Last Updated on July 3, 2020 by Kickass Traveler
The year my dad died, I dove into fatality-reading. Dealing with my own grief was too hard, so I borrowed from the grief of others. Back-to-back, I read Into Thin Air, Into the Wild, A Night to Remember, The Perfect Storm, and Alive. It was this final story about the plane crash, deaths, cannibalism, and ultimate survival of a Chilean soccer team that propelled me forward.
Raise your hand if, back in January, you thought, “2020 is going to be my year!” The joke is on all of us.
To halt Netfilx-streaming my life away, I read each day, and not just the news, but an actual book. Certain stories are off-limits, like reading Under the Tuscan Sun because it will remind me of travel. I can’t do a beach read because, well, that’s not happening. And historical fiction? 2020 will re-write the history books enough. I just can’t.
In 2020, I am drawn to dystopian novels. I don’t even need zombies, I just need a story that feels worse than what we are going through now.
Since mid-March, I have read a continual stream of dystopian novels. Counterintuitive though it seems, these stories make me feel better. Similar to the grief-reading I did after my dad died, apocalyptic stories give me peace. They don’t depress me, but instead, empower me. I feel a kinship with those characters fighting to survive. I get it.
Here are Four Reasons To Read Dystopian Novels
They inspire self-reliance.
The coronavirus pandemic has squashed our sense of control as we wonder when will things go back to normal, did I remember my mask, and did I wash my hands? We are not Katniss, whipping out a bow to feed our family, but we can make bread, cook dinner, and throw down a batch of brownies. We got this.
They boost our confidence.
Straight out of Marvel Universe, you can pretend you are the lead in your own movie where you are a stronger, bad-asser version of yourself. You are a superhero. Take those feelings and remember them when you are lonely, when you miss your old life, or when you just can’t take another minute. Superhero.
They elicit a sense of community.
Ragtag groups unite in order to survive, and unlikely acquaintances become a band of brothers. In 2020, we need a community. During this time, random acts of kindness are happening that restore our faith in humanity. Professional athletes are paying the salaries of concession workers, celebrities are donating dollars to food banks, and ordinary people are performing extraordinary acts. We are all one community.
They offer gratitude.
They remind us to be thankful for our family and friends. I can easily text my friends, zoom my family, and have a virtual house party. In 2020, things may be crazy, but there is no zombie apocalypse.
Read these five books to get you out of your funk:
- Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. This book started me on the dystopian novel train, and I’m glad I took the ride. Mandel weaves a riveting story as events quickly escalate out of control, and we follow the plot threads of multiple characters, pulled together seamlessly at the end. Don’t take my word, Station Eleven won the Arthur C. Clarke Award and was a finalist for the National Book Award, among others.
- Severance: A Novel by Ling Ma. The prescient tale of Severance is eerily similar to what is happening now complete with a raging virus, transmission rates, and all that comes with that. What makes Severance palatable is the humor folded into each chapter, as our heroine, Candace Chen, fumbles her way through an apocalypse. At some point, you’ll find yourself screaming at Candace, “Why are you still in New York?!”
- Wool by Hugh Howey. What started as a self-published short story evolved into a series of acclaimed novels revolving around the mysterious Silo. You don’t have to read all nine books, but you may want to once you meet Juliette, who has the wits and ingenuity we all need in a post-apocalypse world.
- The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. Atwood’s novel still holds up as evidenced by the popularity of Hulu’s addictive show of the same name. While Atwood’s tale may veer slightly from what is happening now, this story stills packs a mighty punch.
- The Stand by Stephen King. Unlike most of King’s novels where you sleep with the lights on, The Stand focuses heavily on the relationship of the characters, Denver against Vegas, and, yes, good versus evil. Say what you will about King, this is one good story.
After months of sheltering-in-place, with life on repeat, we need to feel that things will be okay. Dystopian novels are the antidote to the malaise we are all feeling. Head to bookshop.org to order your next dystopian thriller, or check out your local online library. Reading is the ultimate escape, so take care of yourself and take time to read.