I have loved dystopian books ever since my mom handed me The Giver when I was in the fourth grade. My high school English teacher ignited this passion further when she suggested I read Fahrenheit 451 during Banned Books Week. I would later pursue this interest in university when I wrote my thesis on the political use of language in dystopian literature. Now, my love for the genre motivates me to write dystopian books of my own. This list includes the most engaging and evocative dystopian books I urge every twenty-something to readāif only so I can talk about them with more people!
The world of The Hunger Games is eerily similar to our own, making readers think about ājust warā and the spectacle of violence through the eyes of a 16-year-old girl. While Katniss Everdeen is a teenager, I still pick up this book (more than) annually, and each time I revisit it, I come away with new insight into the real world.
Katniss is strong, caring, and resilient in the face of all the challenges of her environment. As an adult, I can learn from her strengths and even from her flaws. She inspires me to watch the world around me with a careful eye, to understand how the powers that be shape my experiences, and ultimately, to always watch out for my fellow human beings.
Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. But Katniss has been close to death before - and survival, for her, is second nature. The Hunger Games is a searing novel set in a future with unsettling parallels to our present. Welcome to the deadliest reality TV show ever...
Reading this book in college was a powerful experience for me, as it highlights how easy it is for fascism to take over with a very personal narrative style that emphasizes the humanity of the main character.
I love that this book is written in first-person point of view from a āhandmaidāsā perspective, as it makes the story especially engaging and puts the reader in Offredās shoes. While the subject matter can be difficult to read at times, I believe that this book is important for every new adult seeking to understand how they can play a role in protecting the rights and dignity of those around them.
** THE SUNDAY TIMES NO. 1 BESTSELLER ** **A BBC BETWEEN COVERS BIG JUBILEE READ**
Go back to where it all began with the dystopian novel behind the award-winning TV series.
'As relevant today as it was when Atwood wrote it' Guardian
I believe in the resistance as I believe there can be no light without shadow; or rather, no shadow unless there is also light.
Offred is a Handmaid in The Republic of Gilead, a religious totalitarian state in what was formerly known as the United States. She is placed in the household of The Commander, Fred Waterford -ā¦
What would you do if a meteorite landed in your own front yard? And not just any meteorite, but one that turns out to be some kind of mysterious force that will drain the life out of you and your surroundings?
Illustrator Sara Barkat lends her vision to H.P. Lovecraftāsā¦
The blood-based hierarchy, royal power plays, and love triangle make this book one of my favorites, both earlier in my teen years and now in my twenties. I love to revisit this book because of the way it balances exciting action, enticing romance, and societal commentary. Itās a fun read that hits me hard every time!
The first novel in the #1 bestselling RED QUEEN series by Victoria Aveyard.
THIS IS A WORLD DIVIDED BY BLOOD - RED OR SILVER.
The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change.
That is, until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance ofā¦
I love anything with zombies in it, but what really draws me to this book in particular is how personal of a story it is.
The protagonist, Candace Chen, is both nostalgic for a New York City that never really existed and conscious of how overconsumption blinds her to the dystopia of her own office. I admire how the book draws parallels between work culture and a āzombieā pandemic that forces people to repeat their old routines. This is a must-read that I recommend to anyone entering or navigating the workforce.
Maybe itās the end of the world, but not for Candace Chen, a millennial, first-generation American and office drone meandering her way into adulthood in Ling Maās offbeat, wryly funny, apocalyptic satire, Severance.
"A stunning, audacious book with a fresh take on both office politics and what the apocalypse might bring." āMichael Schaub, NPR.org
āA satirical spin on the end times-- kind of like The Office meets The Leftovers.ā --Estelle Tang, Elle
NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY: NPR * The New Yorker ("Books We Loved") * Elle * Marie Claire * Amazon Editors * The Paris Reviewā¦
I read this novella in one sitting, and I firmly believe it is the most efficient introduction to the dystopian genre. The theme of individuality, emphasized by the lack of the word āIā throughout most of the book, underscores many other pieces of dystopian literature.
As the protagonist learns how to express himself as an individual rather than part of a collective, readers are exposed to the importance of discovering their own identitiesāsomething that I take to heart as I navigate my twenties!
Anthem is Ayn Randās classic tale of a dystopian future of the great āWeāāa world that deprives individuals of a name or independenceāthat anticipates her later masterpieces, The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged.
They existed only to serve the state. They were conceived in controlled Palaces of Mating. They died in the Home of the Useless. From cradle to grave, the crowd was oneāthe great WE.
In all that was left of humanity there was only one man who dared to think, seek, and love. He lived in the dark ages of the future. In a loveless world, he dared toā¦
After the queen is assassinated, Alexandria Redmond is named the heir and must prepare for the fight of her life: the Campaign. She can only ascend if she makes it to the throne, all while defending herself against citizens who have been given free rein to kill her on her journey to the palace and take the crown for themselves.
Assigned a Protector with secrets hidden beneath his smile, Alexandria navigates life as a fugitive among her own people. Along the way, she discovers a twisted thread connecting herself, the dead queen, and the war that killed her first love.
A freak accident on board the HMS Spartan during a sea battle with the French navy in 1804 catapults Midshipman Harry Heron and his shipmates Ferghal O'Connor and Danny Gunn four hundred years into the future, landing them on the NECS Vanguard, flagship of the World Treaty Organisation Fleet.
Sheās hiding from pain. Heās lost everything but his dog. When fresh air and second chances bring them together, can they rediscover true love?
If you enjoy kind-hearted heroes, small towns, and more humor than heat, youāll adore this contemporary Alaskan romance! A Darling Handyman is the feel-good first bookā¦