“Perhaps one did not want to be loved so much as to be understood.”
George Orwell’s 1984 remains one of the most defining and recognisable books of all time, resonating with readers decades after its first publication. In it, Orwell presents an eerie portrayal of a dystopian society, where surveillance, control and the suppression of the truth reign supreme. More than just a story, books like 1984 are explorations of authoritarianism, freedom and the fragility of human rights. To celebrate Orwell’s timeless literary classic, we here at What We Reading thought we would compile some of our favourite books to read if you loved 1984 and are looking for follow-up works that share the same blend of eerily familiar worlds, dystopian themes, the dark realities of totalitarian rule and the struggles of small bands and individuals against oppressive regimes!
Fahrenheit 451 – Ray Bradbury
Kicking off our list of books like 1984 is Ray Bradbury’s acclaimed classic, Fahrenheit 451. In it, readers are introduced to Guy Montag. As a fireman, his job is to destroy the most illegal of possessions, the printed books, along with the houses in which they are hidden. Montag never stops to question what he is doing, returning home each day to his dull life and wife, Mildred, who spends her days with her television ‘family’.
But, when he meets an enigmatic young neighbour, Clarisse, who opens his eyes to a past where individuals didn’t live in fear and to a present where one sees the world through the ideas in books rather than the monotonous chatter on the television, Montag soon finds himself questioning everything he has ever known.
Check Out The Best Books Like Fahrenheit 451
Brave New World – Aldous Huxley
Bernard Marx is an outsider, uncomfortable with his society’s superficial nature. In this world, technological advancements control every aspect of human life. A totalitarian regime governs society, keeping people placated through pleasure, consumerism and a drug named ‘soma’, which is used to dull emotions and limit critical thinking. Engineered from hatcheries and conditioned from birth to accept their pre-determined roles in life, freedom, individuality and emotional connections come at the expense of societal stability.
When Bernard encounters John, a man raised outside the controlled world whose entire understanding of society is upended when he stumbles upon a Shakespearean volume. Similar to 1984 and other great dystopian novels, Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World uses authoritarianism to examine the impact that losing individuality and freedom can have on society.
The Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood
Like 1984, Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale is another one of the great dystopian novels from the twentieth century. Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. She is allowed to leave the house once a day to visit the food markets and purchase goods for the Commander and his wife, whom she lives with. The signs are now pictures rather than words as women are no longer allowed to read. Once a month, she must lie on her back and pray that the Commander makes her pregnant.
In this new world, births are declining. Offred and the other Handmaids only have value if their ovaries are viable. Nevertheless, she can still remember a time when she lived and loved her husband, Luke. When she played and protected her daughter, she possessed money and had a job and access to knowledge. Funny, horrifying and altogether imaginable, The Handmaid’s Tale is a scathing social commentary whose warnings remain relevant even today.
Check Out These Fascinating Speculative Fiction Books
We – Yevgeny Zamyatin
In a glass-enclosed city of absolute straight lines, ruled over by the mighty ‘Benefactor’, the residents of the totalitarian society of OneState live out their lives stripped of creativity and expression. That is until D-503, a brilliant mathematician who dreams in numbers, makes a startling discovery. He has an individual soul.
Set in the twenty-sixth century, Yevgeny Zamyatin’s We is an exhilarating dystopian novel that has been lauded as the book that inspired George Orwell’s 1984. Suppressed by the Russian government for over sixty years, it was penned as a resounding cry for individual freedom and as a foreshadowing of the worst excesses of the Soviet Union.
All The Birds In The Sky – Charlie Jane Anders
Childhood friends Patricia Deline, a witch, and Laurence Armstead, a mad scientist, went their own separate ways during middle school under mysterious circumstances. Nevertheless, as adults, they both find themselves in near-future San Francisco where Laurence is an engineering genius and Patricia works alongside a small band of other magicians to repair the world’s long list of growing ailments covertly.
Something is clearly determined to bring them back together, whether that be to save the world or end it for good. One of the best books like 1984 if you’re looking for a more quirky dystopian spin, Charlie Jane Anders’ All the Birds in the Sky is a Nebula Award winner and blends elements of fantasy and science fiction.
The Circle (The Circle #1) – Dave Eggers
When Mae Holland is given the opportunity to walk for the Circle, the most powerful internet company in the world, she naturally sees it as the opportunity of a lifetime. Operated out of a sprawling California campus, The Circle links users’ personal emails, social media, banking and purchasing with a single operating system, allowing for one handy online identity in a new age of transparency.
