Showing posts with label Young Adult Dystopian Societies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Young Adult Dystopian Societies. Show all posts

Thursday, July 23, 2020

Review Wednesday: The Princess Trials by Cordelia Castel

The Princess Trials (The Princess Trials, #1)
Title: The Princess Trials (The Princess Trials #1)
Author: Cordelia Castel
1st Date of Publication: May 2, 2020
ISBN:  9798642502532
# of Pages: 202
Genre: Young Adult Dystopian Society
Age Rating: 13+

Buy it on Amazon

Book Description:
Thirty young women. A handsome prince. A battle to the death.

Water is scarce. Deserts have taken over the land. Nuclear war has devastated humanity. Humans live in walled super cities to keep out the irradiated. The land that was formerly known as America is divided into kingdoms ruled by royal elites.

Born into the lowest Echelon of the Kingdom of Phangloria, sixteen-year-old Zea Calico faces a life of hunger, thirst, and toil. The only way out of this drudgery is revolution, and Zea is desperate to help the cause.

When the palace calls for candidates to compete to marry Prince Kevon, Zea joins the Princess Trials to search the palace for weaknesses.

The trials should be a fairytale of sumptuous meals, ballgowns, and romance, but one misplaced word causes Zea to attract the Prince's attention. When Zea uncovers the man beneath Prince Kevon's public facade, she is at risk of falling in love and losing sight of her mission.

But the televised beauty pageant turns deadly, and Zea must fight for survival.


Setting: Phangloria
Point of View: 1st person- Zea Calico

Goodreads Rating: 3.43

My Rating: 3.25


Part of the Book that Caught My Attention: Both
View on the Cover: This must be America still because she has red hair, but she's beautiful.
View on Title: After the trilogy has ended, it makes sense that the novellas that could follow would show how happy the start of America and Maxon's lives are together.


Pros:
  • The concept of the novel/series is really interesting. It is basically a twist of The Selection and The Hunger Games. I thought the execution of this was done well enough.
  • The characters in the novel were an interesting mix and was a perfect mix of The Hunger Games and The Selection
    • Zea Calico reminds me more of a Katniss Everdeen as she is a rebel heart but her motivations are similar to America Singer. Zea is a bit on the naive side and is fueled by both anger and a desire for change.
    • Ryce Wintergreen reminds me very much of Gale Hawthorne. He's a born leader and encourages Zea to fight for what she believes in. He does come off to be a little manipulative, and I wish there was more characterization on him.
    • Prince Kevon doesn't remind me too much of the characters from The Hunger Games and The Selection. The closest association would be Prince Maxon simply because he seems to be taking this whole Princess Trials thing seriously as he tries to find his wife and future queen. I am looking forward to more of his characterization in the upcoming books.
  • The cliff hanger makes me want to keep reading on despite some of the struggles of staying with the book in the middle of it.

Cons:
  • This book felt a little bit difficult to stay focused on. It got lost mid-way through and struggled to get back into the story.
  • Some of the plot was a little bit all over the place so it was sometimes hard to keep track of what is going on.

Critics' Reviews:
“This book was fast paced and I couldn’t put it down. I loved the story. I think the characters are well written and there is a good balance to the writing. I was really looking forward to reading the book and it did not disappoint." —Amazon Review

Cordelia K. Castel's Website:
Other Recommendations:
The Jewel by Amy Ewing
The Selection by Kiera Cass
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Wednesday, July 8, 2020

Review Wednesday: Happily Ever After by Kiera Cass

*DO NOT READ THIS REVIEW UNTIL YOU HAVE READ THE SELECTION TRILOGY. THERE MAY BE SOME SPOILER. If you want to read this series, read my review about The Selection by clicking on the link: Review: The Selection by Kiera Cass

Title: Happily Ever After (The Selection #0.4, 0.5, 2.5, 3.1, 3.5, 5.1)
24585402Author: Kiera Cass
1st Date of Publication: October 13, 2015
ISBN:  9780062414083
# of Pages: 387
Genre: Young Adult Dystopian Society
Age Rating: 13

Buy it on Amazon

Book Description:
Meet Prince Maxon before he fell in love with America, and a girl named Amberly before she became queen. See the Selection through the eyes of a guard who watched his first love drift away and a girl who fell for a boy who wasn't the prince.

This series companion is a must-have for any Selection fan, and includes:
The Prince
The Guard
The Queen
The Favorite

Setting: Illea (United States) in the future
Point of View: 1st person- America Singer

Goodreads Rating: 4.17
My Rating: 4.25


Part of the Book that Caught My Attention: Both
View on the Cover: This must be America still because she has red hair, but she's beautiful.
View on Title: After the trilogy has ended, it makes sense that the novellas that could follow would show how happy the start of America and Maxon's lives are together.


Pros:
  • There isn't too much to say about this because these are separate novellas from the original series.
  • All I have to say is that I love how you can get a view of several characters that we all love dearly. If you're Team Aspen or Team Maxon, this may sway you to be in the middle because I know I was Team Maxon when I read the original trilogy but now I am in the middle because Aspen's motivations are very valid and you can see his change a little more clearly. 

Cons:
  • I felt both satisfied and unsatisfied because I definitely wanted to read more about each of these characters.

Critics' Reviews:
“Reality TV meets dystopian fairy tale in Kiera Cass's delightful debut. Charming, captivating, and filled with just the right amount of swoon!" —Kiersten White, Author of Paranormalcy

Kiera Cass's Website:
Other Recommendations:
The Jewel by Amy Ewing
Eve by Anna Carey
Matched by Alley Condie

Wednesday, June 17, 2020

Review Wednesday: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

*DO NOT READ THIS REVIEW UNTIL YOU HAVE READ THE HUNGER GAMES OR CATCHING FIRE. THERE MAY BE SOME SPOILER. If you want to read this series, read my review about The Hunger Games by clicking on the link: Review: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins


Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, #3)Title: Mockingjay (The Hunger Games #3)
Author: Suzanne Collins
1st Date of Publication: August 24, 2010
ISBN9780439023511
# of Pages: 400
Genre: Young Adult Dystopian Society
Age Rating: 15+ (Violence and Child Cruelty)

Buy on Amazon

Book Description:
Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she's made it out of the bloody arena alive, she's still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what's worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss's family, not her friends, not the people of District 12.

