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Quick answer: If you read 1984, read George Orwell's Animal Farm, then Brave New World, The Handmaid's Tale, Fahrenheit 451 and We. All are classic dystopias about power, language and the loss of freedom.
George Orwell's 1949 novel follows Winston Smith, a minor Party official in a totalitarian London who begins to resist Big Brother's control of facts and thoughts. It introduced ideas like Newspeak, doublethink and Big Brother into everyday language. The books below offer similar dystopias, from classics to modern warnings.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Animal Farm | George Orwell | Adult | political fable |
| Brave New World | Aldous Huxley | Adult | pleasure as control |
| The Handmaid's Tale | Margaret Atwood | Adult | oppressive society |
| Fahrenheit 451 | Ray Bradbury | Adult | burning books |
| We | Yevgeny Zamyatin | Adult | the original dystopia |
| Darkness at Noon | Arthur Koestler | Adult | trial and truth |
| A Clockwork Orange | Anthony Burgess | Adult | violence and free will |
| It Can't Happen Here | Sinclair Lewis | Adult | American fascism |
| The Trial | Franz Kafka | Adult | bureaucratic nightmare |
| The Hunger Games | Suzanne Collins | Teen | survival |
| The Giver | Lois Lowry | Teen | strange community |
| Never Let Me Go | Kazuo Ishiguro | Adult | quiet horror |
| V for Vendetta | Alan Moore and David Lloyd | Adult | graphic novel |
| Oryx and Crake | Margaret Atwood | Adult | science gone wrong |
| The Testaments | Margaret Atwood | Adult | the sequel |
1. Animal Farm by George Orwell
Farm animals rebel and face a new tyranny. Short and sharp.
Best for: political fable.
2. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
A society engineered for happiness shows its dark side. A classic of the genre.
Best for: pleasure as control.
3. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
A woman lives under a theocratic regime. Chilling and unforgettable.
Best for: oppressive society.
4. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
A fireman starts to question his job. Short and lyrical.
Best for: burning books.
5. We by Yevgeny Zamyatin
A mathematician in a glass city questions his society. The book that inspired Orwell.
Best for: the original dystopia.
6. Darkness at Noon by Arthur Koestler
An old revolutionary is imprisoned by his own party. Chilling and short.
Best for: trial and truth.
7. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
A young thug is conditioned by the state. Inventive and violent.
Best for: violence and free will.
8. It Can't Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis
A demagogue becomes president and builds a dictatorship. Satirical and prescient.
Best for: American fascism.
9. The Trial by Franz Kafka
A man is arrested for an unnamed crime. Short, strange and unforgettable.
Best for: bureaucratic nightmare.
10. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Katniss volunteers for a televised fight to the death. The classic young-adult dystopia.
Best for: survival.
11. The Giver by Lois Lowry
A boy learns the truth about his society. Thoughtful and haunting.
Best for: strange community.
12. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
Students at an English boarding school learn their purpose. Gentle and devastating.
Best for: quiet horror.
13. V for Vendetta by Alan Moore and David Lloyd
A masked anarchist fights a fascist government. Dark and influential.
Best for: graphic novel.
14. Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood
A lonely survivor recalls how the world ended. Sharp and darkly funny.
Best for: science gone wrong.
15. The Testaments by Margaret Atwood
Told by three women, it expands the world of Gilead. A gripping follow-up.
Best for: the sequel.
How to Choose
For Orwell's other great book read Animal Farm. For classic dystopias choose Brave New World, Fahrenheit 451 or We. For feminist dystopia pick The Handmaid's Tale and The Testaments. For political history read Darkness at Noon and It Can't Happen Here. For younger readers try The Giver or The Hunger Games. 1984 is short, so it is easy to read slowly and discuss. Nineteen Eighty-Four is often reread at moments of political tension, and many editions include helpful introductions and the appendix on Newspeak. The Orwell Foundation offers resources for readers and students.
Related: What Age Is 1984 Appropriate For? A Parent’s Guide · 12 Dystopian Books Like the Hunger Games | Best Books to Read Like Hunger Games
Frequently Asked Questions
What is 1984 about?
Winston Smith lives under the Party's total control and secretly rebels.
Who wrote it?
George Orwell.
When was it published?
1949.
What is Newspeak?
A language designed to limit the range of thought.
What is doublethink?
Holding two contradictory beliefs and accepting both.
Is it a hard book to read?
It is clear, though the later chapters are intense.
Is it suitable for teens?
Yes, it is widely taught, though it contains torture and sexual content.
What should I read next?
Try Animal Farm or Brave New World.
Which book here is best for burning books?
Try Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, which suits readers looking for burning books.
Which book here is best for violence and free will?
Try A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess, which suits readers looking for violence and free will.
Which book here is best for survival?
Try The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, which suits readers looking for survival.
Which book here is best for graphic novel?
Try V for Vendetta by Alan Moore and David Lloyd, which suits readers looking for graphic novel.
Which book here is best for pleasure as control?
Try Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, which suits readers looking for pleasure as control.
Which book here is best for the original dystopia?
Try We by Yevgeny Zamyatin, which suits readers looking for the original dystopia.
Which book here is best for American fascism?
Try It Can't Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis, which suits readers looking for American fascism.