Fiction Edition - HOW TO FIGHT A DICTATOR
Inspired by @kishmish's nonfiction list (linked here). All suggestions for fiction set during real life dictatorships, depicting life under a dictatorship, or otherwise revolving around fictional narratives related to dictators, oppression, resistance, and authoritarian regimes are welcome!
created by ayzrules
last updated November, 2025
Comments
wolf by wolf by ryan graudin, the devil’s arithmetic by jane yolen, and if i should die before i wake by han nolan all fit here!!
wait also: ashes by kathryn lasky, code name verity by elizabeth wein and rose under fire by elizabeth wein!
ok sorry back with just one more for now (this was a niche i was extremely into as a teenager LOL): salt to the sea by ruta sepetys
Omg no I was obsessed with this stuff in middle and high school too, I swear the book thief changed me on a fundamental level when I read it at age 11. Thank you SO much for these suggestions! 💗
Also would you consider The Hunger Games or Sunrise on the Reaping for this list? Just curious if it'd fit
Let me think about that after i'm done w/ social things tomorrow and get back to you!! i really appreciate you taking a look at the list :D!
Ofc!
As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh is really good!
ooooo - thank you! added!
I love this! 🫶🏽 I’ll actually hand off the one fiction from my list to you then, hahah: El Señor Presidente by Miguel Asturias. I was crowdsourcing in my personal life, and had a few other fiction recs from people there too: The Imperial Radch Trilogy and novellas by Ann Leckie, Vineland by Thomas Pynchon, and We by Zamyatin Yevgeny (I didn’t look into them too much because they didn’t seem to fit with what I was going for, though!)
oooh wow thank you so much for all of this, i rly appreciate it :D! added!
Im nominating The Everlasting to this!
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