Setting: Panem (United States in the future)
Point of View: 1st person- Katniss Everdeen

Goodreads Rating: 4.04
My Rating: 4.75


Part of the Book that Caught My Attention: Both
View on the Cover: The bird is now taking flight and the lines are all broken, which means some major destruction is going to happen.
View on Title: So is the Mockingjay Katniss? Or is the Mockingjay something bigger?

Pros:
  • Mockingjay is a much different read when you look at the tone of it all. Sure, Katniss has gone through a lot of PTSD before The Hunger Games really started and more so in Catching Fire. But, you truly see the mental and emotional impact of the Hunger Games and war has on people. You don't necessarily see it in just Katniss. You see it in Finnick, Peeta, Gale, Prim, Buttercup, and Haymitch. You pretty much see it in everyone. You watch how everyone copes with the entire issue whether that's complete avoidance, drugs, alcohol, or keeping your hands busy with anything to try to get your mind off all the pain and suffering they and their loved ones have and are currently enduring.
  • This book really shows what war is like and how it can bring both the best in people and the worst in others. War brings some hard losses, broken relationships, and misguided delusions. I know most of the time Katniss is pretty close to being completely incapacitated (You would be if you were in her position.), but the people she loves gives her the strength to fight and be what the people of Panem needs: the Mockingjay.
  • This book really pulled at my heartstrings because the book comes full circle to the beginning of the series and the purpose of why Katniss really went to the Hunger Games in the first place.
  • I really liked the ending before the epilogue. I thought it was another clever ending and shows how Katniss really starts Panem with a fresh start despite costing her pretty much everything. 
  • Overall, the book was well done as the installments prior to that. I would not recommend this book to someone who is looking for a light or fun read. This series, in general, is pretty dark, but this book in the series is probably the darkest.

Cons:
  • I thought the epilogue was a bit unnecessary and forced, but I understand the purpose of it. It's to show that there is hope despite everything that Katniss and Peeta and everyone else has gone through.
  • Some of the deaths in this novel seemed a bit excessive, but this is war after all. Death and destruction happen.

Critics' Reviews:
"Fans will be happy to hear that Mockingjay is every bit as complex and imaginative as Hunger Games and Catching Fire." —Entertainment Weekly
"Suspenseful... Collins' fans, grown-ups included, will race to the end." —USA Today
"At its best the trilogy channels the political passion of 1984, the memorable violence of A Clockwork Orange, the imaginative ambience of The Chronicles of Narnia and the detailed inventiveness of Harry Potter." —New York Times Book Review
"Unfolding in Collins' engaging, intelligent prose and assembled into chapters that end with didn't-see-that-coming cliffhangers, this finale is every bit the pressure cooker of its forebears. [Mockingjay] is nearly as shocking, and certainly every bit as original and thought provoking, as The Hunger Games. Wow." —Los Angeles Times
*"This concluding volume in Collins's Hunger Games trilogy accomplishes a rare feat, the last installment being the best yet, a beautifully orchestrated and intelligent novel that succeeds on every level." —Publishers Weekly

Suzanne Collins's Website:
Other Recommendations:
The Last Princess by Galaxy Craze
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Wednesday, June 10, 2020

Review Wednesday: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

*DO NOT READ THIS REVIEW UNTIL YOU HAVE READ THE HUNGER GAMES. THERE MAY BE SOME SPOILER. If you want to read this series, read my review about The Hunger Games by clicking on the link: Review: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins


Catching Fire (The Hunger Games, #2)Title: Catching Fire (The Hunger Games #2)
Author: Suzanne Collins
1st Date of Publication: September 1, 2009
ISBN9780439023498
# of Pages: 391
Genre: Young Adult Dystopian Society
Age Rating: 15+ (Violence and Child Cruelty)

Buy on Amazon

Book Description:
SPARKS ARE IGNITING.
FLAMES ARE SPREADING.
AND THE CAPITAL WANTS REVENGE.

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games. She and fellow District 12 tribute Peeta Mellark are miraculously still alive. Katniss should be relieved, happy even. Yet nothing is the way Katniss wishes it to be. Gale holds her at an icy distance. Peeta has turned his back on her completely. And there are whispers of a rebellion against the Capitol - a rebellion that Katniss and Peeta may have helped create.

Much to her shock, Katniss has fueled an unrest that she's afraid she cannot stop. And what scares her even more is that she's not entirely convinced she should try. As time draws near for Katniss and Peeta to visit the districts on the Capitol's cruel Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. If they can't prove, without a shadow of a doubt, that they are lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying. Katniss is about to be tested as never before.

Setting: Panem (United States in the future)
Point of View: 1st person- Katniss Everdeen

Goodreads Rating: 4.29
My Rating: 4.75


Part of the Book that Caught My Attention: Both
View on the Cover: The bird in this one has no arrow but it looks like it is ready to take flight. Also, those lines look very intentional and specific.
View on Title: What is catching fire? Could it be Katniss? The Capitol? The districts?

Pros:
  • I feel like the first book is full of so much world-building that you don't see as much of Katniss' growth as you can see it here. There is still some more world-building when it comes to seeing the other districts outside of District 12, but it's more character development and plot development that you see in this installment.
  • The twists and turns of this entire book were so good, which is why Catching Fire is my favorite book in the trilogy. I thought the arena was absolutely clever in how Suzanne Collins structured it. The part that really intrigued me was how much the other victors truly hated the Capitol. It makes sense but the things they do and say when they go through their pre-arena process. I liked being able to see Katniss' growth as she gets to know and work with the other victor tributes.
  • And boy, that ending! I never saw that coming when I first read the series, but I won't give that away.
  • I think this book and series deserves all the praise it gets. It's usually one of the first book series I recommend to people who want to get into reading because it takes you for a wild ride.

Cons:
  • I think the star crossed lovers piece in this book is much easier to swallow because you start to see that it may not be entirely fake on either end. Peeta definitely softens Katniss' rough edges and you can see that through her time in both arenas with him.
  • I think there is too much focus on the love triangle here. Although the first few times I've read this series I was all Team Gale, as I get older I have become much more Team Peeta. I think it was Gale's boldness I liked but realized it's more of a boldness out of hatred of the Capitol rather than a real boldness for Katniss. Sure, Peeta never said anything to Katniss until their reaping and (coincidentally) found that the last time he could express his true feelings was then.

