Why am I passionate about this?
I have loved dystopian books ever since my mom handed me The Giver when I was in the fourth grade. My high school English teacher ignited this passion further when she suggested I read Fahrenheit 451 during Banned Books Week. I would later pursue this interest in university when I wrote my thesis on the political use of language in dystopian literature. Now, my love for the genre motivates me to write dystopian books of my own. This list includes the most engaging and evocative dystopian books I urge every twenty-something to read–if only so I can talk about them with more people!
Ellie's book list on dystopian books every twenty-something should read
Why did Ellie love this book?
I love anything with zombies in it, but what really draws me to this book in particular is how personal of a story it is.
The protagonist, Candace Chen, is both nostalgic for a New York City that never really existed and conscious of how overconsumption blinds her to the dystopia of her own office. I admire how the book draws parallels between work culture and a “zombie” pandemic that forces people to repeat their old routines. This is a must-read that I recommend to anyone entering or navigating the workforce.
9 authors picked Severance as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.
Maybe it’s the end of the world, but not for Candace Chen, a millennial, first-generation American and office drone meandering her way into adulthood in Ling Ma’s offbeat, wryly funny, apocalyptic satire, Severance.
"A stunning, audacious book with a fresh take on both office politics and what the apocalypse might bring." ―Michael Schaub, NPR.org
“A satirical spin on the end times-- kind of like The Office meets The Leftovers.” --Estelle Tang, Elle
NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY: NPR * The New Yorker ("Books We Loved") * Elle * Marie Claire * Amazon Editors * The Paris Review…