Let’s explore this list full of allegories, fables, and veiled depictions of the best and the worst of us. Books Like Animal Farm You’ll Love
Animal Farm, by George Orwell, is a novel-fable that, executed through easily recognizable allegories, was fierce criticism of the Soviet Union and totalitarianism, questioning whether egalitarianism and collectivism could end inequalities.
It is perhaps the most recognized example of literature capable of evoking great historical figures and key actors in history through a narrative suitable for all ages, and yet with a high degree of social and political criticism.
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Heart of a Dog
by Mikhail Bulgakov (1925)
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This book is a satirical fable that hides a strong criticism of the Soviet regime, its lifestyle, and its claim to transform citizens into new men.
The author manages to describe the everyday life under the Soviet regime viewed from a perspective full of irony and sarcasm against a totalitarian government that set out to control every last detail of people’s lives.
Watership Down
by Richard Adams (1972)
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Imagine for a moment a reality where little and adorable rabbits were able to communicate, establish bonds, to dream of a better life; well, this fantasy novel is a kind of fable starring these animals.
Narrated with fluidity, Richard Adams presents us with a brilliant epic of the fantastic journey of a group of rabbits.
The book is a hymn to friendship, to destiny, to overcome; a journey into the unknown, the journey of inner growth.
Lord of the Flies
by William Golding (1954)
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After a plane crash, a group of children arrives on an island where they must survive without the help of adults.
When Ralph is chosen to be the leader, he imposes a series of rules, but as the days go by, anarchy and their most animal instincts will prevail.
The island is just another character as if it had a life of its own as if it wanted to teach the children something.
There is a criticism not only of society and how it is formed but also of the essence of the human being. We can witness the weak border that separates us from the wild, with the monster that lives in each one.
The Plague
by Albert Camus (1947)
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The narrator presents himself as a witness to what happened in Oran. Thus he begins a meticulous chronicle where he recounts the events he witnessed, the origins and progress of the plague that struck the city of Oran for almost a year.
The book does not have a conventional structure, since its objective is to invite readers to reflect on the human condition, on how people behave in extreme situations, and what they think about their sufferings, their place in the universe, and the absurdity of existence.
The Trial
by Franz Kafka (1925)
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Josef K is an ordinary and cool guy who one day gets arrested for no reason and who is introduced to a strange judicial process. The protagonist understands less and less as the novel progresses.
Will the trial itself be the real sentence? By reading this book, you will understand where the adjective “Kafkaesque” and all its derivations come from.
Steppenwolf
by Hermann Hesse (1927)
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Hesse opens the doors to a world of deception and lies: the head of Harry Haller, who will not only seek to deceive the reader but also himself.
We are facing a story of loneliness, criticism, existence, internal contradictions, and great introspective content.
It is a profound psychological and philosophical allegory of a wayward, uprooted, neurotic and schizophrenic being, unable to understand the world around him.
The novel is a great literary piece that underlies Nietzschean thought, Freudian psychoanalysis, Goethe’s literary world, Mozart’s romantic spirit, and musical magic.
Filth
by Irvine Welsh (1998)
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This book is the representation of people who do not fit in, of those who are not part of the norm, of people who cannot move forward, of those who do not give up even knowing that they are not going anywhere.
It seems that the author decided to take the worst of the human race and put it all together in the same work, resulting in an impeccable, entertaining, controversial, emotional but above all thoughtful novel.
The Wasp Factory
by Iain Banks (1984)
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This is not a book for everyone. Iain Banks plunges us into a world of violence, wickedness, sociopathic tendencies, animal abuse, and cold-blooded murder; and all from the point of view of a teenager.
Frank Cauldhame lives with his father in a house on an island, linked by an old bridge to the town of Porteneil, on the Scottish coast. This tiny island is Frank’s private kingdom, his playground, and the scene of three premeditated murders.
More Science-Fiction Book?
- 8 Books Like Animal Farm, Allegories, Fables, and Veiled Depictions of The Best and the Worst of Us
- 8 Young Adult Series Like Divergent That Will Blow Your Mind If You Are a Fan of Veronica Roth’s Books
- If you liked “Ready Player One”, Check Out These 8 Science Fiction Books
What should I read after Animal Farm?
1. Heart of a Dog
2. Watership Down
3. Lord of the Flies
4. The Plague
5. The Trial
6. Steppenwolf
7. Filth
8. The Wasp Factory
