Top Ten Tuesday, as always, is hosted at my other blog — The Broke & the Bookish
This week’s topic: Top Ten Worlds I’d Never Want To Live In
Not A Drop To Drink by Mindy McGinnis: MAN, this one is the scariest to me because it could for real happen. A world where water is scarce? YEAH the kinds of devolving of humanity that you would think would happen HAPPENS. I just would not want to live in this world at all. Not cut out for it. This book was amazing, by the way so you should check it out!
Delirium by Lauren Oliver: I don’t want to live in a world without love! I don’t want anyone messing with the wiring of my brain to make me not FEEL what love is. GTFO!
Eve by Anna Carey: I would never want to live in this post-apocalyptic world! This plague happens and it wipes out SO many people and obviously life is not so great for those left behind. I don’t want to give away what the main character finds out about what is really going on in her all girl school and what happens to the boys but yeah…NO THANK YOU. I would jump off a bridge the first moment I was free.
Pawn by Aimee Carter: I don’t want to live in any sort of world ruled by THESE people. It’s terrible and I would hate how you get placed in your life by what you score on a test. Plus the THINGS you find out as you read…I just would never want to be part of this world structured like this.
Wither by Lauren DeStefano: God, reading this book I remember how bleak everything felt. Because of scientific efforts to create a perfect race, things are screwy and now people only live until they are in their twenties. And the ladies are forced to keep popping out babies so that the scientists can figure out how to change this. And how you die is TERRIBLE. I just could never live in this world without wanting to off myself. WHY LIVE? You don’t even get to really see your baby grow up because you will be DEAD DEAD DEAD.
In The After by Demitria Lunetta: I could NEVER survive in this world. That’s all I kept thinking while I was reading this book. I can’t imagine having to do what she does to get food and I don’t know where my reason to live would be anymore. And the zombie things sounded CREEPY.
The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey: This is like my worst nightmare. Not only is there an alien invasion and you need survival skills and such BUT you can’t even trust anybody because you have to be so super paranoid because aliens can look like people. I would be certifiably crazy if I ever could survive more than one day.
The Program by Suzanne Young: OH THIS WORLD. It’s so much LIKE our world except suicide is an epidemic (seriously, I could not handle losing so many people I love) and pretty much if you even show any sort of FEELS you get sent to the program. STAY OUT OF MY HEAD AND MY FEELS. I would never, ever want to experience this. I loved this book hardcore last year!
Under The Never Sky by Veronica Rossi: Okay, part of this world would be wicked awesome to experience but would get old. I mean, it’s all sorts of virtual reality so you could watch your favorite band play or hang out with the dinosaurs but I feel like nothing would feel REAL after a while. And then there’s the life Perry is used to and I would not want to live that life either out there with the Aether storms threatening and all the other dangers.
The Lost Girl by Sangu Mandanna: This one doesn’t seem as in your face obvious as the others but I just would not want to be part of a world where, when someone dies, an echo takes their place. It just kind of freaks me out.
So tell me…what worlds would YOU never want to live in? I want to know because I love books with worlds that terrify me. Do you agree with any of mine?
Leydy says
Great list! I wouldnt want to trade places with Aimee either!
Check out our TTT of this week.
Leydy @ OUaT & Redcarpetendings
Rachel Patrick says
I still need to read a bunch of these, but I totally agree with you on THE 5TH WAVE. Yeah, the world is, like, apocalyptic and stuff, but YOU CAN’T TRUST ANYONE. Someone could LOOK human, but that doesn’t mean they are. And that FREAKS ME OUT. No way I’m living in that world.
Rachel @ Beauty and the Bookshelf
Lianne @ caffeinatedlife.net says
Agreed about Lauren Oliver’s Delirium, it’s such an cold and authoritarian world to strip off love like that from the human condition. Great list! 🙂
My TTT
Maggie Gordon says
The world in Not a Drop to Drink was one of my “OH GOD NO” places as well. The thought of not having water is TERRIFYING! Mind you, so are worlds with strange plant monsters or alien invasions. I think I’ll just put all my dystopia books in that category!
Alex @ Life in the Pages says
Totally agree with you on Delerium, The 5th Wave, and Wither. As for me, I would never ever EVER want to live in the worlds of The Road, The Handmaid’s Tale, or The Hunger Games. I would never survive in a dystopian/post-apocalyptic society.
Lindsey @ Bring My Books says
Amazingly, I haven’t read any of these! Some of them you’ve got me pretty interested in (The Lost Girl and Under the Never Sky in particular), but others I’m even more convinced would just freak me and my overactive imagination out! Really good list, Jamie!
My TTT!
Tressa @ Tressa's Wishful Endings says
We have some of the same picks and I almost picked The Program. Under the Never Sky and Not A Drop To Drink are great choices! You can see mine here: http://bit.ly/1ed3hnd.
Chrissi Reads says
Fab list Jamie. I have the world from The Chemical Gardens trilogy on my list this week too. I love Lauren DeStefano’s writing, but that world is way too bleak for me!
Megan C. Stroup says
Wait, you wouldn’t want to live in Delirium???? Ha. Just kidding. I loved those books though!
Allie @ Little Birdie Books says
Yeah, a world without love would not fly with me! Also The Program, man. That’s a world where you’re not really even allowed feelings, for fear of your entire life being erased! Imagine having a bad day and wanting to come home and get some comfort from your mum? NOPE YOU’RE DEPRESSED, OFF YOU GO TO THE PROGRAM BECAUSE WE LOVE YOU AND DON’T WANT YOU DYING. Jeeez
Rebecca @ The Library Canary says
Pawn, Delirium, Wither, and Not a Drop to Drink were on my list too! I can’t believe I forgot about The Program. That would be so horrible. That book tore my soul out. I cried through most of it. I picked up The Treatment at ALA and I am dying to read it!!
