This one had parallels to The Stranger (L’Étranger) where both have protagonists that are callous, narcissist-ish, violent and punished for their crimes. While The Stranger is more about the meaning of life, Clockwork centers more on societal control and free will. It was an uncomfortable read with the scenarios often entailing brutal violence and rape while being told in a fictional teenage slang (nadsat) that required me to look up make believe words in a Wikipedia glossary. In the end, I’m glad I read it. There is something about it that does feel classic, but the journey through it was more like reading a turd.