Many stories take place in a perfect world, with birds singing and princes saving princesses at the end of the story, but the real world is not like that. This genre is known as utopia, a perfect world. In opposition to that, the dystopias comes with the idea of a destroyed world, authoritarian governments, oppression, any representation or description of a future social organization characterized by unbearable living conditions. This genre has become very famous with important books that reflect taboos and problems in today’s society.
Here is the list of books on dystopias that you should read!
- Red Queen – Victoria Aveyard
-
People from Norta don’t know what peace is, their world is divided in two. The red-blooded are workers, servants, mere commoners who support the silver elite and the war that wages with the other kingdoms. The silver is the high echelon of society and benefits from the comfort of taking advantage of the work of the lower reds, rarely appearing on the front lines of combat. Since they aren’t very usual, they have powers such as handling fire, controlling the weather and reading minds.
Mare Barrow, a red girl, steals everything she can to help her family survive, having no hope of leaving the miserable village where she lives, except when she turns eighteen, when she will have to go to war, like all red without a steady job. However, in a twist of fate, she gets a job with the royal palace, where, in front of all nobility, she discovers a mysterious power. How would that be possible if your blood is red? In the midst of chaos Mare will put princes against each other and herself against her own heart.
- Maze Runner – James Dasher
-
Waking up in an elevator, not knowing anything but his name, Thomas thought he was alone, but he wasn’t. He discovers that he was sent to the Glade, an open space where boys like him don’t remember anything about their lives, also not knowing how and why they are there.
The place where they live is surrounded by walls which every morning the doors open, and they see a labyrinth with huge monsters. But everything changes when a different event arises, the elevator brings to the glade a girl, the only one. Tereza brings an unusual message with her. Young Thomas will be more important than he thinks, but for that he will have to discover the secrets kept in his mind and the mysteries of the labyrinth.
- Fahrenheit 451 – Ray Bradbury
-
The story is told in a hedonistic and anti-intellectual future which no longer has control, anyone who is seen reading a book is, at the very least, confined to an asylum. This world lives by screens and literature is threatened of extinction, books are prohibited objects, and their holders are considered criminals. Guy Montag is a firefighter, whose profession is to set fire to books, but he never questioned his work. He lives an ordinary life, completes his duties and returns at the end of the day to his wife and the routine of the home. Until he meets Clarisse, a young woman with suspicious behavior, full of imagination and good stories. When his wife collapses and Clarisse disappears, Montag’s life can no longer be the same.
- The Testing – Joelle Charboneau
-
In a post-war world the United Nations Community created The Testing to select the new leaders in the nation – teachers, biologists, politicians and doctors. High-performing young people in college are the only ones to receive higher education to become one of these professions. Malencia Vale, also called ‘Cia’, spent years preparing for the selection, thus being able to become the next generation of leaders. She knows it’s an arduous path, but there is little information about the test.
When she’s finally chosen, the young woman is about to discover that the candidates are at the mercy of a program that looks more like a shredder of dreams and innocence. Brutally, they eliminate the weak and keep the strong. It’s up to the Company to decide to become a heroine for or against the oppressive government.
- The Host – Stephenie Meyer
-
The planet was dominated by an undetected enemy and humans became hosts of these unknown invaders. Their minds are extracted while their bodies remain intact and continue their lives apparently unchanged. Most of the humanity has succumbed to this process, but there are still hidden humans forming the resistance. Melanie, a girl who refuses to disappear is one of the humans who remain, when captured, she is sure that it will be the end of her. Peregrina, the invading “soul” assigned to Melanie’s body, was warned about the challenges of living within a human being: irresistible emotions, excessive sensations and persistent memories.
But there is a difficulty that Peregrina did not expect: the former occupant of her body refuses to give up possession of her mind. The invader investigates Melanie’s thoughts in order to discover the whereabouts of the remnants of human resistance. But it will be more difficult than it thought it would be.
- The Giver – Lois Lowry
-
The inhabitants of a small community, satisfied with their designated life, they only know the present – the past and all memories of the ancient world have been erased from their minds. A single individual is charged with being the guardian of these memories, with the aim of protecting the people from suffering and, at the same time, having the necessary wisdom to guide society’s leaders in difficult times. At twelve years old every child is assigned to the profession they will follow. Jonas is honored to become the next guardian. In order to fulfill his mission, he is placed under the tutelage of a wise elder, the Giver, who must transmit to him the memories of the ancient world where there is poverty, crime, disease, hunger, fear or pain.
Gradually, he begins to question the high price that his society pays to eliminate suffering. Is it worth giving up emotions to stay on the right path? No longer able to adapt to that false reality, Jonas will have another cruel task ahead: choosing between his own life and the salvation of his people.
————————————————————————————————————-
The article above was edited by Marina Ponchio and translated by Giovanna Favero.
Liked this type of content? Check Her Campus Casper Libero home page for more!