The pull of the dark

Why are dystopian books so popular among teens? Is it because they offer hope that an ordinary person can take on and defeat a cruel regime.

Hunger Games

Scythe

Dystopian books are one of the most popular genres of fiction for young adults (older teens). The word dystopia refers to a society full of injustice and suffering, usually controlled by a small and powerful group of people. Dystopia is the opposite of the more commonly known word utopia, denoting a perfect world.

Dystopian worlds are dark and miserable. A dystopian story usually has a hero who, mostly by circumstances, is thrown into a position of challenging or disrupting the regime.

The Giver by Lois Lowry was one of the first books of this kind to become popular. In the world that this book is set in, society has gotten rid of pain and unpleasantness by removing all emotion and colour from itself. It is initially presented as a utopia, but as you read on, you realise it is the exact opposite. This book is often included in the syllabus of many high schools.

Even those who don’t know the other books on this list are likely to have heard of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. In this series, the Capitol controls 13 districts in a version of America, known as Panem. Each year, two children, called tributes, are chosen from each district to compete in a highly publicised and deadly competition, the Hunger Games. The winner is the one who survives till the end, even if it means killing off the others along the way. This series gave rise to a whole slew of dystopian novels, but this remains one of the most popular.

In the Scythe Series by Neal Shusterman, the world has conquered natural death and disease, and people have the ability to be revived if they become dead-ish. The only way someone can die is if they are gleaned by Scythes who are specially trained for the purpose. But what happens if a Scythe becomes too powerful and starts taking matters into their own hands? A thought-provoking series.

Lord of the Flies by William Golding is another book that’s a part of high school reading lists. In this, some boys are stranded on an island and are forced to come up with their own society and rules. Gradually the wildness of the island strips away all the rules and behaviour they have grown up with.

There are several other series that I haven’t read yet, like the Divergent series by Veronica Roth, The Maze Runner by James Dashner and many more that are immensely popular.

What’s the appeal of these dark, bleak and violent novels? Simple answer — they’re exciting. Besides, they offer hope, that even in a terrible situation, an ordinary person can take on and bring down a cruel regime.

And many of these books have themes and even situations that are similar to what our own world is going through. So when our world seems dark and hopeless, as it so often is these days, perhaps these stories offer a glimmer of light?

The author has written 14 books for children and can be reached at www.shruthi-rao.com

GobbledyBook is a fortnightly column that gives a peek into the wondrous world of children’s books. Hop on! Or as Alice did, plunge into the rabbit hole.