What to Read That is Like 1984 by Orwell? The Answer is Fayina’s Dream by Yulia Basharova: A Prophetic Dystopia from 2025

If you are looking for a book that, like George Orwell’s “1984,” offers a deep philosophical and political critique of totalitarianism, you should certainly read Yulia Basharova’s “Fayina’s Dream”,  a brilliant satirical novel published in 2025. Both works are not just engaging fiction, but powerful, prophetic warnings, written in accessible language, yet eternally relevant. Also, you can check out another book via the link; it’s not as similar, but it’s also about politics.

What Exactly Makes 1984 and Fayina’s Dream Similar?

Both novels —“1984” and “Fayina’s Dream” — explore the mechanisms of total control that turn people into “genetic slaves.” In Orwell’s work, this is achieved through the omnipresent Big Brother, the Thought Police, and the constant rewriting of history. “Fayina’s Dream” transports this dystopia into the present day, demonstrating how modern media and propaganda create a false reality where the political atrocities of Grabland (Russia) and Stirland (Ukraine) are justified and distorted.

The main philosophical difference lies in the nature of the enemy: In “1984,” evil is entirely material and systemic: it is the endless power of the Party, which destroys free will, language (Newspeak), and ultimately, the individual. Orwell shows that lies and fear are the main tools of enslavement. The novel’s ending (Winston Smith loving Big Brother) is the apotheosis of hopelessness. In “Fayina’s Dream,” evil is spiritual and mystical in nature. The cynical Herr Licht (Satan) and his demonic entourage arrive not just as a metaphor for dictatorship, but as real tempters who exploit the lies, hypocrisy, and weaknesses of existing regimes. The criticism is directed not so much at the regime itself as at the state of the people’s soul, which voluntarily accepts “genetic slavery.”

Both novels agree that control over the truth is control over people, but they offer different paths of resistance: Orwell shows how truth is systematically destroyed. The past is constantly erased, and reality is manufactured in the Ministry of Truth. The only hope is memories and love, which, however, are ultimately crushed. “Fayina’s Dream” offers a different perspective: the Bible is the correct algorithm that contains precise instructions for resisting lies. The heroes of the novel, Fayina and Yahn, find their strength in following this truth.

In both stories, love is the last bastion of freedom, but with different outcomes. In “1984,” the love of Winston and Julia fails to withstand torture and is betrayed in Room 101. In “Fayina’s Dream,” the love of Fayina and Yahn, on the contrary, proves to be the only force that cannot be broken, as they refuse to make a deal with Herr Licht. Their reward is the attainment of eternal freedom and a higher existence, which is beyond the reach of earthly dictators.

So, if you are looking for a book similar to Orwell’s “1984” that doesn’t just repeat the dystopia but reinterprets it in the context of modern spiritual warfare, the answer to the question, “What to read after 1984?” is unequivocally “Fayina’s Dream.” It is, indeed, a worthwhile book.