A Kiss Before Dying
"1984" will come to mind whenever dystopian literature is the subject matter. This is not the kind of book that young readers will remember, even if it's part of the reading list in universities. There's another set of books, set in the grim future, for the likes of them. How can it be possible?
Post-apocalyptic stories can be another form of armchair entertainment, no different than Gothic literature. Orwell might have reservation if he lived long to see (and read) "A Clockwork Orange". Published in 1962, Anthony Burgess set his tale in Britain in the near-distant future. The youngsters roaming the streets have a penchant for extreme violence, talking in their own argon (nadsat). And the state authority is hell bent in reforming them. Burgess, a native of Harpurhey, Lancanshire, penned an amusing story. He didn't send a grave warning to those who want to avoid this kind of scenario, but it doesn't mean it's different.
It's possible that the authors want the readers not to have a jaded approach at such works, and at the same time, they don't want them to dismiss it. Some of these stories manage to maintain its appeal through the decades.
Individual welfare versus the common good
William Golding's "Lord of the Flies" (1954) is a special book, of what happens when a group of young students is left by themselves. This what makes it popular, as it might have less impact if adults are the ones who set foot on the uninhabited island. Koushun Takami may have seen the wisdom behind such an approach, such that "Battle Royale" is not remote from the English classic.
The premise seems too fantastic, set in the Republic of Greater East Asia in the distant future. The young ones outnumber the senior citizens, and the authorities have one thing in mind. They randomly select a class of secondary students and then send them on a "study trip". The thought of students arming themselves and killing each other, until one is left standing, is too controversial. But Takami has a twisted sense of humor. It seems unlikely, as there's a rise in the number of elderly people. Credit must go to science and technology, but a glitch might happen along the way. Haven't we read it somewhere?
She's the last one, ever
The recent success of the Divergent trilogy and the Maze Runner series is a sign that young readers won't get tired of dystopian literature. They can relate to the characters, as they belong to the same age bracket. They also deal with trivial issues, apart from struggling to live day by day. And a romance might happen. There's a good chance that these books will be read over and over, after which they'll look at such setting with a serious eye.
