When it comes to dystopian fiction titles, The Giver is one of the most popular. However, if you’re looking for similar books that will blow your mind, you’re in luck. We’ve put together a list of 10 thought-provoking books like The Giver that will leave you questioning the world around you.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The Hunger Games is in a dystopian future where the government requires two children from each district to compete in a televised battle to the death. The story follows 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who volunteers to take her sister’s place in the games.
So, why is this book included in our books like The Giver list? Both novels feature a protagonist forced to partake in a government-mandated event with dire consequences.
In The Giver, Jonas must become the Receiver of Memory and experience all the pain and suffering of the world. On the other hand, in The Hunger Games, Katniss must fight to the death in a televised event broadcast in the Capitol and across the nation.
Both novels also explore the themes of government control and the importance of human connection.
If you prefer a series over a standalone novel, you’ll be happy to know that Suzanne Collin’s New York Times Bestseller The Hunger Games is a trilogy!
The Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry
The second novel in Lowry’s Giver quartet, The Gathering Blue takes place in a dystopian future where people with deformities are left in the wilderness to die. One of those individuals is a young girl named Katy.
Similar to other books like The Giver, Lowry’s The Gathering Blue features a protagonist that is an outcast in their society. Also, both Jonas and Kira must learn to navigate their dystopian societies to survive. They must also grapple with the weight of the knowledge they have been given.
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
In the Brave New World, the government controls every aspect of society. People are born into predetermined classes and are given mind-altering drugs to keep them content with life. Bernard Marx is an upper-class member, but he doesn’t feel like he belongs. He starts to question the government’s control and decides to go on a journey to the Savage Reservation.
Huxley’s Brave New World landed on our list of books like The Giver because it features a protagonist’s discontent with their society. In Brave New World, Bernard is not happy with how the government controls every aspect of people’s lives. On the other hand, in The Giver, Jonas is not content with the way his community denies people the opportunity to experience emotions.
Bernard and Jonas also must learn how to navigate their dystopian societies to find happiness.
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
Another novel worthy of being in our books like The Giver is Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale.
This novel is set in a dystopian future where the Republic of Gilead controls every aspect of society. They do not allow women (known as Handmaids) to work or own property. Instead, they only permit them to have children with their Commanders.
Offred, the protagonist, is a handmaid assigned to the Commander’s home. She must try to conceive a child with him to keep her position in the household. She later finds out that there is an underground resistance, and she must find a way to escape her fate.
The Maze Runner by James Dashner
The Maze Runner is set in a dystopian future where a group of boys tries to escape from a maze. They must work together to solve the puzzles and find their way out. Thomas is a boy who arrives in the Glade with no memories of his past. He must try to solve the maze and find a way out.
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
In Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go, the people are cloned to be organ donors. Kathy is a clone who has been raised in a boarding school. She must come to terms with her fate and prepare herself for her inevitable death.
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
In Fahrenheit 451, the government controls what people can read and think. The protagonist, Guy Montag, is a fireman who burns books. He starts to read the books and learns about the importance of knowledge.
Uglies by Scott Westerfield
In Uglies, the government controls what people look like. The protagonist, Tally Youngblood, is an ugly who is waiting for her 16th birthday so she can have surgery to become pretty. She meets a boy named Shay who does not want to have the surgery, and Tally must decide whether she wants to become pretty or stay ugly.
Divergent by Veronica Roth
In Divergent, the government controls what people think. The protagonist, Beatrice or Tris, is a divergent and does not fit into any group. She must choose between the different factions in her society and decide which one she wants to belong to.
1984 by George Orwell
Books like The Giver wouldn’t be complete without this classic dystopian book from George Orwell.
In 1984, the government controlled what people thought and said. Winston, the protagonist, is a rebel who must decide whether to stay silent or speak out against the oppression.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for thought-provoking dystopian books like The Giver, look no further. The novels on this list will leave you questioning the world around you and wondering what it would be like to live in a dystopian society. These books have it all, from government control to the importance of human connection. So grab a book and get ready to have your mind blown.
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