Liz says
I still need to read basically all of these, but the world of “Wither” is pretty scary.
Christy @ Christy's Book Addiction says
Wither and In the After made my list too. I don’t know why I didn’t think of Delirium, The 5th Wave or The Program!
Mary @ BookSwarm says
DEFINITELY NO to Not A Drop To Drink. *shudder* Actually, I probably wouldn’t be strong enough to survive in most of these worlds.
Jennifer aka YA Book Nerd says
Pawn made my list too! I think most Dystopian worlds are ones I would never want to live in…
Jaime says
Great List Jamie! I totally forgot about The Program! We had a couple similar picks though!
xo
jaime @ Fic Fare
Top Ten Tuesday
Christina (BookTasty) says
I still haven’t read Wither for the very reason you mention…I hear that its just so bleak. Sometimes I think I can handle it, but then others I feel like it will just bring me down haha I definitely wouldn’t want to live in it!
Jacque says
Great list!! Delirium and Wither both made top ten list as well. Several of your other choices are still on my TBR list.
Here is my TTT: http://jacquesbooknook.blogspot.com/2014/01/top-ten-tuesday-worlds-id-never-want-to.html
Tiffany (AboutToRead) says
Could not agree more with Pawn, but freaking love the book!
Missie says
A lot of these were on my list too – I think the authors did a great job world building since we don’t want to live in those worlds
Jade @ Bits & Bobs says
Ah, The Program, how did you fall of my radar? I remember wanting that book so badly when it was released but then totally forgot about it – thanks for that reminder!
Delirium is definitely a society I would not want to live in, me and the vast majority of the world I believe. Love and affection are huge parts of every day life.
🙂
Jamie says
I agree completely with The 5th Wave and Not a Drop to Drink! Aliens and/or being alone aren’t desirable. Personally, I wouldn’t want to live in Arras from Crewel because living under a corrupt government that can alter the fabric of time?! No thanks. Also, Panem.
The Bookish Prophet says
I couldn’t come up with ten this week!
Lakin says
Great list! Most of my list is books I haven’t even read yet (some of which I will probably never read)!
Here is my Top Ten (7) Tuesday
http://wonderousreviews.blogspot.com/2014/01/top-ten-tuesday_28.html
Sarah Clare says
I only recently bought ‘Wither’, you’ve made me want to hurry up and read it now!
I think you’re list makes far more sense than mine! Heh heh. I think this is part of the attraction to reading; we an experience these worlds.. but we don’t have to live in them. Thank chuff!
🙂
Ellie M. says
Those are some awesome picks! I don’t think I would have want to live there too, good reasons!
Hope you can stop by my Top Ten
xoxo
Iris says
I so agree with you on Delirium, Pawn, and Under the Never Sky! I have those on my list as well and my reasoning is much alike.
Of course I have more, but one of them is the world described in Defy… The Rape Houses, and the reign of the king, that scares me so bad! Or the world in The Handmaid’s Tale, I think those would be my biggest fears. *Shudder* I hate to imagine myself living in a world like that.
Dre @ Sporadic Reads says
I really enjoyed reading this article. I haven’t read Not A Drop To Drink, but I know the plot, and I wouldn’t want to live there either. Delirium isn’t any better, too. I read The Lost Girl, and I do agree that it is quite creepy.
Brittany @ The Book Addict's Guide says
I had quite a few of these on my list as well! Gotta love the insane dystopian worlds that these authors think up! The 5th Wave scared the hell outta me and I could never make in a world without love like Delirium! 🙂
Tizzy Potts says
I saw Not a Drop to Drink on someone else’s list and now I really want to read it. Wither and Delirium were on my list too. I’d never want to live in any Dystopian world really, but strangely I love reading about them.
Kim @ The Avid Reader says
I’ve seen Not a Drop to Drink on many lists today – I really need to read that one! I listed Wither and Delirium too… loved both of them, but zero desire to live there.
Tirta @ I Prefer Reading says
There are a lot of books in this list that I haven’t read! *fake gasps* I really want to dive in Not a Drop to Drink anytime soon, the book sounds great
And Jamie, you sure you don’t want to live in the Delirium world? I think somehow I would want to, just because I’d like a chance to snatch Alex for my ownself, you know, not for the sake of the dystopian aspect of it :p
Michelle (Book Hangovers) says
Great list! I really need to check out the Delirium series and Not a Drop to Drink. I’ve seen those books on a lot of lists today.
Alexa S. says
The only world I’m familiar with on this list is the one in PAWN (Aimee Carter). I’d never want to live their either because it’s just so harsh to imagine being sorted into a numbered group all based on one test! I haven’t read/experienced any of the others (though I am reading Under the Never Sky soon) but they all sound completely terrifying.
Michelle says
I was too in awe of your cute graphics to read the content. So cute!
Daniel says
Well I’d have to definitely say The Hunger Games, wouldn’t exactly want to live in a world where you might be forced to fight to the death. Then I would say Life as We Knew It (and further sequels) by Susan Beth Pfeffer, I do not want to live in that world! I guess I’d also say any world with zombies like World War Z or Feed by Mira Grant, even though the idea of trying to survive excites me, having to do it in reality, I wouldn’t be too thrilled.