William Makepeace Thackeray was a master of social satire, famous for books that looked closely at class, human foibles, and the way society works.
If you enjoy authors with similar themes and a sharp, witty style, this article will introduce you to some writers you might want to check out.
Charles Dickens was an English novelist who captured Victorian society in vivid detail, similar to William Makepeace Thackeray’s style in “Vanity Fair.”
Dickens often explored themes of morality, wealth, and class distinctions with memorable characters and sharp social commentary. His novel “Great Expectations” follows young Pip, an orphan living a humble life in a small village.
When Pip comes into an unexpected fortune from a mysterious benefactor, he believes his dreams of wealth and status are finally coming true. But as Pip enters high society, he must confront questions about loyalty, friendship, and the real cost of ambition.
Dickens’ storytelling offers dark secrets, twists of fate, and vivid characters who stay with you long after you’ve finished reading.
Books by Anthony Trollope often appeal to readers who enjoy the style of William Makepeace Thackeray. Trollope has a talent for sharp commentary on Victorian society combined with humor and vivid characters. An excellent place to start is his novel “The Way We Live Now.”
This story revolves around Augustus Melmotte, a wealthy financier whose mysterious past and sudden rise in London society spark scandal, greed, and intrigue among those around him.
Trollope is especially good at showing how the chase for wealth shapes his characters’ lives and exposes their ambitions and weaknesses.
If you appreciate Thackeray’s portrayal of social climbing and moral dilemmas in “Vanity Fair,” then Trollope’s insightful storytelling in “The Way We Live Now” could be something you’ll enjoy.
Jane Austen is an English novelist known for her sharp wit and vivid depictions of manners, social class, and courtship in early 19th-century Britain. If you enjoy Thackeray’s satirical portrayal of society in “Vanity Fair,” Austen’s novels might appeal to you too.
A great starting point is “Pride and Prejudice,” a story that follows the spirited Elizabeth Bennet as she navigates romance and family pressures. Austen’s rich characters, particularly the proud Mr. Darcy, come to life through clever dialogue and memorable interactions.
This novel offers a sharp yet entertaining picture of human behavior and societal expectations, wrapped in humor and romance.
Readers who enjoy William Makepeace Thackeray’s sharp social observations and rich, realistic characters will appreciate George Eliot’s novels. Eliot, the pen name of Mary Ann Evans, expertly portrays Victorian society with insight and subtle critique.
Her novel “Middlemarch” centers on the lives, relationships, and aspirations of people in a provincial English town.
Through intertwined stories of characters like the earnest Dorothea Brooke and the ambitious Dr. Tertius Lydgate, Eliot examines marriage, vocation, ambition, and moral compromise in ways that echo Thackeray’s depth and complexity.
If Thackeray’s candor about societal norms resonates with you, Eliot will offer a similarly thoughtful exploration of human nature and social dynamics.
Readers who enjoy William Makepeace Thackeray often appreciate Elizabeth Gaskell. She was an English novelist known for her thoughtful exploration of society, relationships, and class divisions.
In her novel “North and South,” Gaskell portrays Margaret Hale, a young woman forced to move from a peaceful village in southern England to the industrial northern town of Milton.
Margaret struggles to adapt to this harsh new environment, where factory work, poverty, and labor conflicts shape daily life.
Her relationship with John Thornton, a stern mill owner, provides a powerful backdrop to examine the contrasts and connections between different social classes.
The novel offers a vivid depiction of industrial Britain’s social struggles, portrayed through memorable characters and conflicting values.
Readers fond of Thackeray’s sharp social commentary and compelling characters will likely find themselves equally drawn to Gaskell’s storytelling in “North and South.”
Readers who enjoy William Makepeace Thackeray’s satirical, richly detailed stories will appreciate Thomas Hardy’s insightful portrayals of human nature and social dynamics. Hardy’s novels examine characters’ lives with honesty, depth, and a critical eye on Victorian society.
In “Far from the Madding Crowd,” Hardy introduces Bathsheba Everdene, a determined, independent heroine who inherits a farm in rural England.
Bathsheba’s story revolves around her relationships with three very different suitors: the quiet farmer Gabriel Oak, wealthy landowner William Boldwood, and the charismatic but reckless Sergeant Troy.
Hardy captures life in the countryside beautifully and explores the consequences of ambition, pride, and love. He combines subtle humor with thoughtful insights into the complexities of human hearts and the ironies of fate.
Books by Honoré de Balzac often explore society’s ambitions, flaws, and contradictions with sharp wit and depth, a style readers of William Makepeace Thackeray may appreciate.
One example is “Père Goriot,” a classic novel about the cost of ambition and social climbing in early 19th-century Paris. The story revolves around Eugène de Rastignac, an ambitious young man determined to rise through French society.
At his run-down boarding house, he meets Goriot, a tragic father whose obsessive sacrifice for his selfish daughters shapes Rastignac’s perceptions of wealth, status, and morality.
Balzac portrays ambition’s dark side, society’s harshness, and human nature’s complexities, themes Thackeray fans will find familiar and thought-provoking.
