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The Dissenter's Guide to Disrupting the Future

A Relevant Dystopian Reading Guide

By Paige GraffunderPublished 5 years ago 6 min read
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Photo by iam Se7en on Unsplash

We all know the quintessential reading list, we see it a lot. It features 1984 and Brave New World, Fahrenheit 451, and the like. And while we all should probably read those books, the writing style isn't for everyone. I am a fairly avid reader, and I struggle with Orwell's language sometimes. So I wanted to make a short 10-book list that is more accessible, but just as important in illustrating this horrible path we seem to be on, so that we can be better equipped to rise up against it. I have tried to include some YA and adult fiction because I think it is important to keep things accessible. Some times someone who will only read YA fiction will find a novel written for the more advanced.

1. 'The Hate You Give' by Angie Thompson

You can find reviews and a synopsis here.

I will tell you, this book gutted me with every page. It is a perfect illustration of why silence is a privilege, and all people, need to stand up for the vulnerable, the marginalized, and the oppressed. The protagonist works her way out of silence, into action, in a way that breaks your heart with nearly every word. There are a few reasons I love this book, but mostly I love it because it is relatable to everyone. It also touches on the media's misrepresentation of communities of color, specifically black communities. It also touches on how parenting is never easy, but gets exponentially harder when you have to train your children, before puberty, on how not to get killed by the police, knowing that even if they do everything you tell them, they may still be murdered with no justice, and no recourse.

2. 'Wool' (Silo Trilogy) by Hugh Howey

You can find reviews and a synopsis here.

While Hugh Howey is a white man, he raises a pretty good point. While this book is not as inclusive, and not as representation-heavy as most of the other books on this list, I have included it for several reasons. It is set in a post-modern Earth setting where people live inside an insular community set in a silo. Class is separated by levels, and by job title. I enthusiastically recommend reading all three of them, as the true horrors are only revealed after the full trilogy is completed. This is the pinnacle of human arrogance, and shows what is bound to happen when private industry is allowed to control government unchecked.

3. 'The Departed' Kristy Cooper

You can find reviews and a synopsis here.

This series isn't finished yet, but I am including it, as it shows how blind faith can lead even the most rational of us into the abyss of darkness. It follows a girl whose best friend disappears, along with hundreds of thousands of others who all follow a specific, cult-like church overnight. Their beds look slept in, their phones, keys, and personal belongings are left behind. The rapture? Maybe. I recommend this series, unfinished as it is, to anyone who loves someone who is caught up in religious vigor, or to any who have ever witnessed someone sink deep into a cult. Written by a radical librarian, the dialogue is accessible and compelling, and the story is inclusive.

4. 'It Can't Happen Here' by Sinclair Lewis

You can find reviews and a synopsis here.

This is probably the toughest read on this list, as it is relatively old. Written in 1935, it talks about the rise to power of a hauntingly familiar character. A bizarre, racist, anti-immigration man who gains followers by making obscene promises to the privileged but disenfranchised, a fear monger, telling preposterous lies and brushing off any attempts to disagree. Sound familiar? Told from the perspective of a newspaper editor, it is like reading current events written 84 years ago.

5. 'Parable of the Sower' by Octavia E. Butler

You can find reviews and a synopsis here.

Octavia Butler is one of my favorite authors. Starkly feminist, aggressive about equality, she is still to date the first and only black woman to not only get charted for science-fiction, but also to top those charts. This post-modern Earth dystopia shows the privatization of police force, the scarcity of water, and how important it is to be able to survive in a world without technology. This whole series (Earthseed) is amazing, but this book, in particular, is one of my favorites. I have destroyed several copies of it from over reading.

6. 'Uglies' Series by Scott Westerfeld

You can find reviews and a synopsis here.

So while this series doesn't have a direct correlation, I think that this one has some interesting commentary on celebrity culture and aesthetic expectations placed on people. I also think it has a really great arc for why destroying things from the inside doesn't always work. These are quick easy reads, and the way that Scott Westerfeld twists language is intriguing and fun. YA, for sure, but worth reading, even if you're an adult.

7. 'Never Let Me Go' by Kazuo Ishiguro

You can find reviews and a synopsis here.

I don't want to give too many things about this book away, but imagine if you lived your life knowing that your only purpose was to keep people richer than you alive? Would your life even matter if that was the case? This is a stark parallel for the abortion laws now being put into place across the US. While it takes a while to ramp up, the overall gut punch this book delivers is worth it. Do we value life because we are alive, or because of what we do with that life?

8. 'Planet of the Apes' by Pierre Boulle

You can find reviews and a synopsis here.

If you have only seen the movie, you should really read this book as well. The language is not as easy as I would like the books on this list to be, but it is compelling nonetheless. It is a hyperbolic look at the pendulum that swings in extremes. If you take an objective look at this story, it is truly terrifying to peer into what we may be creating through our destruction.

9. 'Divergent' Series (Books 1 to 3) by Veronica Roth

You can find reviews and a synopsis here.

While this series has some significant flaws, cliché love stories, and sometimes flat dialogue, it also is an amazing portrait of what happens when you insist that everyone must fit into a certain set of criteria. I truly feel like you need to read the main trilogy (Four is kind of a side story and not necessary unless you want more insight, and beyond that I, in all honesty, haven’t read them) in order to get the full overarching picture. It, again, demonstrates what happens when private organizations and government overreaches, when tyranny is left unchecked, and why individuality is key to our survival.

10. 'Slapstick' by Kurt Vonnegut

You can find reviews and a synopsis here.

My absolute favorite piece of Vonnegut satire. Again, the language may be difficult for some, but it is a short book, and worth the read. A clown who never takes anything seriously becomes president, decentralizes and destabilizes society, and implements wild and ridiculous policies. Meant as satire, it is kind of a horrifying read these days.

Of course, no list is exhaustive, but I'd be very happy to hear what you think are the best dystopian books with parallels to today, that you never see on lists, but would love to!

Stay safe, stay vigilant, and dismantle everything!

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About the Creator

Paige Graffunder

Paige is a published author and a cannabis industry professional in Seattle. She is also a contributor to several local publications around the city, focused on interpersonal interactions, poetry, and social commentary.

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