The Dystopian Novel
In a sudden burst of enthu-ness, yours truly will be reviewing three dystopian novels in a single post. Here we go.
The Hunger Games
by Suzanne Collins
This trilogy (yes, an actual trilogy!) is pretty popular right now, and was made into a movie as well. And for good reason. They're short, easy to read, and work on many levels. Action, 'cute' romance and sharp political commentary, they have it all. Don't miss the jibes at media, advertising, and popular fashion squeezed between the near death battles and starvation/torture.
Rating: 4 e-book friendly: yes
*Whatname will review this again, later.
A Handmaid's Tale
by Margaret Atwood
This is a famous contemporary British novel. The story is very slow and not very gripping, but the thoughtful writing style makes up for all this book's shortcomings with respect to plot and pacing. Set in a dystopian future where women are no longer respected , the story follows Offred, the official 'mistress' of a high ranking official, as she begins to rebel against the oppressive and cruel society that took away her freedom.
Rating: 3 e-book friendly: yes
A Clockwork Orange
by Anthony Burgess
The movie based on this book is a classic, and you can see why. The opening few pages will horrify you, but keep you hooked. Alex is a not-so-nice teenager, a juvenile delinquent in fact. Murder, assault, vandalism and rape are part of his daily routine. What happens when classical conditioning (an old psychological trick, remember Pavlov's dog?) is used to turn him off to the idea of violence? You get one of the most epic novels of all time.
One warning though: the narration uses a good amount of made-up slang, and it takes a bit of getting used to.
The novel gets its name from an old Cockney phrase, 'Queer as a clockwork orange', which refers to 'a queerness so extreme as to subvert nature'.
Rating: 5 e-book friendly: no
Other novels of this genre you should try: 1984 (classic!), The Giver, Fahrenheit 451.
