In the 2010s, the dystopian genre took the book world by storm. Teens and adults alike were gripped by the bold worlds and characters that showcased the best and worst of our society at their extremes.
It was an exciting time to be a young teenage reader with a budding interest in societal issues, as dystopias helped to explore the way that topics such as personal freedom, privacy, gender, sexuality, and relationship status are weaponized in politics. All this is at a critical point in young people’s development when these issues tend to affect them directly for the first time.
Dive into this comprehensive list showcasing the most iconic and influential young adult dystopian novels that defined the 2010s. These books not only captivated readers but also left a lasting impact on the genre, shaping the landscape of young adult literature during this remarkable decade.
9. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
This list would be incomplete without mentioning The Hunger Games, the most culturally impactful dystopia series of the decade. With a movie series spanning 5 highly publicized theatrical releases, this series’ cultural impact was impossible to escape throughout the 2010s.
Set in a future post-apocalyptic version of the United States, young Katniss lives in one of the most impoverished districts. Each year, two teenagers from each District are chosen to compete in a battle to the death, which is televised for the richest in society.
This high-stakes series used the dystopian country of Panem to explore class oppression and exploitation, the birth of rebellious political movements, and how those movements can be co-opted for individuals’ gains.
Why we recommend it: This is a quintessential part of the 2010s dystopian movement, one that showcases the development of a young girl from humble yet gritty beginnings, to becoming the leader of real change.
8. The Maze Runner by James Dashner
When Thomas wakes up in the middle of a mysterious labyrinth inhabited by other teenage boys, he gradually finds his place in the simple society the boys have created to survive, rationing the weekly delivered food and sending scouts out into the dangerous corridors rife with huge stinging monsters to try and find an escape.
One month after him, a lone girl is delivered, and the group of teenagers work against the unknown controlling forces to outsmart them and find an escape. Winning many awards and being turned into a 2014 movie series starring Dylan O’Brien, The Maze Runner was an inventive and impactful twist on the dystopia popularity surge kick-started by The Hunger Games.
Why we recommend it: This book takes a similar concept to The Lord of the Flies and modernizes it into a thrilling, mysterious adventure.
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7. Matched by Ally Condie
If the state made all your life decisions for you, would you trust what they decided? Cassia is excited to be matched to her perfect partner by the omniscient algorithm. But when the screen glitches and a second, different face is displayed on the screen, Cassia cannot help but begin to question what she’s always known and trusted.
Matched explores the pressures put upon young people to love in the way parents or authority figures expect of them: relevant for many teenagers, who are all too frequently discouraged or forbidden from dating people deemed as “bad influences.”
Why we recommend it: This is an immersive subversion of societal convention to enforce guidance on young people, and the sometimes sinister intentions behind it
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Subscribe to our weekly newsletter6. Uglies by Scott Westerfield
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld is set in a future where everyone undergoes surgery at 16 to become a “Pretty,” erasing imperfections to create a uniform society. The story follows Tally Youngblood, a teenage girl torn between conforming to societal expectations and joining a group of rebels who expose the dark truths behind the perfect facade.
Though first published in 2005, Uglies gained renewed attention in the 2010s as the popularity of dystopian fiction surged. Its exploration of societal pressures, beauty standards, and rebellion against conformity resonated with a generation increasingly aware of the impact of social media and appearance-driven culture.
Why we recommend it: This thought-provoking novel explores themes of identity, beauty standards, and individuality, making it a compelling read for fans of dystopian fiction.
5. Divergent by Veronica Roth
The Divergent trilogy is a similarly impactful cornerstone of 2010’s YA. Also adapted for a 3-part movie series, this dystopia focuses on a futuristic, highly authoritarian Chicago.
Beatrice Prior is set for a pivotal moment in her life: the moment a teenager chooses if they will stay in the societal faction they were born into, or if they will leave all they know to pursue a different path in one of the other, cut-off factions of the city. Beatrice’s decision takes her down a bold path, but as she learns more about the insurmountable walls put up around her, she becomes only more determined to break out and rise above them.
Why we recommend it: Anyone looking to explore the most important works of 2010s YA will see why this book inspired young teen girls to go out and take what they want in the world.
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4. Delirium by Lauren Oliver
The early 2010s NYT bestseller Delirium and its two sequels show a futuristic dystopian Portland in which love has been deemed a disease: “the deliria”. Lena, an orphan, fits obediently into the strict society she grew up in until she falls in love with Alex, a boy from the Wilds who has not taken the Cure. He opens her world by revealing the ways she has been lied to, leaving her trapped between the false familiar and the fearsome, unfamiliar world outside.
Why we recommend it: This dystopia reflects the experience of teenagers growing up in and rebelling against strict rules around love and dating, an all too familiar sight for many young people.
3. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Wade Watts is a chubby, unpopular school kid living in a trailer park in Oklahoma City. Life in the 2040s is stressful and unlucrative due to the widespread energy crisis, so people turn to the virtual reality portal OASIS to escape life’s bleakness.
When the creator of OASIS dies, he leaves behind a video stating that those who can find his virtual hidden clues will win his entire fortune. Wade is wrapped up in a global race to find the clues, but after he finds the first one, he becomes a target of many who want the glory for themselves.
Ready Player One shot to new heights of popularity after its 2018 movie adaptation. Filled with fast-paced action and nerdy references to classic sci-fi culture, this dystopia was a hark to the techy bookworms of the 2010s who felt more at home in the growing online world.
Why we recommend it: Ready Player One is a fun read for any lover of the 80s, video games, or futuristic worlds. This book balances the heavy side of the real world with the neon excitement of technological escapism.
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2. Legend by Marie Lu
June is a young prodigy, a military elite for the Republic, the new order in charge of the western United States. Day is her complete opposite, growing up in the slums, doing what he must to survive and being wanted for serious crimes. A June sets out after Day and their paths cross, the reality behind the regime she serves is gradually revealed around her, forcing her to question what she has always known and excelled in.
Inspired by her time growing up during turbulent times in East Asia and based in her later home of Los Angeles for its pronounced gap between rich and poor, Marie Lu deftly weaves a tale that reflects the difficult political times many live through with Romeo and Juliet-esque love-struck protagonists from vastly different backgrounds uncovering the truth hidden from both of their lives.
Why we recommend it: This is a stellar story of how differently the rich and poor can experience growing up in the same place and time.
1. The Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
The hierarchy in the world of The Red Queen is based on blood. Subjects are split into the regal, silver-blooded gifted with superpowers, and the common, downtrodden red-blooded.
Mare is born a Red, growing up in poverty and stealing to survive, until she is taken into the Silver Palace to work as a servant. When she displays unusual abilities, she is fostered into the Royal court to prevent her from falling into the hands of the rebel group the Scarlet Guards.
Mare, who works to help her fellow Reds, is soon caught between worlds and struggles to decide where she belongs, and who to trust in a world of lies and power struggle.
Why we recommend it: This is a relatable book for teens not feeling at home in the world they’re growing up in and who enjoy the likes of Divergent.
So, take a trip back through the most popular dystopian explorations of the 2010s heyday and remember what it was that had us all gripped so tightly!