Critics' Reviews:
"Whereas Katniss kills with finesse, Collins writes with raw power." —Time Magazine
"Collins has done that rare thing. She has written a sequel that improves upon the first book." —The New York Times Book Review



Suzanne Collins's Website:
Other Recommendations:
The Giver by Lois Lowry
The Maze Runner by James Asher
The Selection by Kiera Cass

Monday, June 8, 2020

Review Wednesday: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

2767052Title: The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games #1)
Author: Suzanne Collins
1st Date of Publication: September 14, 2008
ISBN9780439023481
# of Pages: 374
Genre: Young Adult Dystopian Society
Age Rating: 15+ (Violence and Child Cruelty)

Buy on Amazon

Book Description:
WINNING MEANS FAME AND FORTUNE.
LOSING MEANS CERTAIN DEATH.
THE HUNGER GAMES HAVE BEGUN. . . .

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and once girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

Setting: Panem (United States in the future)
Point of View: 1st person- Katniss Everdeen

Goodreads Rating: 4.33
My Rating: 4.75


Part of the Book that Caught My Attention: Both
View on the Cover: When I first saw this I thought the cover was fairly minimalistic but I knew birds and arrows are symbolic. I was curious as to what the symbolism meant of it and if there was any significance to the circles and lines.
View on Title: What exactly are the hunger games? Are people hungry and play games to win food? The title definitely piques the interest as to what that means.

Pros:
  • Suzanne Collins is a well-seasoned writer as is clearly seen in The Hunger Games. If you have done any research on any of the characters, places, and events in The Hunger Games and/or the rest of the series, you will see how much work was put into writing this book/series. From the name Katniss to her connection to being an archeress to the name Panem, it is rich in subtle references to mythology, nature, and results of political satire. Despite this book being more than a decade old, it continues to stay relevant in so many aspects of life and with current events.
  • Sure it seems like it duplicates pieces from the mythological story Theseus and the Minotaur, which Suzanne Collins has mentioned influenced this series in several interviews. But, it is clearly its own story. This book clearly pulls at your heartstrings and makes you think because no one truly wants to see your child or younger sibling be thrown into an arena and be forced to watch them most likely die or just come back with trauma.
  • Its widespread popularity has given many young women confidence that they can do anything they put their minds to as seen by the character Katniss. The depth of Katniss' character is exceptionally subtle and requires at least three reads to truly see her growth. Katniss may come off as this ruthless and selfish person. Think about it. How would you feel and react if you or your younger sibling were given a death sentence and wholly stripped of who you are? I bet you would react the same way. Yes, she is calculating, but behind all that, Katniss truly is being selfless. Pay attention to how she thinks through her actions and others.

Cons:
  • I hear a lot of people gripe about the star-crossed lover romance portion. I believe it is over-the-top and is somewhat nauseating but is essential for Katniss' growth. The romance piece did add depth to it but in a lot of subtle ways.
  • Katniss' growth seems pretty stunted for the most part unless you look really deep into her characterization. It actually took me about 3 read-throughs of this installment of it to see the subtle growth she goes through, which is why I heavily wrote about Katniss' characterization in my senior.

Critics' Reviews:
"This is a grand-opening salvo in a new series by the author of the Underland Chronicles. Sixteen-year-old Katniss poaches food for her widowed mother and little sister from the forest outside the legal perimeter of District 12, the poorest of the dozen districts constituting Panem, the North American dystopic state that has replaced the U.S. in the not-too-distant future. Her hunting and tracking skills serve her well when she is then cast into the nation’s annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death where contestants must battle harsh terrain, artificially concocted weather conditions, and two teenaged contestants from each of Panem’s districts. District 12’s second “tribute” is Peeta, the baker’s son, who has been in love with Katniss since he was five. Each new plot twist ratchets up the tension, moving the story forward and keeping the reader on edge. Although Katniss may be skilled with a bow and arrow and adept at analyzing her opponents’ next moves, she has much to learn about personal sentiments, especially her own. Populated by three-dimensional characters, this is a superb tale of physical adventure, political suspense, and romance." —Booklist



Suzanne Collins's Website:
Other Recommendations:
Divergent by Veronica Roth
The Maze Runner by James Asher
The Selection by Kiera Cass

Sunday, May 31, 2020

New Release Review: The Betrothed by Kiera Cass

The Betrothed (The Betrothed, #1)Title: The Betrothed (The Betrothed #1)
Author: Kiera Cass
1st Date of Publication: May 5, 2020
ISBN: 9780062291639
# of Pages: 320
Genre: Young Adult Dystopian Society
Age Rating: 13

Buy it on Amazon

Book Description:
When King Jameson declares his love for Lady Hollis Brite, Hollis is shocked—and thrilled. After all, she’s grown up at Keresken Castle, vying for the king’s attention alongside other daughters of the nobility. Capturing his heart is a dream come true.

But Hollis soon realizes that falling in love with a king and being crowned queen may not be the happily ever after she thought it would be. And when she meets a commoner with the mysterious power to see right into her heart, she finds that the future she really wants is one that she never thought to imagine.

Setting: Kingdom of Coroa (Fictional)
Point of View: 1st person- Lady Hollis Brite

Goodreads Rating: 3.06
My Rating: 4.00

Part of the Book that Caught My Attention: Both
View on the Cover: The cover is absolutely gorgeous. The young woman is breathtakingly beautiful and seems pretty ladylike.
View on Title: I wonder who is betrothed to the king and what that looks like.


Pros:
  • This book hasn't been getting the greatest reviews because people are either not reading the story and saying it's basically The Selection or they are comparing it to The Selection. The Betrothed is an entirely different book in its own right and needs to be judged as such. It is meant to be a tale of what it is like to grow up as a noble in a kingdom rather than a rags-to-riches tale like The Selection.
  • The Betrothed is to be a little more suited for an audience slightly younger than The Selection. Personally, I think there is less teenage girl drama than The Selection because Hollis keeps a close circle and she really isn't competing with anyone.
  • I like how this is a story about a young lady who is careful and just happens to accidentally catch the attention of the newly crowned King Jameson who has been trying to find a wife to become the new queen.
  • I think a lot of young teenagers can relate to Hollis as she just wants to have a good time. She's witty and a great conversationalist, which she uses to her advantage.
  • There was a twist in the story I wasn't expecting, but it added some depth to the story.
  • I found it interesting how this novel touched on how politics happen between two different countries, especially ones that are somewhat at odds with each other.
  • This story is great if you're looking for a short and fun read. I felt like I breezed through this tale.
  • I am someone who doesn't like love triangles. This technically contains a love triangle but it didn't feel like it was really one. I think there was a clear indication and not much confusion for Hollis to choose between the two men.

