If you follow British politics you’ll know that we just got our second unelected prime minister in a row. Yay democracy? And since his policies are really scary to me on a personal level, I’ve done the only logical thing and decided to think about the dystopias that are bad, yes, but not Trump/Boris Johnson bad, so I would absolutely consider moving there.
The Hunger Games
I mean yes the government selects a few children to die for the entertainment of the rich every year. And at least half the districts aren’t doing so well even on a good day. But you know what. The fashion is spectacular and post-uprising the country will probably be way better but with the fashion. I want a dress that’s on fire. That’s actually probably my main point here.
Matched
I’ll be honest, I actually never understood what was so bad about this society. I have trouble making basic decisions for myself so the idea of a society in which they basically buzzfeed quiz you and figure out your whole life really appealed to me. I mean come on guaranteed perfect job for you, mostly guaranteed love of your life. SO simple. I would sign up so fast. The book itself annoyed because it was super hetero-normative but with some work the society could be kinda awesome?
Divergent
OK so yes I super love personality quizzes and it might be that dystopias based around them appeal to me a lot. But come on, wouldn’t you just love to know yourself this well after a fun simulation? Obviously its not a perfect world and they could be less dickish to people who don’t fit into one of their categories (how about a miscellaneous group – that’s basically Hufflepuff right?) but otherwise not such a bad future.
Cinder
Yeah I know it’s not really a dystopia so much as sci-fi but its the future and its dark-ish and most importantly I really seriously love these books. Any future with Thorn in is a future I am wholly on board with. And the technology fascinates me. Plus I’d take any cyborg ruler over our current nonsense any day.
The Host
This is a last resort but you know what? Maybe we’ve screwed up so bad that letting aliens take our bodies and our world is the best option. I’m not sure I’d fight that hard against alien possession is what I’m saying. They’ll probably take better care of the environment anyway and that’s always a plus.
Let me know which dystopias you’d find preferable to current reality in the comments? Join me in being slightly melodramatic.
From all these I’d go with Divergent! And yes I am following your politics as I was in London barely two days ago. Democracy you said? That aside I love going to London which feels like a second house to me.
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London is the best! And we at least have an amazing Mayor so that’s good! But yeah democracy has gone right out the window. I wouldn’t mind living in Divergent tbh. I’d probably campaign for better factionless rights but otherwise I’d be happily off growing fruit in Amity and being so peaceful.
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This was a fun read! I agree that it sounds like the system in Matched could potentially help us find the best partner for us. And yes to Thorn! He brought so much life to The Lunar Chronicles!
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It had a 100% success rate. Except for the MC but that’s just because she matched with two people and they were like “lets give her the one she already loves” and she suddenly lost interest and fell for the other guy. That’s on her honestly.
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OMG this is amazing. Ok, so I’m down with living in the Obernewtyn world. I mean granted, a lot of the world is wasteland from lots of nuclear wars, and all the technology from the ‘beforetime’ is gone, but hopefully I get a cool telepathy power, or can speak with animals or something. Plus can you imagine exploring current day buildings as ruins? Way cool!
Alternatively, The Eyes of Tamburah is set below ground because the sun is so blisteringly hot… but, I mean, what’s a couple more decades going to do to this world anyway? Might as well get used to it now. I must say, I’m not necessarily down with all those staircases though… 97 floors below the surface is not for me.
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Oooh I would so be an archaeologist in the Obernewtyn world. Preferably whilst speaking to animals! Oh god I’m so claustrophobic so that might be a nightmare for me but it’s also super believable given how badly we treat the world. So maybe I should prepare myself.
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This is my favorite post ever because SAME honestly! Like why not go to Panem? From the sounds of it, I’d just have to kill like, two crappy old privileged white people and maybe a couple of snobby kids along the way, right? And then I get to go live in a mansion with Peeta, that’s the deal, yeah? Sign me UP. And same with Matched. I’ll take whatever, sounds better than what’s going on around here! Like I didn’t see ANY racist orange asshats in that book, just saying. And I want to take tests and jump on trains! (Just kidding I could never be Dauntless but who cares.) It is downright TERRIFYING that books that we read less than a decade ago seem better than the real world. Especially on days like this, where in my garbage country there have been two mass shootings in 48 hours because… I honestly don’t know actually, there is no explicable reason for this to continue but HERE WE ARE. Anyway I love this post, and it was incredibly cathartic to read and comment on it!
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I’d blatantly be Amity which is so unimpressive but I just don’t have the energy for any of the others. And Abnegation is a nice idea but I NEED good hair and clothes thank you. God I’m so sorry. The one thing we have going for us right now is the lack of shootings. Gun control seems like such an obvious thing to me! Like why would anyone not want their kids to be safe in school? I’m glad you found it cathartic – I found it soooo cathartic to write!
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“How about a miscellaneous group – that’s basically Hufflepuff right?” I totally cackled when I read that because honestly, SO TRUE! Hufflepuff is basically all the awesome people that don’t conform to one of the other three because they’re too cool for school. And really, having a dress that’s purposefully on fire is my desired aesthetic too 🙂
Laura @BlueEyeBooks
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Sadly Primark does not currently have any on fire dresses so we’re at a loss for now but fingers crossed. I actually love Hufflepuffs. They’re so pure. My Mum is a Hufflepuff and just the best person.
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Err.. the only one I am not sure is The Hunger Games! But you’re also right… we kind of have some similarities to our realities in some points as well so I see why you put it there! Matched is actually not all that awful. And Factionless is as bad as it gets in Divergent but then they seem to be doing pretty well for themselves regardless 😛 The world of Cinder isn’t too bad but the Lunars would petrify me… especially Queen Levana. But your average person doesn’t come across her! And The Host… we don’t really get to see that much of the ruined world?
I’m actually surprised that I’ve read all these books and series DD:
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I think we all collectively went through a dystopia phase! I was so confused by Matched. I’m so indecisive it seemed like a utopia to me (although less heteronormativity always welcome).
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We Americans are relating super hard to this post too. Sheesh. You can’t make this sh*t up. And yes to all the personality quizzes!
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Truly the world is terrifying at the moment. Johnson is literally a mini-Trump. I love personality quizzes so damn much!
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