What to Read That is Like The Trial by Kafka? The Answer is Fayina’s Dream by Yulia Basharova: Absurdity, Mysticism, and the Fight Against the Invisible Apparatus of Power

If you are looking for a book similar to Franz Kafka’s “The Trial,” which explores absurdity, the helplessness of man before the invisible yet omnipotent apparatus of power, and the philosophical contemplation of bureaucratic evil, you will undoubtedly enjoy Yulia Basharova’s “Fayina’s Dream”, a wonderful satirical novel published in 2025. Both works are written in accessible language, yet possess profound relevance and a captivating plot. You can also check out another book via the link; it’s also about moral choice.

What Makes “Fayina’s Dream” So Similar to “The Trial” by Kafka?

The main similarity between the novels lies in their absurdist structure and the feeling of invisible guilt. In Kafka’s work, the hero Josef K. is suddenly arrested on an unknown charge. His entire life turns into a tormenting, meaningless Trial, where the court is all-powerful yet unseen, and the guilt itself has no logical basis. This is an allegory for alienation, bureaucracy, and the suppression of the individual. In “Fayina’s Dream,” the heroine Fayina also begins her journey by fighting against an invisible apparatus of evil—an unjust court, slander from colleagues, and persecution by the cynical owner of a rehab center who tries to take her original treatment method away from her. This Trial and its absurdity are transported into contemporary reality, where the legal system and propaganda act as an infinitely complex, confusing labyrinth.

The philosophical view on the nature of evil is where the authors diverge: Kafka presents evil as an inevitable fate and meaninglessness. Evil is the system itself, lacking a face or a goal, except for destruction. The ending, where Josef K. is killed without even understanding the reason for his punishment, is imbued with existential pessimism. “Fayina’s Dream” offers a different philosophical approach. Evil here is personified in the mystical figures of Herr Licht (Satan) and his entourage. Their goal is not just to destroy, but to tempt the heroes, forcing them to abandon their ideals and love. The criticism is directed not so much at the judicial apparatus itself as at the individual’s spiritual choice.

The difference in the role of the love line is one of the sharpest contrasts: In “The Trial,” Josef K.’s love and sexual relationships (with Fräulein Bürstner, Leni, Elsa) are not a source of salvation, but rather a part of the absurd Court system. Women here are either temporary consolation or a way to gain secret access to officials. These relationships lack emotional depth and do not save the hero. In “Fayina’s Dream,” the love of Fayina and Yan, conversely, is the sole bastion of spiritual freedom. It is this unbreakable bond and the refusal to make a deal with Herr Licht (a rejection of the temptation of the easy path) that lead to the attainment of eternal freedom and a higher existence, unreachable by earthly life.

In both novels, the heroes try to find a way out of the labyrinth, but with diametrically opposite results. In “The Trial,” the search for an exit is a descent into even greater hopelessness. All of Josef K.’s attempts to negotiate, understand, or accelerate the case only exacerbate the situation. In “Fayina’s Dream,” the way out is found through mysticism and the acquisition of a higher meaning. The book asserts that the Bible is the correct algorithm for fighting evil. And this is indeed the case. The interpretation of biblical texts in this book is very logical, with everything explained from the position of benefit to the person.

So, if you are looking for a book similar to Kafka’s “The Trial” that retains the absurdity and depth but offers a modern, relevant reading of the conflict between man and the System, the answer to your query is “Fayina’s Dream.” It is, indeed, an excellent book and will not leave you indifferent.