As Mae tours her new place of work, she is impressed with the company’s modern approach to work. There are cosy dorms, parties that last through the night, musicians playing on the lawns and even an aquarium filled with rare fish retrieved from the Marianas Trench. Soon, however, life beyond the campus grows distant, a strange encounter with a colleague leaves her shaken and her role within the Circle becomes increasingly public. What begins as a story about Mae’s ambition soon descends into a frenzied novel of memory, history, privacy and democracy in Dave Eggers’ The Circle, perfect for any fans of 1984.
This Perfect Day – Ira Levin
Ira Levin opens his classic dystopian novel This Perfect Day with a story set in a seemingly perfect global society. Uniformity is the defining feature: there is only one language, and all ethnic groups have been merged into one homogeneous race known as ‘The Family’. The world is ruled over by a central computer called UniComp which has been programmed to keep everyone on the planet in check.
People are regularly drugged so that they never realise their potential, but live on satisfied and cooperative. They are told where to live when to eat, whom to marry and when to reproduce. Finally, the world had been rid of suffering and conflict. Yet, for one man, this idyllic perfection wasn’t enough. For Chip, The Family was a malevolent force of evil. And his greatest dream of all was to escape and destroy.
The Giver (The Giver #1) – Lois Lowry
At the age of twelve, Jonas, a young boy from a seemingly utopian futuristic world, is singled out and selected to receive special training from The Giver. The Giver alone holds the memories of true joys and the pain of life. With the help of his new mentor, the boy soon learns the dark secrets that underpin his society’s existence.
Another one of the best dystopian novels like 1984, Lois Lowry’s The Give features a tightly controlled society with a dark side hidden beneath the surface. It is one of the most potent explorations of memory, freedom and human experience and questions the ethics of societal control over individuals.
V For Vendetta – Alan Moore
In his V for Vendetta graphic novels, Alan Moore whisks readers to a dystopian future Britain ruled by a fascist government that enforces control through surveillance, propaganda and violence. At its centre is V, a mysterious masked vigilante who seeks to overthrow the regime. One night, he rescues a young woman named Evey Hammond, who is ushered into his world of violence, symbolism and quest for freedom, justice and individuality.
As the story progresses, V embarks on a series of attacks against government officials. His actions soon begin to inspire the people to question the regime. Like 1984, V for Vendetta is one of the most famous works that critiques authoritarianism, yet Moore’s story also examines the cost of freedom in a society governed by fear through the fine line V’s actions walk between heroism and terrorism.
Snow Crash – Neal Stephenson
In reality, Hiro Protagonist delivers pizza for Uncle Enzo’s CosoNostra Pizza Inc. However, in the Metaverse, he’s a warrior prince. Diving headfirst into the enigma of a new computer virus that striking down hackers everywhere, he races along the neon-lit streets on a search-and-destroy mission for the shadowy virtual villain promising to bring about the infocaplypse.
One of the most defining Cyberpunk novels of all time, Neal Stephenson’s Snow Crash is a fast-paced romp through a futuristic US that is so outlandish it is recognisable. Similar to 1984, it features a corporately controlled society, technological and informational control and the manipulations of linguistics and freedom.
Never Let Me Go – Kazuo Ishiguro
From the outside, Hailsham appears to be a perfectly pleasant English boarding school. Far from the influences of the city, the students inside are well looked after and taught about the arts and literature. They are brought up to become the sorts of upstanding citizens the world wants them to be. Strangely, however, they are afforded very little contact with the outside world and are taught even less about it.
Within the grounds of Hailsham, Kathy and her best friends, Ruth and Tommy, grow from children to young adults. However, it is only when they leave the safety of the school and venture into the outside world do they begin to realise the grim truth of what Hailsham really is. One of the best dystopia books like 1984, Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go is a poignant exploration of individuality, purpose, love and meditation.
Check Out The Best Books Like Never Let Me Go
Animal Farm – George Orwell
Finally, where better to round off a list of books like 1984 than with another one of George Orwell’s best novels, Animal Farm? The story of Animal Farm opens with a farm being taken over by its overworked, mistreated animals. With burning idealism and stirring slogans, they set out to create a paradise of progress, justice and equality. What follows is one of the most searing and satirical tales ever written.
Charting the farm’s course from revolution against tyranny to a totalitarian regime just as terrible as before, Animal Farm’s initial target upon publication was Stalinist Russia but remains frighteningly fresh and accurate as a commentary on so many states and societies in the present day.
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