Cons:
  • There is not very much character development in most of the supporting characters, except for Delia Grace and Valentina, and you can't really relate or truly like the male characters, such as Jameson and Silas. I think this intentional for Hollis' journey because this is about Hollis learning about who she is and who she wants to be.
  • Hollis' character seems fairly flat until you get to the last third to quarter of the book. It really started getting more interesting then and you can really see Hollis grow and have real conviction.

Critics' Reviews:
“Fans of The Selection series will anxiously await the second installment of this duology to learn Hollis’s fate." —School Library Journal
"A headstrong heroine whom Cass’s loyal following will champion." —Publishers Weekly

Kiera Cass's Website:
Other Recommendations:
The Selection by Kiera Cass
Eve by Anna Carey
The Jewel by Amy Ewing

Wednesday, May 27, 2020

New Release Review: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

Title: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (The Hunger Games #0)
Author: Suzanne Collins
1st Date of Publication: May 19, 2020
ISBN9781338635171
# of Pages: 517
Genre: Young Adult Dystopian Society
Age Rating: 15

Buy on Amazon

Book Description:
It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the 10th annual Hunger Games. In the Capitol, 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow is preparing for his one shot at glory as a mentor in the Games. The once-mighty house of Snow has fallen on hard times, its fate hanging on the slender chance that Coriolanus will be able to out charm, outwit, and outmaneuver his fellow students to mentor the winning tribute.

The odds are against him. He's been given the humiliating assignment of mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low. Their fates are now completely intertwined - every choice Coriolanus makes could lead to favor or failure, triumph or ruin. Inside the arena, it will be a fight to the death. Outside the arena, Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute... and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive no matter what it takes.

Setting: Panem (United States in the future)
Point of View: 3rd person- Coriolanus Snow

Goodreads Rating: 3.98
My Rating: 4.00


Part of the Book that Caught My Attention: Both
View on the Cover: Birds are very symbolic in The Hunger Games trilogy. Snakes are also very symbolic in literature as being deceptive while birds represent freedom so I was excited to see what that would represent.
View on Title: It's honestly a mouthful and can be difficult to remember when you first see it. It actually took me several times of looking at the title on different occasions when I was telling friends after it was first announced. That doesn't mean I don't love the title. I think it's pretty clever once you read the book.

Pros:
  • I didn't know exactly what to expect when it comes to this book, but overall I really enjoyed it. It wasn't as good as The Hunger Games trilogy but it was definitely worth the 10-year wait. It is and should be read as its own book rather than as part of The Hunger Games series.
  • I loved the angle that Collins took for The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. You only see President Snow as this heartless and cold leader in The Hunger Games trilogy, but Collins did an excellent job in really humanizing President Snow as an 18-year old student who goes by Coriolanus. You can see his personal struggles outside of the Hunger Games, which makes you want to continue reading and get the answer as to why he became such a heartless and cold antagonist that you see him be in the trilogy.
  • When I first read the synopsis, I was really interested to see how Snow was a mentor to tributes when he was born as a Capitol citizen. It makes sense that since it's only the 10th Hunger Games that it still is in the experimental phase. It's interesting to see how the Hunger Games morphed into what they are in the trilogy and how Coriolanus Snow had a hand in a lot of it pretty early on. You can clearly see the struggle of young minds (not just Coriolanus) wrestling with and trying to figure out what is deserved versus being cruel.
  • The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes also doesn't disappoint in all the symbolism and irony through the use of Greek mythology, especially when it comes to the characters.
  • If you read The Hunger Games series, so many of the questions you have revolving around President Snow, Katniss, and their connection make so much more sense in this novel.
  • Whether you read The Hunger Games series or not you will not be missing out because you don't know you're missing it. If you do read both the prequel and the trilogy you, you really gain more of an appreciation for Suzanne Collins's writing.
  • You really see how the Hunger Games become what it is from the experimental phase, why it is called the Hunger Games, and why the Capitol sees it as necessary.

Cons:
  • If you're looking for more fun read, then you should be cautious toward this book. It is much darker than The Hunger Games and Catching Fire. It seems to be more on the dark level of Mockingjay.
  • This one is more of neutral point...This novel also opens the door to more questions that can be answered in another novel, such as Tigris and Snow's fall out. If I was Collins, I would definitely write a prequel with Haymitch and incorporate the fall out there for reasons I can't explain without spoiling the pieces of The Hunger Games trilogy.

Critics' Reviews:
"It’s been a decade since Mockingjay, the final book in the Hunger Games trilogy, was published and fans are going to be thrilled with Suzanne Collins’ unexpected prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. This novel has been under serious lockdown, so all that can be said until May 19 is that it begins on the day of the reaping for the tenth annual Hunger Games, and an eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow is mentoring the underdog tribute from District 12. Prepare to read this in book one sitting because you won’t be able to put it down." —Amazon Book Reviewer



Suzanne Collins's Website:
Other Recommendations:
Divergent by Veronica Roth
The Maze Runner by James Asher
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Thursday, May 11, 2017

Senior Thesis


She's the Man Coerced into Womanhood and She's the Girl Transformed by Manhood

Analyzation of the Characterization of Female Protagonists in The Hunger Games and Divergent

Abstract

This undergraduate-level senior thesis is a comparison in the characterization of the female protagonists from The Hunger Games and Tris from Divergent. This discusses that these two books are radical because Katniss and Tris as female characters do not follow gender norms and become rebels in their societies for this reason, but their journeys are in response to their own survival.


