LibraryAware Dystopian Fiction (Genreland)

A Deep Dive Into Dystopian Fiction

Within the deep reservoir of readers' advisory content that is NoveList is a sizeable cache of articles and lists about the perennially popular sub-genre of dystopian fiction. Because the database can sometimes feel like a memory hole, I've gathered up all our dystopian content and brought it to the surface.

Take the plunge, find out more.

-Gillian

The What & The Why

Readers enjoy dystopian fiction for its recognizable near-future settings that take today's political, economic, social, and technological issues to their logical extreme. Expect to see repressive governments or systems of social control, often enabled by technology. You'll also meet protagonists who question the status quo and challenge the establishment, typically after awakening to their own complicity in the system.

Although dystopian fiction is technically a sub-genre of science fiction, many readers like it precisely because it's not as "science fiction-y" as some SF. Like its literary cousin, alternate history, dystopian fiction contains the "what if?" premise and the world-building of SF, but dwells less on the technical details. Fictional dystopian societies frequently teeter on the brink of collapse, which makes apocalyptic fiction a good bet for fans of dystopian fiction.

For more about genres in general, try our (free!) Genre Guide.

For more dystopian fiction resources, read on!

"the handmaid's tale by margaret atwood"

For Adults

Start with NoveList's Genre Outline for Dystopian Fiction

Need titles? Search GN Dystopian fiction OR peruse our expertly curated Recommended Reads list "Dystopian Days" (UI 425770)

Feeling reflective? NoveList contributor Susan Brown considers the pleasures of dystopian fiction in "The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades" (UI 438041)

Finally, share the love with your book club! Kim Burton's recent Club Scene email presents a classic dystopian novel double feature: The Handmaid's Tale and Nineteen-Eighty Four

For Teens

For a YA-focused overview of the genre, check out "All About Dystopian Fiction for Teens" (UI 440313)

Our Catch-up Guides for popular series such as The Hunger Games (UI 440511) and Divergent (UI 439673) are great if you need a quick refresher or a cheat sheet

Love survival stories? Hate love triangles? Want to join the resistance? NoveList contributor Jen Hatch has put together "Top Five Picks for YA Dystopian Fiction" (UI 439847) which offers five-book mini-lists organized by subject (cyber-dystopias, kids against kids) and appeal (strong female characters, minimal violence)

Spread the Word

"A book is a loaded gun in the house next door."

-- Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury

If you're a LibraryAware customer, you can promote the dystopian fiction in YOUR collection by making and sharing your own flyers. Best of all, you don't have to start from scratch! We have many eye-catching templates available. The example on the right can be found by going to Flyer-Books and searching for "dystopian."

NoveList Book Squad strives for doubleplusgood. Did this email satisfy? Is there something we can do better? Let us know!

Thanks for reading!

Looking for more help reaching readers? Try:

This email was created in LibraryAware