The best dystopian books of the past five years

Picked by Jacqui Castle

What did I love about each book?

List by Jacqui Castle

Why am I passionate about this?

I love dystopian novels because they allow us to explore our fears and follow those pesky what-ifs floating around our heads to their most extreme conclusions. Often, when I talk to people about dystopian literature, their minds go straight to the classics such as 1984, The Handmaid's Tale, or Fahrenheit 451. While these are timeless and amazing books, there have been so many ground-breaking dystopian novels written in the past five years that you won't want to miss.

The books I picked & why

The Power

By Naomi Alderman,

Why did I love this book?

The Power was hands down my favorite dystopian book of the past five years. It explores a world in which power, physical power followed shortly by political power, lies with women rather than men.

The story is told through six vastly different points of view, and in turning the tables from a patriarchal culture to a matriarchal one, The Power shines a light on the disparity within gender dynamics in our current world. The Power was thrilling, brutal, and surprisingly cathartic to read.

The Power

By Naomi Alderman,

Why should I read it?

9 authors picked The Power as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

WINNER OF THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION
ONE OF BARACK OBAMA'S BEST BOOKS OF 2017

'Electrifying' Margaret Atwood

'A big, page-turning, thought-provoking thriller' Guardian

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All over the world women are discovering they have the power.
With a flick of the fingers they can inflict terrible pain - even death.
Suddenly, every man on the planet finds they've lost control.

The Day of the Girls has arrived - but where will it end?

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'The Hunger Games crossed with The Handmaid's Tale' Cosmopolitan

'I loved it; it was visceral, provocative and curiously pertinent . . . The story has stayed…

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Klara and the Sun

By Kazuo Ishiguro,

Why did I love this book?

Klara and the Sun is a dystopian story written by the Nobel Prize winning author of Never Let Me Go. In an interesting presentation of narrative, Klara and the Sun is told from the perspective of a young girl's artificial friend Klara.

Klara and the Sun is a slow burn that tends to meander around a bit, so if you need a fast-paced, page-turning dystopian novel, this may not be the book for you. If you want to be immersed in a unique world full of Ishiguro's lyrical prose as you experience the world through Klara's hopelessly optimistic eyes, give this one a try.

Klara and the Sun

By Kazuo Ishiguro,

Why should I read it?

22 authors picked Klara and the Sun as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

*The #1 Sunday Times Bestseller*
*Longlisted for the Booker Prize 2021*
*A Barack Obama Summer Reading Pick*

'A delicate, haunting story' The Washington Post
'This is a novel for fans of Never Let Me Go . . . tender, touching and true.' The Times

'The Sun always has ways to reach us.'

From her place in the store, Klara, an Artificial Friend with outstanding observational qualities, watches carefully the behaviour of those who come in to browse, and of those who pass in the street outside. She remains hopeful a customer will soon choose her, but when the possibility emerges…

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Dry

By Neal Shusterman, Jarrod Shusterman,

Why did I love this book?

Dry, written by father and son duo Neal and Jerrod Shusterman, is a young adult novel that examines a world in which the California drought has reached a tipping point, and the state no longer has any running water. After what has been dubbed the 'tap-out,' our teen protagonist Alyssa must make life or death decisions when her parents leave in search of water, and do not return.

This plot-driven novel soon turns into an apocalyptic road trip that rarely lets up in the tension department as we watch humanity crumble and our protagonist and her friends struggle to survive. Prepare for this book to make you thirsty.

Dry

By Neal Shusterman, Jarrod Shusterman,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Dry as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

“The authors do not hold back.” —Booklist (starred review)
“The palpable desperation that pervades the plot…feels true, giving it a chilling air of inevitability.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“The Shustermans challenge readers.” —School Library Journal (starred review)
“No one does doom like Neal Shusterman.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

When the California drought escalates to catastrophic proportions, one teen is forced to make life and death decisions for her family in this harrowing story of survival from New York Times bestselling author Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman.

The drought—or the Tap-Out, as everyone calls it—has been going on for a while…

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Lock In

By John Scalzi,

Why did I love this book?

In Lock In, John Scalzi presents a truly unique and complex world, in which a large portion of the population has experienced a virus that leaves about one percent of its victims with a condition known as Haden's Syndrome. Those with Haden's Syndrome are "locked in," and are trapped in a sleep-like, paralysis state.

About twenty-five years after the pandemic, scientific advancements have allowed those with Haden's Syndrome to interact with the world through surrogates or artificial intelligence. This is one of those books that is so complex that you will just have to dive in and enjoy the creativity.

Lock In

By John Scalzi,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Lock In as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A blazingly inventive near-future thriller from the best-selling, Hugo Award-winning John Scalzi.

Not too long from today, a new, highly contagious virus makes its way across the globe. Most who get sick experience nothing worse than flu, fever and headaches. But for the unlucky one percent - and nearly five million souls in the United States alone - the disease causes "Lock In": Victims fully awake and aware, but unable to move or respond to stimulus. The disease affects young, old, rich, poor, people of every color and creed. The world changes to meet the challenge.

A quarter of a…

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The Punch Escrow

By Tal M. Klein,

Why did I love this book?

I adored this fast-paced near-future dystopian book by debut author Tal M. Klein. Prepare to be thrown into an innovative world where teleportation is the primary means of travel, and people don't think twice before taking advantage of this convenience. Though, as we soon find out, maybe they should.

There are so many fun tidbits in this novel such as nanotechnology and genetically engineered mosquitoes that help clean the air. You'll also find plenty of nostalgic references for fans of books such as Ready Player One. Prepare for engaging characters, unique worldbuilding, thought-provoking philosophical questions, and plenty of twists to keep you guessing.

The Punch Escrow

By Tal M. Klein,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Punch Escrow as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Dubbed the “next Ready Player One,” by former Warner Brothers President Greg Silverman, and now in film development at Lionsgate.

"Featuring themes similar to Blake Crouch’s Dark Matter, the dense sci-fi feel of a Michael Crichton thriller and clever Douglas Adams-like charm, the book posits an intriguing future that is both inviting and horrific." ―Brian Truitt, USA TODAY

It's the year 2147. Advancements in nanotechnology have enabled us to control aging. We’ve genetically engineered mosquitoes to feast on carbon fumes instead of blood, ending air pollution. And teleportation has become the ideal mode of transportation, offered exclusively by International Transport―the…

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