Dystopia+Book+List

Goodine, English 2 Accelerated Dystopia Annotated Book List

Burgess, Anthony. //A Clockwork Orange//. New York: Norton, 1986. In this futuristic novel the government controls everything but is completely blind to the violent, out of control youth. A teenage boy named Alex and his gang friends rob and kill a young woman and her husband. Alex is arrested and while in jail he is selected for an experimental treatment, which is meant to cure his violent outbursts. After the treatment, the new, gentle Alex is released to the world, but is he still a danger to society?

Collins, Suzanne. //Hunger Games//. New York : Scholastic Press, 2008.  The United States is gone, and in its place a new country, with an oppressive government takes its place. Every year the Panem government requires all twelve of its districts to select a young boy and girl to compete in the Hunger Games. To save her sister, Katniss Everdeen sacrifices herself. Katniss must battle to the death in these games, but she soon discovers that the other competitors are not her true enemy.

Condie, Ally. //Matched//. New York : Dutton Books, 2010.  Cassia is a young girl growing up in the Society, a society that controls everything--what she wears, what she watches, what she does and who she loves. Cassia is matched with Xander and she knows he is perfect for her, until she sees the face of Ky Markham flash on the screen. As she falls in love with Ky, she starts to question the Society. She begins to figure out that the Society has been wrong about many other things--including love.  Huxley, Aldous. //A Brave New World//. New York : HarperCollins, 2004.  In the future, the World State rules all, even who you become. Every baby is scientifically changed to fit a different social class before birth. Alphas are meant to rule society; and the epsilons are destined to serve the alphas. Bernard and Lenina travel to a reservation of savages, where they discover John and Linda, who have been exiled by the World State. Upon their return to society they all make a shocking discovery about the world they live in and themselves.

Kunstler, James Howard. //World Made By Hand. // Publisher: New York : Atlantic Monthly Press, 2008. All of the comforts of the world are gone, and terrorism and disease continue to spread. After losing his wife and son, Robert Earle attempts to make sense of the catastrophe that has taken place. As Earle tries to rebuild the world that was broken by greed, violence, drugs and depression, he discovers that unless he can change humanity, there may not be any point after all.

 Ness, Patrick. //The Knife of Never Letting Go//. Cambridge, Mass.: Candlewick Press, 2008. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Earth is gone and what remains of mankind has settled on New Planet. A war between the human settlers and the indigenous humanoid Spackles, leads to the release of a germ that kills the women and causes the men to hear each other’s thoughts, the Noise. A month from his thirteenth birthday Todd Hewitt runs into silence--Violet--the first girl he has ever met. He and the girl are forced to flee from the city. As they are pursued, Todd discovers what really happened to the Old Planet and what really caused the Noise.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5;">Orwell, George. //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5;">1984. //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5;">New York: Signet Classic, 1977. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> In the nation of Oceania, every citizen is watched by telescreens everywhere they go, and they must always see the Party’s leader, Big Brother. In this society free thought, individuality, sex, and thinking about rebelling is illegal. Winston, an employee of the Ministry of Truth, frustrated with the oppression of the Party, illegally buys a journal and begins to record his illegal thoughts. When he meets Julia, Winston realizes that he finally found someone who shares his beliefs, but as their secret illegal affair grows, they realize that no matter what you can never escape Big Brother.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Roth, Veronica. //Divergent//. New York: Katherine Tegen Books, 2011. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> In the future city of Chicago, people are split into five factions based on five different human virtues. Beatrice Prior is born into an Abnegation family. On their sixteenth birthday children are tested to see what faction they are best suited for. After taking the test, Beatrice discovers that she doesn’t fit in neatly with any faction: she is Divergent and is in danger of being killed if anyone finds out. Will Beatrice find a place to fit in before the government finds a place for her?

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5;">Shteyngart, Gary. //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5;">Super Sad True Love Story //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5;">, Random House, 2010. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">The United States is on the verge of a complete financial meltdown. The dollar is dead, people are rioting in the streets of New York City, and technology has taken over. Printed, bound media artifacts, or books are a thing of the past but Lenny Abromov just can’t let go of the past. When Lenny starts to fall in love with twenty-four year old Eunice, she tries to show him how to live in today’s technologically advanced society. In a superficial world without standards or stability Lenny must figure out if there is a way to save humanity from themselves.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5;">Westerfeld, Scott. //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5;">So Yesterday //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 1.5;">. New York: Penguin Group, 2004. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Hunter Braque is a “cool hunter.” He gets paid to find the latest trends and sells them to big corporations. Hunter meets and befriends Jen, the coolest innovator ever. When one of Hunter’s biggest clients disappears Hunter and Jen must work together to find her. While searching for his missing client, Hunter and Jen discover a seedy underground society dedicated to the downfall of consumerism.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">References <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Amazon.com, sparknotes.com, bookrags.com, scholastic.com