So we're coming to the end of 2024, and as a dystopian author and reader, I've been making some observations about potential trends that might kick off next year. Some might call me an optimist because, obviously, I'd like people to get into dystopian books BUT there are four main reasons that I see dystopian books having a REVIVAL!
The fall of romantasy and emerging dystopian narratives
The realms of BookTok and Bookstagram have been drowning in romantasy (and cowboy romances but that's not relevant) for the last few years. With the release of Onyx Storm, the final instalment of Rebecca Yarros' Empyrean Series (Fourth Wing), coming in January, readers might be looking for something fresh as we continue through 2025. I'm not saying romantasy is bad or has had its day but people might be stuck with 'romantasy' fatigue.
This idea is supported by some big moves publishers made this year. As Ellie Blackwood notes in her Substack blog 'Are young adult dystopian books coming back?':
'A trickle of books from major publishers are being marketed as dystopian again. The Dividing Sky by Jill Tew, Fledgling by S.K. Ali, and Snowglobe by Soyoung Park are the biggest examples from this year, with more slated to come next year such as Chloe Gong’s Coldwire and Ava Reid’s Fable for the End of the World.'
Plus, with the release of Sunrise on the Reaping, the fifth and highly anticipated Hunger Games novel happening in March, it might reignite an industry's love for dystopia. A month afterwards, Taherah Mafi is releasing a dystopian romance from the world of the bestselling dystopian Shatter Me series. These two big hitters could be the catalyst us dystopian lovers have been waiting for.
A new generation of dystopian readers
With that in mind, another reason we could see a popular dystopian resurrection is because since we had the 'dystopian era' of the late noughties to early 2010's, a whole new generation of readers has emerged. Those now in their mid-late teens may have never read a dystopian book or even recognised it as a genre. This means that there is a fantastic opportunity for them to become obsessed with a whole new plethora of books, including new releases and golden oldies.
The fast and scary development of AI
Dystopian books serve authors to make comment or bring warning to people about the way society is going. With the rapid advancement of AI and institutions like the EU wanting to regulate its use, dystopian narratives around such technology and its impact on our humanity are likely to come to the forefront. Like 1984, Brave New World and more recently, Black Mirror, we might see a rise in warnings against the use of technology, especially from the perspectives of creative industries.
(Some) dystopian books bring hope to a dark world
Finally, dystopian books will make a comeback because of the state of our world. We've got increasing economic disparity, shaky politics in our most powerful nations, wars intensifying and a mental health epidemic. That list doesn't even begin to cover it.
And while dystopian books often exaggerate and remind readers of these issues, the escapism aspect comes through providing hope. Seeing characters fight adversity or experiencing how teenagers begin to make sense of a confusing world, allows readers to derive great comfort from these narratives. That while they may be a mirror to their world, they encourage and inspire them that there is always hope, love and a better way to live.
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