Point Counter PointPoint Counter Point
Score Classic
What it's about
In 1920s London, a large group of intellectuals, artists, aristocrats and scientists move through parties, affairs and debates. A novelist is planning a novel exactly like this one. A young man's affair with a married woman goes wrong. A charismatic thinker preaches passion and nature. And a cynical young man plans a political murder.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Modern Library list of the best novels. It's Huxley's sharpest satire of his time, built like a piece of music.
You'll love it if you liked
Brave New World
A Handful of Dust
Brideshead RevisitedGood to know
It's crowded, talky and has little plot. A child's death is devastating.
By the numbers
- Readers19 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics59 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller6 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #219 of the 313 science fiction books we rank
- #622 of the 762 classics we rank
- #2174 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Thought-provoking, Adventurous
More by Aldous Huxley
If you like this, read next
The Lord of the Rings
Gravity's Rainbow
Breakfast of Champions
Cat's Cradle
On the Origin of Species
Franny and ZooeyExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Point Counter Point worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Modern Library list of the best novels. It ranks #2,174 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 62.1 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Point Counter Point about?
In 1920s London, a large group of intellectuals, artists, aristocrats and scientists move through parties, affairs and debates. A novelist is planning a novel exactly like this one. A young man's affair with a married woman goes wrong. A charismatic thinker preaches passion and nature. And a cynical young man plans a political murder.
How long does it take to read Point Counter Point?
About 11 hours (452 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Point Counter Point?
If you liked it, try Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, A Handful of Dust by Evelyn Waugh or Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh.