Why I Read... Dystopian Fiction

I remember my first exposure to The Hunger Games. I was sitting at the kitchen table with my two brand new roommates that I didn't know very well yet, and one of them started reading out loud from the first chapter. After finishing it, she retreated to her room and read steadily until morning, after which she promptly collapsed into an exhausted heap and slept through the day.

Accordingly, the next weekend I decided to finish the book that Krista had been so absorbed in the weekend before. And I did exactly the same thing. It was the first time that I had ever pulled an all-nighter to finish a book. After that, I patiently waited for each new book of the trilogy to come out, and pounced on them as soon as possible (always timing my pouncing with the weekend, of course, so I would have no interruptions).

Honestly, The Hunger Games wasn't my first exposure to dystopian fic. I loved The Giver (the first time I read it, at least... the subsequent three times it was assigned for class didn't quite thrill me as much). I was fascinated and horrified by Fahrenheit 451 and 1984. So it really isn't a surprise that with the new trend of dystopian fiction in YA, I was one of the masses to be sucked in.

Why I Read Dystopian Fiction

* A mirror into our own society. I think dystopian fiction gives readers a chance to look at attributes of daily life and ethical dilemmas that, taken to excess, could lead to disastrous consequences. It gives us the chance to evaluate structures and systems that we have in place, and things that we should maybe change.

* Emotionally charged. Because these dystopias take situations that, on first glance, look appealing (No war? Yes please!), I find that my emotional reactions to them are very strong. I love being able to relate to a book, and even 

* Thrilling. These tend to be page turners. And while in general I prefer a character-driven story, every once in a while the excitement and intensity of a good dystopian is just what I need. 

* Love triangles. I'm totally kidding, as far as that being the reason why I read dystopian books. But it does seem to be an unwritten requirement for most of them. 

Recommendations

* 1984 by George Orwell. To me, this is the mother of all dystopian books -- the first book I ever read where the government had absolute, terrifying control. 

* Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. The most terrifying of any dystopian literature to a book lover -- a land where books are illegal and burned by firemen? Where people sleep with headphones in their ears... oh wait, that already happens (the headphone thing, not the books. Obvs). 

* The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins. I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge this series. The world Suzanne Collins created is terrifying but engaging, and the politics of control with hunger is hideously fascinating. 

* Delirium by Lauren Oliver. I unabashedly adored this book, set in a future where love has been eradicated by a neural procedure at the age of 18. 

For more recommendations, visit...

The Story Siren. Kristi reads a wide variety of YA books, but I've found that the dystopian lit that she reads is usually right up my alley.