Fahrenheit 451

I used to wonder if only the English wrote dystopian novels. But Ray Bradbury, an American writer swept that doubt away when I picked up "Fahrenheit 451".

In a distant future, firemen are tasked with searching, raiding and destroying books and snuffing out knowledge. The protagonist of this book, Guy Montag, a fireman, meets a free-spirited girl in his neighbourhood. After interacting with her, he starts introspecting on knowledge, happiness and life. In search for answers, he gets drawn by into books - a forbidden possession. He is declared an outlaw and has to escape and join the rebels.

Though written in 1953, this book is anachronistic. You could replace books with thought, art, philosophy or thinkers and this story could be playing out in your nation.