With The Hunger Games trilogy claiming over 50 million in sales, it’s become obvious that readers have left vampires far behind and are moving on to another genre: futuristic dystopias. What’s not to love: corrupt societies, forbidden love, and young characters trying to save the world. To help you in your quest for the perfect read, here’s my list of the top 5 dystopia series sure to excite and take you away; at least until your next class.
Divergent Series by Veronica Roth
This dystopian sci-fi takes place in the future Chicago where citizens are sorted into five factions that represent the virtues of humanity: Abnegation, Amity, Candor, Dauntless, and Erudite. The plot centers around Beatrice, who was born Abnegation but finds out that she is actually “divergent” and decides to change to Dauntless, leaving her family and everything she has known behind. The story follows Beatrice as she seeks to fit into her new faction and become a true Dauntless while hiding her hidden divergent status. The third novel in the trilogy, Allegiant, will be released Oct. 22nd and the first movie is due out March 20, 2014.
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Matched Series by Ally Condie
Unlike the Hunger Games, where everyone lives in poverty and fear, Cassia and the rest of the citizens live in a “perfect” world where everything is provided and controlled by the Society. Everyone is perfectly healthy and live full lives, and even their “match” is selected for them from a perfect system. However, when a glitch happens in the “perfect” system, 17-year-old Cassia is left wondering if something is amiss in her society. This trilogy is perfect for anyone looking for a little mystery and romance, as Cassia struggles with her feelings for two different people while trying to determine the truth.
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The Selection Trilogy by Kiera Cass
Think The Bachelor combined with a royal title on the line and you have The Selection. In this young adult novel, people are separated into different castes, or social classes, which determine their jobs, privileges and futures. America Singer, a five, wants to marry Aspen, a six, but this would make decrease her status to a six. When the selection, a competition in which young women compete to marry the prince, is announced, Aspen encourages America to enter. To her surprise she is selected and must leave the man she loves to compete for the affection of Prince Maxon. Unfortunately, the final book in the series will not be out until May 2014, but it’s definitely a quick read that will leave you wanting more.
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Uglies Series by Scott Westerfeld
This 2005 sci-fi novel takes place in a world where everyone is considered “Uglies” until their 16th birthday when they receive a surgery to turn them “Pretty”. The story follows the story of Tally, who wants nothing more than to become pretty, but when she meets a new friend, Shay, who doesn’t want the surgery and runs away, Tally is sent after her. However, once she finds Shay, Tally starts to reconsider her society and finds out a secret about the Pretty operation that could change everything.
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The Chemical Garden Trilogy by Lauren DeStefano
In the future, science has succeeded in creating a genetically perfect generation in which all diseases and defects have been cured. However, the consequences are that all future generations are plagued with a virus that kills women at the age of 20 and men at the age of 25. This creates chaos and despair as the rich spend every day celebrating and the poor struggle to survive. Sixteen year old Rhine is kidnapped and forced to marry Linden with two other girls. However, Rhine refuses to accept her fate and seeks a way to escape. The entire series is out now.
Photo Credits:
http://thedivergenttrilogy.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uglies