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Quick answer: If you loved Vox, read Christina Dalcher's Q, then The Handmaid's Tale, The Power, Red Clocks, Parable of the Sower and The Testaments. All are feminist dystopias about silence, control and resistance.
Christina Dalcher's 2018 novel imagines a United States where women are limited to 100 words a day, following Dr. Jean McClellan as she fights back. It is tense and thought-provoking. The books below offer similar feminist dystopian fiction and warnings.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q | Christina Dalcher | Adult | her dystopian follow-up |
| The Handmaid's Tale | Margaret Atwood | Adult | oppressive society |
| The Testaments | Margaret Atwood | Adult | sequel |
| The Power | Naomi Alderman | Adult | readers who like feminist dystopia |
| Red Clocks | Leni Zumas | Adult | near-future politics |
| Parable of the Sower | Octavia E. Butler | Adult | readers who want a foundational classic |
| Station Eleven | Emily St. John Mandel | Adult | literary post-collapse |
| Never Let Me Go | Kazuo Ishiguro | Adult | slow-burn sadness |
| Fahrenheit 451 | Ray Bradbury | Adult | burning books |
| Nineteen Eighty-Four | George Orwell | Adult | surveillance state |
| Brave New World | Aldous Huxley | Adult | engineered happiness |
| The Hunger Games | Suzanne Collins | 12+ | teens who want action |
| Wool | Hugh Howey | Adult | dystopian mystery |
| The Giver | Lois Lowry | Teen | strange community |
| Children of Men | P.D. James | Adult | dystopian classic |
1. Q by Christina Dalcher
A world in which children are ranked by intelligence tests. Tense and disturbing.
Best for: her dystopian follow-up.
2. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
A woman lives under a theocratic regime. Chilling and unforgettable.
Best for: oppressive society.
3. The Testaments by Margaret Atwood
The sequel set fifteen years later, told by three women. Tense and satisfying.
Best for: sequel.
4. The Power by Naomi Alderman
Girls develop the power to give electric shocks, and the balance of power shifts. Violent and thought-provoking.
Best for: readers who like feminist dystopia.
5. Red Clocks by Leni Zumas
Five women live under strict reproductive laws. Timely and tense.
Best for: near-future politics.
6. Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler
Lauren Olamina has hyperempathy in a collapsing California and builds a new belief system while traveling north on foot. A classic road story about survival and community.
Best for: readers who want a foundational classic.
7. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
A travelling company performs Shakespeare after a pandemic. Elegant and moving.
Best for: literary post-collapse.
8. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
Students at a boarding school learn a hard truth about their lives. Quiet, eerie and moving.
Best for: slow-burn sadness.
9. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
A fireman starts to question his job. Short and lyrical.
Best for: burning books.
10. Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
Winston Smith rebels against Big Brother. Bleak and influential.
Best for: surveillance state.
11. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
A society engineered for pleasure shows its dark side. A classic of the genre.
Best for: engineered happiness.
12. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Katniss volunteers for her sister in a deadly televised contest. Fast, tense and thoughtful about power and survival.
Best for: teens who want action.
13. Wool by Hugh Howey
People live in an underground silo. Tense and clever.
Best for: dystopian mystery.
14. The Giver by Lois Lowry
A boy learns the truth about his society. Thoughtful and haunting.
Best for: strange community.
15. Children of Men by P.D. James
A world where humanity can no longer have children. Bleak and gripping.
Best for: dystopian classic.
How to Choose
For more Dalcher read Q. For classic dystopias choose The Handmaid's Tale, Nineteen Eighty-Four or Brave New World. For feminist twists pick The Power or Red Clocks. For quieter literary dystopias read Never Let Me Go or Station Eleven. Vox is short and fast, so these picks suit readers who want ideas with tension. Vox became a bestseller and sparked comparisons with Margaret Atwood's novel. Dalcher is a linguist by training, which is why language is central to the book.
Related: 15 Books Like Wings of Fire Kids Will Love: Dragons, Quests and Animal Adventures · 12 Dystopian Books Like the Hunger Games | Best Books to Read Like Hunger Games
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Vox about?
A world where women are limited to 100 spoken words per day.
Who wrote it?
Christina Dalcher.
When was it published?
2018.
Is it like The Handmaid's Tale?
It shares themes of control, though the plot and style differ.
Is it a thriller?
Yes, a political thriller.
Is it feminist?
Yes.
Does it have a sequel?
Not directly, though Q is another dystopia by the author.
What should I read next?
Try The Handmaid's Tale or The Power.
Which book here is best for readers who like feminist dystopia?
Try The Power by Naomi Alderman, which suits readers looking for readers who like feminist dystopia.
Which book here is best for literary post-collapse?
Try Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, which suits readers looking for literary post-collapse.
Which book here is best for surveillance state?
Try Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell, which suits readers looking for surveillance state.
Which book here is best for dystopian mystery?
Try Wool by Hugh Howey, which suits readers looking for dystopian mystery.
Which book here is best for oppressive society?
Try The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, which suits readers looking for oppressive society.
Which book here is best for near-future politics?
Try Red Clocks by Leni Zumas, which suits readers looking for near-future politics.
Which book here is best for slow-burn sadness?
Try Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, which suits readers looking for slow-burn sadness.