We the living

Published in 1936, 'We the Living' is Ayn Rand's first novel and is set in Soviet Russia.

The story revolves around three main characters: Kira Argounova, a fiercely independent young woman; Leo Kovalensky, the man she loves who is marked as an enemy of the state due to his bourgeois origins; and Andrei Taganov, an officer of the Soviet Secret police.

The novel critiques the collectivist state and its impact on individual lives, highlighting themes of personal freedom, individualism, and the sanctity of human life.

Rand's work is a powerful commentary on the oppressive nature of totalitarian regimes and the human spirit's struggle for survival and self-determination under such conditions.