1. Portland in “Delirium” by Lauren Oliver: I would never want to live in a world where love is seen as a contagious disease to be avoided at all costs! Just think of all the wonderful music and literature that wouldn’t exist without love. Most of all, how awful to live in a world where the most beautiful and important emotion is denied. -Diana
2. Alien-invaded Earth in “The 5th Wave” by Rick Yancey: I am certain none of us would fare well in a future where alien sleeper cells get “activated” and invade Earth “War of the Worlds” style. The aliens kill the majority of people on earth, and then those left live in constant terror and fear and confusion, because they can’t tell who’s human and who’s alien. Sorry, not a world I could survive in, which is why Cassie is such an awe-inspiring character. -Sandie
3. Panem in “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins: I simply would never be able to deal with the lottery each year, let alone the actual Hunger Games. I’m sure I would be killed right off! I have no real outdoor survival skills and I have no idea how to fight, so it’s not something I could ever imagine having to face. I love Katniss and Peeta, but wouldn’t want to be their neighbor. -Diana
4. The future in “The Last Survivors” by Susan Beth Pfeffer: After a meteor knocks the moon closer to Earth, tsunamis destroy the coasts, and all manner of natural disasters ravage the Earth. People starve, freeze in the arctic weather (well, we can relate to that right now), and have to stand by as many of their loved ones die. -Sandie
5. Chicago in “Divergent” by Veronica Roth: Yes it’s Chicago, which would be a great place to live in our world, but in Divergent, it’s divided into factions. There is no way that I would want to choose a faction to live in. I believe that we all have a little bit of all of the factions in us and I would never want to live in a world where I could only act in one particular way. (Although, I’m pretty sure I would pick Amity). –Diana
6. The Patrons vs. Proxies in “Proxy” by Alex London: Although our brother the socialist-leaning theologian would say that we already live in a version of Alex London’s universe, at least there is still a little bit of potential for bettering your circumstances. In London’s story, class divides are so extreme that babies are born into debt that can only be repaid by accepting all punishments (from spanking to torture to incarceration) on behalf of their anonymous “Patrons.” –Sandie
7. The future world in “Bumped” by Megan McCafferty: Wow, a world where every woman over 18 is infertile! I know that so many people truly suffer with infertility and it’s so difficult that to think of a world where that is the norm. It seems so horrifying to me. To make matters worst, teenaged girls are paid to conceive by the highest bidders. I would never in a million years ever want to live in such a world. -Diana
8. So much Noise in the “Chaos Walking ” trilogy by Patrick Ness: If Google’s data about what men search for is correct, I most definitely don’t want to live in a world where a virus causes all males’ thoughts to be projected in words and visuals at all times. As much as I think Todd and Viola are amazing, I think I’d be too horrified to function. I’d have to be with a man who could “quiet” his Noise. –Sandie
9. Lithuania in 1941 in “Shades of Gray” by Ruta Sepetys: This is not really a world, but a time in history that I would never want to experience. I could have also chosen any number of books set in Europe during this same time period. To live during a time when at any moment you could be taken from your home and sent to a concentration camp for no reason other than your religion, ethnicity, or nationality is simply unconscionable. -Diana
10. “Warm Bodies” by Isaac Marion: I loved R, but zombies just freak me out. -Sandie
As always, thanks to The Broke and the Bookish for hosting the book blogging world’s most popular meme.
I have Between Shades of Gray on my list this week too. It’s so sad to know that fear and uncertainty were a very real way of like for a lot of people in Europe during the 30s and 40s.
I think being European throughout most of the first half of the 20th Century must have been terrifying. I think of that every time I watch Downton Abbey — even they weren’t immune to the horrors of war!
These are all great choices- so many challenges in a dystopian world! Glad you included Between Shades of Gray too. I heard that was just optioned for film!
YES! So excited that Between Shades of Gray was optioned. It sounds like it’s getting fast-tracked into production, so that’s always good news. I loved how you focused on LA-based worlds. So clever you are 😉
We share the first three! Those are some pretty horrifying places! As much as I love THG, I’d NEVER want to live in or even go to Panem. I still need to read quite a few of these like Proxy and Bumped!!
Proxy is one of my favorites from 2013. I loved meeting the author at YALLFest. He’s so funny and clever, and pretty adorable too. Bumped was fun for me, particularly because the (or one of the two) main love interest is half-Latino, half-Chinese, just like my kids! That aside, I think you’d like both books.
I haven’t read any of these books, but pretty much I want to avoid any world that is dystopian. I can’t even handle reading a dystopian book, let alone live in one.
You don’t read dystopia? I don’t read it all the time, but there’s definitely some good stories out there. I generally don’t read sci-fi or fantasy or dystopia unless it’s heavily recommended. We’re mostly contemp girls over here. But yes, we couldn’t imagine living in any of these worlds either.