Shades of Grey

Shades of Grey takes place in the imagined land of Chromatica, which is essentially an alternative version of the UK where one’s social class is determined by one’s ability to perceive color. To be honest, I thought this was so unique compared to other books that I read that I couldn’t get enough. Greys, in this society, cannot perceive color and so they are the lowest rank. 'Ultra Violets', on the other hand, hold the highest rank. The perception of color also affects their health and wellness. Certain colors have medical effects on people. Another really cool thing about this… show more.

This underappreciated masterpiece is my favourite novel on the list, and the one I would make everyone read if I could. Fforde’s trademark is his "quirky British cosiness" (The Guardian) but in this book, that cosiness is twisted into something equal parts chilling and surreal. The result is the most compelling dystopia I’ve ever read. It’s about a hierarchical society organised according to colour perception, with the lowly Greys (who see in black and white) at the bottom and the illustrious Purples (who can see shades of red and blue) at the top. If that sounds weird to… show more.