We
A Novel
by Yevgeny Zamyatin
HarperCollins 2021
Easy read — content targets 9th–12th grade
Reading level 7.3 (7th grade) but themes aimed at ages 14+
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Genre
Themes
- Totalitarianism and authoritarian control
- Surveillance and loss of privacy
- Individuality vs. conformity
- Reason vs. emotion
- Free will and rebellion
- Identity and the self
- Utopia vs. dystopia
- State power and technology
- Love as subversion
- Propaganda and social engineering
About this book
In a future totalitarian state called OneState, citizens live in glass buildings under constant surveillance and are known only by numbers. D-503, a mathematician and chief engineer of the spacecraft Integral, begins to experience forbidden emotion and individuality after falling in love, pulling him into a dangerous resistance against the Benefactor’s perfectly ordered world.
Setting: A future city-state called OneState, a regimented glass metropolis under total surveillance; includes the Integral spacecraft project.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is We right for my child?
It depends — here's what to consider for We. The reading level is AR 7.3, which is typical for 7th grade. The interest level is rated Upper Grades (9–12), meaning the themes and content are designed for ages 14+ (9th–12th grade). Themes include Totalitarianism and authoritarian control, Surveillance and loss of privacy, Individuality vs. conformity.
How long does it take to read We?
At a typical 7th grade reading pace, We takes around 6.5h to finish. The book has 68,000 words. Slower or faster readers may vary significantly.
Does We have an AR quiz?
Yes — We has an AR quiz available, worth 11 points. Your child will need to take and pass the quiz through their school's Accelerated Reader program to earn credit. The quiz is typically 5–20 multiple choice questions about plot, characters, and setting.
What grade level is We?
We has an AR reading level of 7.3, which places it at a 7th grade reading difficulty. The interest level is rated Upper Grades (9–12) — this reflects the age-appropriateness of the content and themes, not just the reading difficulty. A strong younger reader may handle the words fine while the themes are aimed at an older audience, or vice versa.