From Fiction to Forewarning: Join the Dystopia Conversation

What is it about dystopian novels that capture our hearts and minds? With thought-provoking themes of government oppression and forced conformity, our dystopian heroes often stand up to an unjust system. When we read these books, we are transported to a place that is fictional but just real enough to be too close for comfort. The events may often take place in the future and sometimes after a catastrophic event, but one thing is always for sure: it is a disturbing world.

Reading dystopias could be a user manual for how to detect humanity’s slide into darkness. We are all Katniss Everdeen and our trusty bow and arrows are our dystopian novels that show us the warning signs of a society on the brink of collapse. We prepare ourselves for a time that we will be called upon to defend our humanity and call out the thought police (that’s Thinkpol in Newspeak). Perhaps those times are already upon us. And maybe we just want to read about these imperfect worlds in the safety and comfort of our homes without actually living in them. There is no right way or wrong way to read this genre. Whether you’re a total newbie, or dystopia pro, you’re welcome to bring your curiosity, knowledge and ideas to this book chat. We will discuss themes, popular titles and what it is about reading this genre that makes it so terrifying and so much fun at the same time.