Dystopian

This is a list of Dystopian books.  Dystopian meaning a society in which there is an undesirable, often totalitarian system of government in place, which imposes unreasonable rules or restrictions on the population.  Now, these societies most often develop in stories as a result of some cataclysmic disaster, like a plague or famine or global flooding - you know.  But being in the midst or aftermath of the virus or new ice age or zombie apocalypse isn't enough to make a book Dystopian - you have to have the rotten system that takes away people's freedom.  (All of those other post-apocalyptic/post pandemic books have their own list.)

Clicking on the book title will take you to the review/mini-review if I have one.  Also, be sure to see my notes on reading and age appropriate level at the bottom of the list. 

After the Snow by S.D. Crockett *

(3.8) (MG+) (post-apocalyptic, family, mystery, survival) 

All Good Children by Catherine Austen
(4.1) (MG+) (dystopian, ethics, family relationships, Stepford children)

Birthmarked by Caragh O’Brien (series) *

(5.4/4.6/5.2) (UG) (family, mystery, death, dystopian, love) 

Bumped by Megan McCafferty

(5.2) (MG+) (twins, exploitation, dystopian, teen pregnancy, cults, humor)

Delirium by Lauren Oliver (series)

(6.1/5.4/5.1) (UG) (dystopian society, love)

Epitaph Road by David Patneaude

(4.9) (UG) (pandemic, dystopian, male/female relationships)

Eve by Anna Carey

(5.2) (MG+) (Dystopian, romance, action/adventure)

Grace by Elizabeth Scott

(5.1) (UG) (dystopia, ethnic tensions, suicide bombers)

In the After by Demetria Lunetta

(4.5) (MG+) (dystopian, post-apocalyptic, alien invasion, mystery)

Nomansland by Lesley Hauge

(5.9) (MG+) (dystopian, female society)

Partials by Dan Wells (series)

(6.1/6.6/6.3) (MG+) (post-apocalyptic, dystopian, super soldiers, mystery)

Proxy by Alex London

(4.8) (UG) (dystopian, family, Whipping Boy remake, *)

Pulse by Patrick Carman (series)

(5.9/5.8) (MG+) (friendship, dystopian, special abilities)

Revolution 19 by Gregg Rosenblum (series)

(5.0/5.3) (MG+) (dystopian, family, robots)

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
(4.3) (UG) (dystopian, paranormal abilities, rebellions, romance)

Shipbreaker by Paolo Bacigalupi (series)

(4.4/4.6/5.2) (UG) (adventure, loyalty, abuse, poverty, dystopian)

Taken by Erin Bowman (series)

(5.1/4.9) (UG) (dystopian, family, love, mystery, revolution)

The Eleventh Plague by Jeff Hirsch

(5.0) (MG+) (post-pandemic, dystopian)

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan (series)

(5.8/5.2/5.7) (UG) (post-pandemic, family secrets, romance)

The Forgetting by Sharon Cameron (series) *

(4.8/4.8) (UG) (dystopian, mystery, memory loss, romance)

The Forsaken by Lisa Stasse

(4.5) (MG+) (dystopian, survival, prisons)

The Last Book in the Universe by Rodman Philbrick

(5.0) (MG+) (dystopian)

The Line by Terri Hall (series)

(5.3/4.3) (UG) (dystopian, oppressive gov’t, secrets)

The Maze Runner by James Dashner (series)

(5.3/5.0/5.3) (MG+) (mystery, confinement, dystopian, survival)

Tool of War by Paolo Bacigalupi

(5.2) (MG+) (dystopian, genetic hybrids, survival, action/adventure, loyalty, Shipbreaker series)

Unwind by Neal Shusterman (series)

(5.0/5.8/5.7/6.3) (MG+) (dystopian, family relationships, friendship, survival)

You’ll Like it Here (Everybody Does) by Ruth White
(4.5) (MG) (family, dystopian, aliens)

Your One & Only by Adrianne Finlay

(/) (UG) (genetic engineering, dystopian, secrets)

Note:  Lists are arranged with Title, Author, Reading Level, Age Appropriate Level, and Descriptive Tags.
(Age appropriate level denotes the youngest readers that the book is appropriate for.  That doesn't mean that older readers will not enjoy the book!)

* =  books that I thought were GREAT

UG = upper grades  (contain sex, drugs, and/or very graphic violence; deal with mature subject matter such as rape, prostitution, child abuse, etc. )
MG+ = junior high  (may contain some profanity or sexual references; may deal with subject matter too mature for younger audiences)
MG = 4th through 6th grades (nothing inappropriate for children, but may not keep the interest of younger readers)
MG- = all ages (perfect for bedtime stories or read-alouds, or for precocious readers in the lower grades)

* = LGBTQ themes - characters, situations, or references to same-sex couples

Books included in this list are all ones that I have read myself and given a rating of at least 3 out of 5 Stars (why would I recommend anything less?)  When a book is part of a series, only the first title is listed, but the reading level for all books in the series is shown.  Lists will be updated periodically as I read new books.