Introduction

    Young adult dystopian societies have become increasingly popular in the past decade. The Hunger Games (2008) by Suzanne Collins and Divergent (2011) by Veronica Roth have become the face of the genre after going to the movie screens, and both series represent the ideals of feminism, gender, and coming-of-age. Because this genre is becoming even more popular in response to these movie adaptations, people should come to realize that these young female protagonists are examples of feminism and female empowerment.
     Katniss and Tris seem to be very similar in character, but their journeys in their novels show that they are two different kinds of strong female protagonists. Katniss’ journey as the Girl on Fire is one where she must use her feminine side along with her masculinity to survive. On the other hand, Tris has to learn how to hide in plain sight by blending in with her new faction to keep away unwanted attention from herself.
    First, scholars point out that Katniss and Tris’ appearances change as an act of rebellion to free themselves. Next, researchers show that the two young heroines are aware of everything around them and think calculatingly. Finally, scholars argue that these two girls from the young adult dystopian society genre act in rebellious ways intentionally. I have built on these ideas clearly showing that both Katniss and Tris bring together masculine and feminine traits for their survival, but they do so in different ways.
     Katniss learns how to become more vulnerable and feminine as her government forces her to appear more feminine in appearance while Tris physically strengthens her body and willingly wears different clothing to blend in with her new faction. Both female protagonists’ thoughts may seem to betray their characters but Katniss reasons out her thoughts while Tris tends to translate hers through emotions. Both coping mechanisms are a means to protect themselves from unwanted attention once their thoughts transform into actions. Katniss’ actions allow her to be independent, which help save both herself and fellow district tribute, Peeta, but she has to learn to be more dependent on others. Tris often learns that she has to depend on herself to protect herself from harm as she learns more about her corrupt city. In these three aspects of characterization through a feminist lens, both Katniss and Tris in The Hunger Games and Divergent respectively do not seem to fit the traditional gender roles in response to their methods of survival. Because both female protagonists incorporate both male and female traits in their everyday lives in their ways, the genre suggests that there is not one single ideal female hero but a possibility of many for young women to become.

The Young Adult Dystopian Society Novel

    The young adult dystopian society novel is a combination of different characteristics of two different genres, which are young adult novels and dystopian novels. In this particular genre, there has been a rise of strong female protagonists that impact the young adult population’s internal growth as they read this genre.
Young Adult Literature
     In the 1960s, the Young Adult Library Services Association, or YALSA created the term “young adult” (Strickland). There is no set definition for young adult literature but these novels primarily target an audience from the ages of twelve to eighteen and often are characterized as fast-paced coming-of-age stories. These teenage protagonists face problems that start from a large troubling event and lead to a struggle of finding themselves in life every day through thought and actions (Koss, Teale 567).
     Young adult literature represents teenagers who challenge the ideas of society and often rebel against them to gain more freedom or learn an important lesson about life that helps lead them to adulthood. The genre typically includes family relationships, romantic relationships, journeys, self-actualization, and controversial topics about drugs, alcohol, sex, and violence (“Dystopias”).
     Other characteristics include one or both absent parents, rejection of gender roles, sexual awakening, and justice (Brendler 222). According to Reading for a Better World, young adult literature is becoming more popular because it allows teenagers to understand war, violence, and a search for peace (Wolk 669). The young adult genre may only be less than sixty years old, but it influences the lives of many teenagers and young adults, which is why it is still popular today.
Dystopian Novel
    The second part of the young adult dystopian society novel is the dystopian novel, which shows through the background of both novels through an oppressive but falsely perceived perfect world. Dystopian societies became a derivative of the word utopia, or a perfect world, which means “non-existing good place.” Thomas More coined the word Utopia with his published book Utopia in the eighteenth century that focused on the idea of desiring equality (Mohr 19). In 1868, John Stuart Mill created the word “dystopia” when he gave his speech in Parliament.
     Since dystopia is the opposite of a utopia, dystopia means “non-existing bad place” (29). Other scholars see dystopian societies as societies usually set in the future, where the government utilizes brainwashing, propaganda, fear, oppression of the citizens by restricting uniqueness, and creating the idea that the society is perfect even though it is not (Cart). This kind of novel eventually leads to rebellion in a search for justice. According to Dunja Mohr, a dystopian society “reverses, mistrusts, and parodies the ideals of a perfectly regulated utopian state” (28). A dystopian society deals with the issues of politics, surveillance, and violence in a society that controls their citizens, which often makes their protagonist look like a rebel when he or she simply tries to make his or her life better (“Dystopias”). These protagonists become revolutionaries and inspire others to fight for their freedom.
Positive Feminine Presence
     In the past ten years, there has been a rise in first-person female protagonists in young adult dystopian societies, and they have become more popular in both literature and film. These women become the revolutionaries that inspire rebellion through their actions typically without any intentions to create change. Through this rise, the young adult dystopian society genre is also a feminist utopia because these novels tend “to transgress gender boundaries and to synthesize contraries like masculine and feminine” (Jones 74).
     The feminist utopian novel is one that gives women empowerment than the social norm as they become more capable of taking part as citizens by challenging the middle class’ zeal and changing their society with ideas that allow them to be one with nature (Silbergleid 157-158). Ottoh-Agede and Essien-Eyo believe that gender expectations in women and young girls are a reflection of gender norms imposed or not imposed on them in both their homes and in society (15). These girls often perform their tasks in a more masculine fashion rather than the expected feminine ways.
What This All Means
    To put these three separate terms together (young adult, dystopian society, and feminist utopia), young adult dystopian society fiction is now typically about young teenager girls who grow closer to adulthood as they challenge gender roles and their oppressive governments in order to obtain more freedom. Through all three concepts together, young adult dystopian societies are so popular that they have book to movie adaptations that often show the themes of love, suffering, and growth.
    Once carefully examined, both Katniss and Tris’ characters fit these trends but their differences are also as clear as their similarities. These two protagonists use a combination of female and male traits in two different ways though their appearances, inner and outer dialogue, and actions.

