point, the animals start addressing the way of life they dream for themselves as “animalism”. Battling humans is the central treatise of animalism.

    Gradually, these set of maxims undergo subtle changes. Although the rest of the farm animals notice the change, they are unable to place their finger on the problem. As the time passes, the seven commandments that served as the semiotic map in preserving the ideal society dreamed by Major, the boar, undergoes manipulation and abandonment. The pigs appear as the ruling class, with Napoleon, a boar as their head. The pinnacle of manipulation appears as the seventh commandment that originally read: “All animals are equal,” is transfigured into “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” This scene evidently portrays the death of a realm imagined and attempted by the animals. Animals in this book are not merely animals; they are allegorical figures. This brings the thematic significance of seven commandments and the equality concept closer to human experience. The idea of a grand social order based on justice and equality is pure energy waiting to burst through and manifest into physicality. The manipulation of the seven commandments is the intervention of self-centered thinking and corruption blemishing the original idea.

    Eventually, the banquet with humans transforms the pigs into human-like, at least in the eyes of the observing animals. This event shuts the doors and puts the seal on the ideal notion of a society where everyone is equal. None of the animals in the farm feel aligned with the new notion that humans are better and that animals should work with them in order to progress. Napoleon announces some staggering changes in the running of the farm as well. Here is the time to unveil the spiritual lesson engraved in George Orwell’s Animal Farm.

    The pure creative energy that originates from the Source of all Being appears through Major and his dream. However, in its application, the animals fail to access the levels of success they dreamed the project would bring. The result would have been different if the animals had remained truly aligned throughout with the Divine creative energy that creates thoughts and manifests itself through dreams. In other words, instead of letting the Diving creative energy taking control of them, the ruling class of the animal farm takes control of the destiny of the farm animals. Perhaps, the ideal society was just a dream. But one is not sure. Each moment, every one of us covets to take hold of our own ideal worlds. The truth is no one can have it until we let our higher self resonates with the Source energy, call it god, Krishna, or Allah. Only our complete resonance with that energy can let the creation happen with the dreams we had manifested into the physical reality.
  • GW
    5.0 out of 5 stars Whimsical and Relevant
    Reviewed in Japan on 20 January 2025
    Even though this story was originally inspired by the 1917 Russian Revolution, the characters in the story are timeless. So much of the corrupt behavior in the story can be found in today's headlines with ease.

    It is especially important to follow the character of Boxer. Boxer just believes, believes and believes, and his exit from the story is some really powerful writing.

    In fact, an observation of George Orwell's writing is important in many places. My second reading of this book gave me clearer understanding of the story, and my third reading brought me a real appreciation for George Orwell's writing abilities.

    This is not a story made for kids, as many believe.
  • Low chin yee
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good
    Reviewed in Singapore on 17 April 2020
    Good

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