The Selection is the perfect dystopian book if you love high society and competition. If you're looking for an easy read this is it. This book follows the main character American Singer and her journey competing for the crown. Although the names in this book might not be creative the plot pulls you in making you want to read more. By the end of the first book in this trilogy I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the second book.
Summary: Thomas wakes up realizing he’s in an elevator and with a severe headache. He can’t remember his age, birthday, or even who his parents were. He figures out that he’s been dropped in a maze with a bunch of other teens and no discoverable way to escape. He starts getting memories. Some that will change everything. Dive in as Thomas tries to figures out how to decipher this endless puzzle, discover who put them there, and unravel his true identity.
The Giver by Lois Lowry is a futuristic dystopian book about a boy named Jonah who lives in a utopian community where everyone is completely equal and life is seemingly perfect. On his 12th birthday, when everyone in his age group receives their job assignments, Jonah receives the assignment of the Giver. The job of the Giver is to hold the memories of life before the world became perfect, and it is through this job that Jonah uncovers the dark truth about his reality.
Winston Smith lives in a world where the government of Oceania is always watching him and his decisions. He works for the government’s Ministry of Truth, although he does not seem to believe that what they transmit is necessarily “truth” as it occurred. This novel sees Winston attempting to break out of the watch of “Big Brother” and find ways of life outside of strict governmental control. He becomes enchanted with a lady from his workplace and pursues her favor as he attempts to keep it under cover from the government.
As the second book of the widely famous trilogy, The Hunger Games, Catching Fire has got to be one of the best books I have ever read. Katniss Everdeen, now 17 years old, finds herself relieved after surviving and winning the 74th Hunger Games, a competition where 24 kids, one boy and one girl from each of the 12 districts, fight to the death on national television.
1984 is a dystopian novel that follows a man named Winston Smith. Winston navigates and eventually attempts to overthrow the "utopia". People aren't allowed to fall in love, they aren't allowed to read, among a variety of other things. The book warns against the dangers of totalitarianism. The government watches people and personifies them as "Big Brother". The police monitor people's thoughts to see if they seem disloyal.
Summary: The Key to Fear by Kristin Cast is a dystopian young adult novel set in a divided society where the privileged Key Masters rule over the oppressed Reapers. The story revolves around Elodie, a Reaper with a unique power, who discovers a dark secret about the Key Masters. As she joins a rebellion to challenge their authority, she forms alliances and faces various obstacles in her quest for justice and freedom.
Summary: Breathe by Sarah Crossan is a dystopian young adult novel set in a future where oxygen is a scarce and controlled resource. Society is divided into two classes: the privileged Premiums who have access to clean air, and the struggling Auxiliaries who must purchase every breath they take. The story follows three teenagers, Quinn, Bea, and Alina, as they embark on a perilous journey to escape the oppressive confines of their controlled city and find a mythical haven where they can breathe freely.
In George Orwell’s 1984, society is constantly being manipulated by the government, to the extent that people can’t even have a conversation full of individual thought. Individuals are forced to hide their true intentions behind a facade containing praise for the totalitarian-style government. In fact, the manipulation present in the dystopian world prevents individuals from creating bonds.
There aren’t many books that change my perspective on the world, but after reading The Handmaid's Tale I’m surprised to add one to the list. However, reader discretion is advised as there are some topics that are hard to process. Formerly known as the U.S.A., the new country of Gilead is going through a civil war, forcing many women into a Red Center to provide safety and promote reproduction.
