For me, the genres I read in sixth through eighth grade were the pinnacle of reading. I read books including “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins, “Letters to the Lost” by Brigid Kemmerer, “One of Us is Lying” by Karen M. McManus, and “The Naturals” by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. Many of these books have stuck with me today because of their plot, writing, and/or enticing characters.
I am not ashamed to say that during this period of my life, I discovered some of the best books I have ever read. These shaped my taste in both books and movies and allowed me to appreciate an incredibly well thought-out plot. It also caused me to discover some of my favorite authors (however, John Green, you will always be my forever favorite).
I have read multiple books by McManus, and I recommend reading the sequel to “One of Us is Lying” if you have not already (this might be a hot take, but I personally think it might be better than the first). You might have heard the name Jennifer Lynn Barnes from the popular series “The Inheritance Games.” However, a lesser known (and better) series by her is “The Naturals.” There are four books that I finished in about two weeks. Granted, I was in middle school and had a lot more time on my hands. Also, I’m pretty sure that was the year of the Snowmaggedon, so I read pretty much that whole week we were off school. “The Naturals” is a crime fiction and mystery. Teenagers who work with the FBI must help solve murders, including that of the main character’s mother. There are plot twists at every corner, and no one can be trusted.
However, there was one genre that stands out from my peak years of reading: dystopian. Google’s definition of dystopia is “an imagined state or society in which there is great suffering or injustice, typically one that is totalitarian or post-apocalyptic.” An easier way to put this is that it is basically the opposite of a utopia. The dystopian genre is full of books that have an adventure, thriller, or mystery aspect. “Animal Farm” is one of these.
Most FWCD students read this book in their Sophomore year American Government class. When we read it, we discussed the commentary on the 1917 Russian Revolution and communist rule. “Animal Farm” is classified as a dystopian fantasy. So, while at its root it is a political satire, it also shows a worst-case scenario, where the farmer’s animals rebel against him and create a tyrannical government.
The first ever dystopian book I read was “Divergent” by Veronica Roth. This book blew my mind. I had never read anything like it before. It is set in a futuristic dystopia in the city formerly known as Chicago. There are five different factions: Erudite, Dauntless, Abnegation, Amity, and Candor. When characters turn 16 they must choose which one they want to be in for the rest of their life. The story follows the main character Beatrice (Tris) and her journey navigating the process of being accepted into one of the factions.
I’m not sure why I loved this book so much. It might be because it was full of action and was set in a completely different society than ours. I have always loved a good action or thriller plot, starting with my early love for the Star Wars movies, which later turned into my love for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. “Divergent” was my first real taste for a good action and dystopian book. After finishing the three-book series, I moved on to “The Hunger Games” series.
This series is set in a futuristic dystopian society in a place called Panem (formerly known as North America). If you’re looking to get into the dystopian genre, this is a fantastic place to start. Not only is it a great series, but it is very well known and even has a movie series you can watch after. (Please do note that I am not a huge fan of books turning into movies because they don’t always do justice to the book. For “The Hunger Games,” however, I highly recommend the movies AFTER you have read the books. That order is very important.)
Next we have “The Maze Runner.” Also a very well-known book. This is another instance where the movies do live up to the book (I could go on for hours about the actors Dylan O’Brien and Thomas Brodie-Sangster). Although, I do have to be honest with you, I only ever read the first book. I know, I know I’m a fake fan or whatever you want to call me, but the only reason I have not read the others is because little 12-year-old me was not a huge fan of reading about dead people hanging from the ceiling. However, do not let that deter you from reading the books, as this scene is only a small one in the second book of the series, “The Scorch Trials.” I only recently watched the movies for the first time, and they are phenomenal. The casting couldn’t have been better. The only character that I got annoyed with was Teresa. I think that was because she was kind of pick-me, and her story line did not help her case in the least.
The next book I read was “Stung” by Bethany Wiggins. This is not a very well-known book, and the only reason I read it was because one of my friends gave it to me for Christmas. I had never heard about it and had no idea what it was about, but I started reading it anyway. It’s about a girl who wakes up in her bed, but her entire neighborhood is abandoned. She finds a tattoo on her wrist that she doesn’t remember getting, but her instinct tells her she needs to cover it up. She goes on to find out that there was a bee flu, and the vaccine caused people to turn into monsters. The book follows her and her love interest (of course) as they try to find out answers and figure out what’s going on on the other side of the wall. There is also a sequel called “Cured” that I highly recommend. This book was surprisingly good–even good enough to read again.
Other books you might have read that are dystopian are “Fahrenheit 451,” “The Giver,” and “Station Eleven.” All of these are set in a false world that was once ours. I think that this is the thing that draws me to dystopian books: it’s set in a world that is unlike anything I’ve ever known but is literally the opposite of a utopia. Even though the world is almost unrecognizable compared to ours, there are definitely some parallels in all of these novels.
These books are part of what shaped me as a young human being. I found something I loved, and it never disappointed. I hope that one day you will find the same, whether it be with books or something else entirely. I encourage you to read one of the books I mentioned and see if you like it. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.