Books by Gustave Flaubert often explore realistic characters facing the ironies of society, much as William Makepeace Thackeray does. In “Madame Bovary,” Flaubert introduces Emma Bovary, a young woman trapped in the monotony of provincial life.
Emma dreams vividly of romance and sophisticated luxury, but reality fails to match her ambitions. Her dissatisfaction deepens, causing tensions between personal desires and social expectations to mount, until her choices lead to unexpected consequences.
Readers who appreciate Thackeray’s sharp eye for human flaws and social critique may find themselves drawn to Flaubert’s rich portrayal of Emma’s struggles and desires.
Books by Leo Tolstoy offer deep insights into society, morality, and human relationships, which readers of William Makepeace Thackeray will deeply appreciate.
In “Anna Karenina,” Tolstoy explores the consequences of love, betrayal, and societal expectations within aristocratic Russian society. Anna’s passionate and tragic story runs parallel to Levin’s quieter journey as a thoughtful landowner who searches for meaning and fulfillment.
The contrast between Anna’s emotional pursuit and Levin’s philosophical quest creates a captivating portrayal of nineteenth-century life, filled with vivid characters and sharp social observations.
Readers who liked Thackeray’s exploration of complicated human emotions and social conventions in “Vanity Fair” will feel immediately at home in Tolstoy’s world.
Readers who appreciate William Makepeace Thackeray’s wit and satirical eye may find Henry Fielding equally entertaining. Fielding’s novel, “Tom Jones,” follows the spirited adventures of Tom, an orphan raised by a kind-hearted country squire.
Throughout the story, Tom navigates love, misunderstandings, and colorful encounters with all sorts of characters in 18th-century England.
Fielding is a master at gently poking fun at society’s pretensions and hypocrisies, occasionally breaking the fourth wall to speak directly to you, the reader. His humor and sharp insights into human nature nicely complement the themes explored by Thackeray.
Readers who enjoy William Makepeace Thackeray’s blend of detailed characters and social critique might find Charlotte Brontë equally fascinating.
Brontë, a Victorian novelist known for exploring complex emotions and moral dilemmas, created compelling characters who wrestle with personal challenges and societal expectations.
In her novel “Jane Eyre,” Brontë introduces readers to Jane, an intelligent and determined young woman who faces hardship and prejudice after becoming an orphan.
As Jane grows up, her position as governess at the mysterious Thornfield Hall leads her to Mr. Rochester, the brooding and enigmatic estate master whose hidden past tests her strength and principles.
Through Jane’s struggles and choices, Brontë reveals the difficulties of women’s autonomy and class constraints, themes readers who appreciate Thackeray are sure to connect with.
Readers who enjoy William Makepeace Thackeray’s exploration of character flaws and intricate social dynamics might also appreciate Emily Brontë. Her novel “Wuthering Heights” reveals raw human emotions in a haunting tale set on the stark English moors.
The story focuses on Heathcliff and Catherine, whose intense and turbulent relationship alters everyone around them. Secrets, betrayal, bitterness, and fierce love dominate their interconnected lives and span generations.
Brontë captures the complexities of human nature and shows how unchecked passion and vengeance can affect people’s choices and destinies.
George Meredith was an English novelist from the Victorian era, known for his sharp wit and insight into human psychology. Readers who enjoy William Makepeace Thackeray’s clever observations of society might find Meredith’s “The Egoist” equally engaging.
The book features Sir Willoughby Patterne, a wealthy and charming gentleman who seems to have everything—but underneath, he’s a relentlessly self-centered man struggling to understand himself and his relationships.
Meredith portrays the ironies of social expectations with humor that is subtle yet sharp. The story shows how vanity and ego can shape lives, affect choices, and disrupt love and happiness in unexpected ways.
Readers who enjoy William Makepeace Thackeray’s engaging narratives and sharp observations of society might find themselves equally absorbed by the works of Wilkie Collins.
Collins was a Victorian novelist known for pioneering mystery and suspense fiction with vivid characters and intriguing plots.
His novel “The Woman in White” tells the story of Walter Hartright, an art instructor whose chance meeting with a mysterious woman dressed entirely in white plunges him into a web of secrets, mistaken identities, and family conspiracies.
Collins blends suspense with insightful commentary on Victorian society, creating a captivating tale that explores themes of identity, deception, and power.
Books by Thomas Love Peacock offer sharp wit, clever satire, and insightful commentary on society, qualities readers of William Makepeace Thackeray often appreciate.
In “Nightmare Abbey,” Peacock humorously portrays a group of eccentric intellectuals gathered at an isolated manor, each obsessed with their own gloomy philosophies.
The characters poke fun at romanticism, melancholy poets, and absurd philosophical trends of the early 19th century. The novel is filled with lively conversation, amusing characters, and playful humor that gently mocks social pretensions and fashionable despair.
Readers who enjoy how Thackeray exposes society’s vanity through sharp humor might find Peacock’s clever satire equally entertaining.