Fahrenheit 451 teaches its readers of the importance of intellectual and critical thinking. It's set in a society that has banned books as they are believed to brainwash its subjects. The book rejects superficial thinking and advocates for gaining knowledge. Fahrenheit 451 is heavy on figurative language which allows the reader to ponder and interpret the text in their own way.
The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka is a short story that follows the life of a traveling salesman, Gregor Samsa, after he mysteriously transforms into a bug. When Gregor wakes up as a bug, he cannot support his family, open his bedroom door, or even get out of bed. This story provides great commentary on societal expectations while maintaining its hilarity. Kafka manages to spell out all of modern society’s great faults through the eyes of his insect narrator.
Victoria Aveyard's Red Queen, the first in a series, is a fantasy, dystopian novel which follows the story of a teenage girl, Mare, as she discovers that she, a "Red-blooded" person, has special powers similar to those of the elite "Silver-blooded" class. Mare's life is turned upside down when her power is revealed as the Silvers attempt to disguise the fact that she is a lowly Red by telling the public that she is the long-lost relative of a dead Silver general.
The Giver by Lois Lowry (Fiction) is a tale of a dystopian world through the eyes of a boy, Jonas. In Jonas’s world, everyone is given a life chosen for them. They are given their career at a choosing ceremony, if they want a spouse they must file for one and then be assigned someone who is perfectly paired with them, they must file for children (which are birthed by specific women) and they can only have two children, one girl and one boy. Jonas is anxious for his job, and is surprised by the one chosen for him.
Edith Warton's narration of high society life during the Golden Age of Old New York is filled with drama, forbidden romance, and betrayal. Newland Archer is wealthy, popular, and he's about to marry New York's finest young woman, May Welland; everything changes when May's cousin, Ellen Olenska, returns to New York. Archer is pulled between his duty to May and his desire for Ellen. Warton's plotlines were exciting, and her writing was palpable. I despised Archer after the first couple of chapters, but Warton's story kept me intrigued and even made me root for Archer at times.
Beatrice has only known to be a selfless person all of her life. She only looks in a mirror on occasion and always has to do the right thing. When she turns 16, this all changes. Beatrice can change her faction. She has to decide her future in the matter of seconds. This one decision choses her job, her friends, and almost every part of her life. What faction will she choose and how will she decide? It will change her life.
The Giver is set in a dystopian society where no one knows the history of the society except for a select few that are assigned to be the receiver of memories. Young Jonas is selected to be the receiver for his generation. He trains with the current receiver, where he uncovers the secrets of his society and the world.
The Outsiders, by S.E. Hilton, is a Young Adult Fiction book. Ponyboy Curtis, the narrator, recites his struggles in society, thinking that he is an outsider. In the book, there are two groups- the Socs and the Greasers. Ponyboy belongs to the Greasers. People view the Greasers as filthy and wrong, while they view the Socs as an asset to society. This book explains self-identity.
Red Queen takes place in a society where the hierarchy is based on your blood-red or silver. Mare Barrow, a red blood, is placed into the kingdom as a servant and observes the court as they are selecting the bride for the young princes. Suddenly, Mare exposes herself, showing lightning powers coming through her, and everyone in the court is heavily confused. The King and Queen quickly betroth her to Maven, the youngest son, and create a fake backstory. No one was suspicious of her blood afterwards, and people proceeded to believe she was a silver.
