I love trends. Especially in YA. I like seeing how different writers can take a genre and make it their own. I am so, so thrilled dystopian is trending. In dystopian, there’s so much possibility and opportunity to make a story unique and original. Dystopian is becoming an umbrella, with many different subgenres. Like, you can write a dystopian-thriller or a dystopian-love story. You can write a dystopian novel based on a totalitarian society, or one where the government has completely collapsed.
When vampires were popular, I was in on the Twilight-love. I bought every single vampire book out there, just like everyone else. Now, it seems kind of silly. But vampires were THE SHIT back in 2009. There were so many of vampire novels . . . and they were all pretty much the exact same thing. Human girl meets hot sexy vampire dude and they fall in love but he wants to eat her because he is a vampire and she is a human and omg there you go you have a plotline blah blah blah fantastic writing five stars oh look a movie deal.
I’ve never read two dystopian novels alike. I think that’s why I’m loving the genre so much. Each book is different than the last, and the thrill of reading and being in a completely new world is there every single time I read a dystopian story.
Wither by Lauren DeStefano
♦ March 2011/S&S ♦
Wither is about what happens to our government and society when scientists fuck everything up and the life-expectancy rate drops tremendously. This is one of the best books I’ve read in a while. The brilliant concept behind Wither is matched only by Lauren DeStefano’s beautiful writing.
Divergent by Veronica Roth
♦ May 2011/HarperCollins ♦
Divergent is that badass dystopian novel that makes your adrenaline pump. It’s about a girl who lives in a society where you’re given five choices, and what happens when people start to realize that they shouldn’t be confined by the choices the government gives them. This is the book that makes “Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh my God” play like a mantra in your head while reading.
Delirium by Lauren Oliver
♦ February 2011/HarperCollins ♦
♦ February 2011/HarperCollins ♦
In Lauren Oliver’s dystopia, love has been declared a contagious disease, and the government says it’s illegal. Scientists have found a cure, and the government has issues it out to each citizen as they turn eighteen. I loved Lauren Oliver’s debut novel, Before I Fall, but supercalifragilisticexpialidociously loved Delirium. It's romantic and tragic, epic and beautiful.
Blood Red Road by Moira Young
Blood Red Road by Moira Young
♦ June 2011/S&S ♦
Blood Red Road is one of my favorite books. It’s what I’d call literary dystopian. It’s written in a poetically minimal style that made me swoon the first time I read it. (Yes, I said first time. Since December, I’ve read it three times. That’s how amazing this shit is.) There are no words to describe why I loved it. The writing is beautiful and visionary, and the romance tugs at your heart. Reading Blood Red Road reminded me why ezzackly I love books so much. It put that deep and wrenching nervous feeling in my stomach that didn’t go away until I flipped the last page.
17 comments:
Fantastic post!! I agree, this is going to be the year for Dystopian books. I've not been a huge Dystopian fan in the past, but after reading a few of these books I've really fallen in love with this genre.
Love this post! Totally agree with you, what's great about this trend is how different Dystopians can be. I don't feel like I'm reading the same story over and over again.
I have read Wither and Delirium and LOVED them. I am reading Divergent now and can't wait to get my hands on Blood Red Road!
Have to agree - loved this awesome post!! Year of Dystopian!!!
Yes, yes, yes! After finally reading hunger games, I HAD to find more books like it. When I did a search, I couldn't come up with anything. I recently started following your blog and you convinced me to read Delirium which I loved! So excited to read some of the others you listed here.
PS. I read far enough back to know you weren't a huge fan of MATCHED. However, I gotta say I loved it and to definitely give it another chance. I'm looking forward to the next one, CROSSED sooo much!
I've never heard of Blood Red Road so I ended up looking it up. It sounds FANTASTIC. I can't wait to get my hands on it.
I love the dystopian trend. It's one of my favorite genres so I'm glad we're getting a lot more of it in the YA market. :)
I think I'm adding Blood Red Road to my long tbr list, sigh.
And I agree with you on dystopian books being more diverse than the so-called bit lit was in 2009. But I also hope we'll see more scifi outside the dystopian genre (ya space operas please).
Dystopian books are so good. You are right too, they can be sooooo different and still be dystopian. Loved Wither and Delirium. Can't wait to read Divergent.
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Awesome post, Brent. I still have to read all of these, but I'm way pysched for all of them. I hadn't actually heard of Blood Red Road, but thanks to what you've said I'll definitely have to get a copy!
I feel the same. Whenever I pick one up, there's something so utterly unique about it.
I'm all about dystopias-- Post apocolyptic movies and video games. But, I haven't read too much in the way of dystopian novels. How awful is that?! I know I'm ashamed. I think the last dystopian novel I read was The City of Ember. I thought it was pretty awesome! I need to rearrange my TBR pile so I've got some dystopian novels at the top!
I LOVED Delirium! And that ending... wow. I don't know how I will be able to wait for the next book, but it's not going to be a patient wait. I finished Wither the other day, and it wasn't what I was expecting, but the futuristic world she has created is pretty scary.
I love dystopian novels too and you are right they are always so different. :)
I absolutely love dystopian fiction, it has always been my favourite genre!
I am soooo looking forward to Wither coming out. It sounds like such a novel idea, which is probably what I love most about dystopian. Also it has an amazing cover!
I couldn't agree more!
I'm so excited for 2011. So many good dystopian YA novels!
dystopian is certainly the new trend that is catching on and those who haven´t tried it, should. I took one to my trip to Argentina. I had a lot of time to spare in one of those buenos aires apartments I got for rent. I was in a quiet neighbourhood so that was perfect for my reading, it gave me the possibility to relax.
Cheers,
Julie
Thanks for the post! I'm devouring YA dystopian literature right now. Yes, yes, yes, The Hunger Games series, Matched, but now, The Maze Runner and going out today to get Dashner's others and the ones you recommended in this post. They sound amazing.
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