47 pages 1 hour read

Arthur Koestler

Darkness at Noon

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1940

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Before You Read

Roundup icon

Super Short Summary

Darkness at Noon by Arthur Koestler follows Nicholas Salmanovitch Rubashov, a founder of a socialist state, during his imprisonment, trial, and execution. Through flashbacks and conversations with his examiners, Ivanov and Gletkin, Rubashov reveals his critique of Party politics and his complicity in its repressive machinery. The novel explores themes of ideology, betrayal, and the erasure of individuality. The book contains themes of imprisonment, psychological manipulation, false confessions, and execution.

Reviews & Readership

Roundup icon

Review Roundup

Arthur Koestler's Darkness at Noon is widely praised for its penetrating examination of totalitarianism and individual morality, offering a compelling narrative that stimulates deep reflection. Some critics note its dense philosophical dialogue can be challenging, but overall it’s revered for its intellectual depth and historical significance.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Darkness at Noon?

Ideal readers of Arthur Koestler's Darkness at Noon appreciate politically charged literature and dystopian themes. Fans of George Orwell's 1984 and Aldous Huxley's Brave New World will find the novel’s exploration of totalitarian regimes, human rights, and individual versus collective identity compelling and thought-provoking.

RecommendedReading Age

18+years

Book Details

Themes

Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Genre

Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction

Russian Literature

Historical Fiction

Topics

History: World

Philosophy

Politics / Government