Appearance is Not Everything

    First, the female heroines both portray stereotypical teenagers trying to find their place in their worlds. As their journeys unfold in their novels, both female heroines learn that they are not stereotypical teenage girls who have to become extraordinary to survive their cruel worlds.
Nothing But An Average Teenage Female
     The first-person narrator in The Hunger Games is Katniss Everdeen in the post-apocalyptic United States referred to as Panem. Her description portrays her to be a short sixteen-year-old with brown hair, gray eyes and small in stature or, in other words, she seems to be an average teenager. She is one of the lowest citizens of the oppressive Panem since she lives in District 12’s Seam. In the novel, District 12 is one of the poorest districts, and Katniss resides in District 12’s the Seam where coal miners work day and night with hardly enough food to feed their families. Katniss’ main goal is to protect her mother and especially her sister at any cost to her well-being.
     In Roth’s novel, Beatrice “Tris” Prior is also a small sixteen-year-old average-looking girl who lives under an oppressive post-apocalyptic government in Chicago under a faction system. She starts out living in one of the most oppressive lifestyles for anyone in her society, which is Abnegation. Abnegation is the selfless part of her society where members put themselves last and sometimes get taken advantage of by other factions. Tris decides to change her faction to Dauntless, or the brave and warrior culture, during the novel’s choosing ceremony. She tries to create a new identity where she becomes strong and capable like a man and outsmarts her oppressive society.
Identity Through Cross-Dressing
     Most young adult literature represents girls who are small in stature and height, and almost every dystopian society fiction has female protagonists who start in the novels as sixteen years old since the publication of The Hunger Games. Identity is also an important theme in this genre as these girls’ governments strip away their identity and force them to create another. The appearances these girls create become a large part of their identities.
     As Katniss and Tris’ identities unfold before the reader, they fit into cross-dressing trends in young adult feminist dystopias. According to Victoria Flanagan, cross-dressing for females is freeing and allows them to live more like a male (78-79). Females who cross-dress in dystopian societies often do it out of necessity rather than desire. Societies in literature often oppress young girls and women by coercing them into wearing dresses, but many of these female characters often hide their hair and dress like men to protect their identity as women and possibly rebels.
     Cross-dressing is a weapon for women because their physical appearance is often the first impression they make toward authority, especially in oppressive societies. Katniss and Tris both cross-dress but for different reasons that eventually lead to their survival. Many scholars believe that from the beginning of Collins’ novel Katniss dresses as a man and attempts to hide her gender as a woman. Nevertheless, in Of Queer Necessity, Katniss unwillingly transforms into a more feminine appearance, which makes her feel weak and open for attack (Mitchell 134). Even though Tris sees her feminine side as an asset, Katniss views femininity as a weakness, but she eventually embraces her femininity after circumstances force her to learn how to adapt by becoming more feminine.
Stripped for the Hunt
    Katniss’ physical appearance in The Hunger Games’ descriptions shows her to be feminine, however, the way she dresses says otherwise. When the book first opens, she heads out hunting in man’s clothes, such as a pair of trousers and a shirt, and she hides her hair in a hat (Collins 4). Katniss hides her hair and dresses as a man in an attempt to conceal the rebellious act of defying the idea that hunting is a man’s sport or job, but she uses it as a means of her family’s survival rather than willful rebellion.
     As the story progresses, her appearance becomes less masculine as she looks more feminine physically compared to the beginning of the book because it is Katniss’ only option for survival. When Cinna prepares Katniss’ body for her costume, she has so much hair on her legs and body that her stylists have to rip it all off, which makes her feel like a “plucked bird ready for roasting” (61). The idea that she is this plucked bird shows how Katniss feels that the Hunger Games strips away her identity away little by little and forces her to look weaker as she is preparing to fight and most likely die.
    The next step to her losing her masculinity is the etiquette training her mentors teach her. She has an extremely difficult time walking in a dress and heels as she hopes that she can get out of her new attire soon (115). Her desire to get out of both the dress and heels is an example of removing herself from the stereotypes of women and teenage girls being forced to dress how society wants them, but also an example of embracing individuality.
     Even after winning the Games, her efforts for a masculine appearance become virtually nonexistent. She quickly discovers surgically implanted breasts, which bewilders and upsets Katniss (354). The surgically given bosom translates Katniss’ appearance as more innocent and vulnerable, which devalues the physical masculine character she held onto and also all that she has accomplished since she managed to save both herself and Peeta during the Games.
Ready for a Change
     Tris, on the other hand, has to learn how to carry her weight instead of letting others do it for her as she becomes physically stronger. Many scholars concern themselves more with Tris’ appearance as she looks well-fed. Scholar Cristina Paravano from Real and Metaphorical Hunger states that the food from Abnegation is very plain and meager while Dauntless has food that is less healthy and more flavorful as an act of rebellion (124-126).
     Unlike Katniss, Tris’ appearance changes purposely from feminine to masculine, but little research concerns with Tris’ appearance. She starts out looking like a young and innocent girl with a small face while dressed in plain clothes but then becomes stronger and more nourished as the novel progresses. Strength and a nourished body give her more of a sense of identity and confidence as she becomes more capable of protecting herself while also learning to make her own decisions.
     Even though she believes that she will always feel like the young and innocent girl she was before she came to Dauntless, Tris turns away from her old faction and changes her identity by calling herself Tris rather than her birth name, Beatrice. Tris feels a sense of excitement and relief at the idea of a new name and says, “A new place. A new name. I can be remade here” (60). This represents how Tris uses her slight name change to remove more of herself from her family while protecting herself in a very masculine faction.
     Although Tris changes both her appearance and her name, she is conforming to the system as a means of survival and as an act of defying the faction system. This shows when she receives her first tattoo and says, “I never intended to get pierced or tattooed when I came here. I know that if I do, it will place another wedge between me and my family that I can never remove” (Roth 90). Tris’ intentions of getting a tattoo is a means to get away from conforming to one faction to creating a new and different life in another, but it also allows her to protect herself by blending in by becoming more Dauntless and less Abnegation. Since she is transforming herself, Tris makes herself less vulnerable and attempts to blend in so that she will not attract unwanted attention from the oppressive leaders in her society.
     Between both cases, Katniss does not have the option of the change in her appearance but Tris changes as a form of willful and necessary conformity, which facilitates in both their survival while living in male-dominated worlds.

