12 of 1001 Books: Anthony Burgess' A Clockwork Orange

It's only been a few minutes after finishing A Clockwork Orange that I am still pondering over it. How do you feel toward a book where the lead perspective is from a mad men who takes pleasure in pain in any form? He's not that likable and the way society lets him off so easily doesn't leave for there to be many other likable characters either. It is one of the darkest books out there, and makes sense considering the author, Anthony Burgess, wrote it after his wife was beaten and molested by a gang.

Summary: Alex is a fifteen year old in the not so distant future who roams the night with his friends and wreaks havoc on the people. They break into houses, rob, rape, beat, and murder people who wander the streets or reside in the neighborhood. When Alex gets caught though the Government has a new plan to reform violent psychopaths, but it's met with controversy because it enables a lack of choice to do good or bad, and leaves the person only able to choose the good. Alex is desperate to do anything to be free again.