Hidden Thoughts and Emotions and Their Verbal Translations

    Next, both protagonists, for the most part, show discomfort toward love with the opposite gender but also show awareness of being watched. Through the first-person narrative of the young adult dystopian society, there is a second layer that shows the protagonists’ reasoning, or lack of reasoning, when it comes to their actions. Both Katniss and Tris have a large portion of thought monologue, but their inner thoughts look different from their actions because of their reasoning. Both characters experience discomfort over their desires in their novels.
Discomforting Desires
    Katniss struggles with her discomfort over her desires concerning Peeta and his motives throughout the novel. According to Katherine R. Broad, Ellyn Lem, and Holly Hassel, Katniss copes through the discomfort of acting out the romance and having real feelings for Peeta by strategizing what is necessary for survival. Her thoughts become stoic as she rationalizes all the reasons why she should act out the romance for the watching crowd.
     On the other hand, Tris feels discomfort over her desires to pursue Four, her male counterpart. Tris feels extremely uncomfortable with her thoughts as she wraps her mind around expressing her feelings when she is near Four since she never could have relations with boys or men like him. Through getting over her discomfort, Tris can have “increased confidence and willingness to pursue larger forms of social rebellion” (Day, Docile Bodies 88). Tris’ growth in expressing her feelings is a rebellious act from her original faction.
    Not only do these two young women deal with discomfort with the romance in their lives, but they also become self-aware of the problems that lie in their societies. Both Katniss and Tris are aware of the surveillance, which forces them to be cautious of their actions. According to the Brendler, Katniss’ circumstance coerces her to deal with surveillance through panopticon, or an enclosed space, while Chicago leaders watch Tris through the tracking serum injections and video surveillance (222). Self-awareness is becoming more aware of what is real and unreal in the simulations that Tris encounters under the Dauntless’ initiation process (Green-Bartreet 45). Katniss, too, becomes aware of surveillance throughout her entire time in the arena, and even before, as she performs for everyone else.
Perception of Motives
    Katniss’ thoughts and emotions show in most cases both physically and mentally that she controls them throughout the novel, which provides depth to her character through her responses to the situations she undertakes.  Scholars say little about Katniss’ emotions and thoughts, which range from skepticism and indecision to guilt and regret. Katniss’ automatic response to others’ motives is skepticism but then leads to indecision.
     Immediately after the reaping of the tributes to fight to the death, Katniss witnesses Peeta’s crying but he does not appear to be hiding, which makes her question his motives as a means to trick everyone else (Collins 40-41). A typical response of females is to feel pity or sympathy or, in this case, empathy because Katniss is heading into the same direction, which is impending death. Unfortunately, Katniss expresses neither sympathy nor empathy, which shows that her masculinity by portraying none of these emotions.
    As time progresses while Katniss witnesses more of Peeta’s actions during the Games, her reactions are still skeptical but evolve into indecision concerning Peeta. After Katniss thinks about Peeta’s crying and helping drunk Haymitch, she questions his motives of doing so as being kind but then immediately reverts to skepticism in thinking that he plans to be Haymitch’s favorite (60). This is a response that takes the idea that Katniss is not naïve enough to take a single gesture as a means of weakness and that she should still watch her back from her adversaries, which shows her lack of femininity.
    Several times throughout the novel, Katniss uses stoicism and reasoning as a means to hide her true feelings of fear, weakness, and anxiety. She resorts to stoicism, especially when she feels the need to cry. The first instance where she feels like she wants to cry is after she is away from the stage and alone. However, she will not allow herself to cry by telling herself, “Crying is not an option” (34). Crying is seen as a feminine action, but Katniss’ thought that “Crying is not an option” is a masculine response.
     By the end of the novel, Katniss forces herself to give the illusion that she may cry and needs to be dependent on Peeta as a means to manipulate the Capital and the sponsors for the resources she needs to survive. When Caesar Flickerman interviews both Peeta and Katniss after the Games, she fears that she may cry so her response is to hide into Peeta’s shirt (369). This is a form of strategy to use society’s expectations of women to make it seem like Katniss is innocent and vulnerable, but she is only acting as a means to protect herself.
    Owing others is visible less through Katniss’ actions, but in her thoughts through guilt and regret. Katniss states from the very beginning that she has an aversion to owing people and feels responsible for returning any favor. Katniss uses owing others as a code of honor, and eventually, it becomes a tool in her survival. This adds irony to the phrase “May the odds be ever in your favor,” which is the motto of the Hunger Games. Both the odds are never in Katniss’s favor, and she also does not know how to return the favor of Peeta saving her and her family’s lives with a couple of loaves of bread before the novel’s time starts. She does not understand how to return that favor to Peeta until the rule change that two victors from the same district can win.
     Unfortunately, she still feels like winning the Games with Peeta is not enough, and she knows she will never stop owing him. Her anger leads her to more regret of owing Peeta even before both of them enter into the arena. When she pushes him into a vase after he professed his love, she immediately feels regret and guilt since Peeta gave her an edge of being wanted (137). For Katniss, the aversion of owing people is another male response because needing help means that she is weak and needs assistance, which shows that weakness is a female trait. Another character that echoes Katniss’ feelings of owing people is the male tribute, Thresh, from District 11. After he finds out about Katniss’ burial for Rue, he responds, “Just this one time, I let you go. For the little girl. You and me, we’re even then. No more owed” (288). The use of a male character having a feeling of owing reinforces Katniss’ character as masculine.
Reason Vs. Emotion
    On the contrary, while Katniss leads by reason, Tris follows by emotion. Tris is an impulsive protagonist from the start of the novel. She tries speaking up about a report at the dinner table in Abnegation with her family, but her father reprimands and suppresses her from giving her opinion (Roth 34). Her impulsiveness is what leads her to Dauntless and allows her to learn more about what is going on in Chicago. When there is a game of capture the flag, Tris does not think through the risks of climbing the Ferris wheel but does it because she has to know where the other team is. Four follows her and keeps her from falling when she missteps a rung (141).
     Tris’ impulsiveness leads to a lot of danger that could kill her but becomes necessary as she learns to make her own decisions. Her impulsiveness is a male trait that she combines with her female emotions, which makes her decisions work to her advantage while helping her survive in her new environment. She has a greater potential of dying at the end of the novel when her boyfriend, Tobias who is also known as Four, is holding a gun while under simulation. Tris also has the option of saving her life by shooting Four, but instead of shooting him, she begs, “Please see me, Tobias, please!” (475). The words she speaks and her actions show that Tris is more of a masculine protagonist in a male-dominated world because she cares to protect the ones she loves and follows a similar code that Katniss follows.
     Both girls may process their thoughts and emotions differently for themselves and their loved ones, but Katniss often analyzes her thoughts to allow herself to stay strong through difficult events while Tris tends to use her emotions to help her learn how to use her voice in making decisions.

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

    Finally, Katniss and Tris regularly show their independent nature in their actions when it comes to survival for themselves and those they love. Research shows that young adult dystopian novels often have very strong, outspoken young women who go against the norm of the desired girl where these protagonists typically see themselves as unattractive. Both Tris and Katniss redefine themselves as young women through the risks they take for both themselves and their loved ones by rebelling against those in charge and taking justice in their own hands (Green-Bartreet 35).
Care Taking
     Katniss understands herself more like a female through caring for both her family at home and then Rue and Peeta in the Games while Tris learns to think about herself and what she wants in life as she finds a way to love her family, who she believes she betrayed, and Four. They both understand, to a certain extent, the punishments that can happen if they make the wrong move when they rebel. Green-Bartreet continues to say that both Tris and Katniss redefine their roles as women in their society through their independence and their freethinking (48).
     Katniss’ actions are both a mix of feminine and masculine actions but mostly masculine, which she reasons through her thoughts. Her feminine actions include gathering food, healing, singing, and dealing with Peeta while her masculine actions involve hunting and providing for Prim and her mother, which both lead to her survival along with the reasoning behind the kisses she shares with Peeta. Before Katniss goes into the Games, she already has the knowledge of both hunting and gathering that become her means of survival while she is in the arena but also survives through learning how to depend on others.
    Katniss provides for her family mostly through hunting in the Meadow, which is a symbol of freedom in District 12, where her father taught her before his death before the novel’s beginning (Collins 51). Ironically, the arena is a forest, which becomes a nightmare rather than a haven for Katniss and the other tributes. She also inherited a beautiful voice from her father that originally caught Peeta’s attention when they were children. The fact that her father is a balanced man echoes how Katniss as a young woman can also have balance by incorporating both of her parents’ skills. On the other hand, her mother is very feminine. Her mother knows how to gather herbs and other plants and turn it into food or herbs for healing purposes, which she has helped heal many of the coal miners who needed care. This trait becomes evident through Katniss heals Peeta despite how squeamish she becomes toward his critical wound. When she does try to heal Peeta, she shows a lack of confidence but continues to heal Peeta anyway (258). Her mom’s skill of healing allows Katniss to embrace her feminine side when she needed it most to help both Peeta and herself to survive.
    Kissing Peeta becomes a whole game of strategy once she reunites with him toward the middle of the Games, but eventually evolves into a small but growing attraction. When she first kisses Peeta, she uses it to keep him quiet and get the food they desperately needed from sponsors (281). The reasoning behind kissing Peeta is a typical male response when he needs something, even comfort, which Katniss also needs. Katniss continues with this strategy and initiates almost every kiss, which eventually puts her into unfamiliar territory when Peeta initiates one. Katniss recalls, “This kiss is the first that we’re both fully aware of. Neither of us hobbled by sickness or pain or simply unconscious. Our lips neither burning with fever nor icy cold. This is the kiss where I actually feel stirring inside my chest. Warm and curious. This is the first kiss that makes me want another” (298). As her government strips her appearance away and forces her to figure out her life as being a female, she starts allowing Peeta to protect her and love her, although temporarily in her eyes.
Fighting for Survival
    While Katniss is learning to become more dependent on others, Tris puts herself more in danger but does not give up when it seems that all hope is lost. Part of initiation is fighting where the initiates beat up each other until one of the fighters cannot handle the pain anymore or pass out, but Tris cannot protect herself when she is up against the men in the book. Tris continues getting up after several blows to the head, but she cannot get her first punch in on Peter (Roth 109). Her perseverance is a masculine response to her weakness as a female because she has the option to give up and depend on others for help but decides to get stronger on her own.
     While initiation is still happening and Tris poses a threat for the other initiates becoming factionless, she is unable to defend herself and has to depend on Four more. Before Four saves the day, Peter and some of the other initiates attack her. As the attack happens, Peter gropes her chest and says, “You sure you’re sixteen, Stiff? Doesn’t feel like you’re more than twelve” (278). This is an act of rape, which is a common attack on more females than males because females tend to be weaker and unable to protect themselves. Tris shows strength after this act of rape and does not hide behind Four. Instead, she defies her attackers by becoming the top initiate and learning how to protect herself while being able to depend on others when she needs it. These actions of true strength and perseverance show her true character that is neither just feminine nor just masculine.
          In “I’m beginning to know who I am,” Tris attempts to fit into Dauntless through appearing to be tough by “jumping off trains to zip-lining off of an abandoned skyscraper to getting multiple tattoos” as a form of rebellion from her home faction, Abnegation (Green-Bartreet 44). This is a form of survival to keep away unwanted attention from the oppressive authorities of Chicago. She becomes aware of the dangers of showing her strengths to others as she blends in to protect herself. While Katniss incorporates her strategy for survival with the skills she learned from her parents when she was younger, Tris learns her new skills as she realizes she was not prepared to protect herself before coming into Dauntless from her home in Abnegation.

Conclusion

    Both Katniss and Tris become revolutionaries at sixteen because they take their difficult living situations and become more adaptable to give them the freedom they need. First, Katniss learns how to become more feminine as President Snow forces her to look more innocent and physically feminine while Tris allows herself to look more masculine to hide how innocent she is. Next, Katniss rationalizes her thoughts to keep her from making the wrong decisions while Tris uses her emotions and impulsiveness to help save herself and others. Finally, Katniss strategizes her actions as a means of survival while Tris continues to be perseverant as those bigger and stronger than she is beat her several times.
    With this research, young adult dystopian societies as a fairly new genre show a trend of ideas that are prevalent in our culture and provides empowerment to teenage girls and young women to become independent while discovering themselves. Others young, old, and in between should care and read these books because these are one of the many that are shaping the next generation to be our future leaders. These books can also facilitate a sense of empathy and sympathy for the protagonists and other characters as both experienced loss, hardship, and pain. After all the evidence, it does not matter what side of masculinity or femininity that a protagonist comes from, especially in the young adult dystopian society. It is the journey that she takes through her appearance, thoughts, and actions that allows her to survive through trauma and new changes.

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