Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

A Dystopian Book with a Happy Ending

Dystopian is not one of my favorites. But perhaps Parable of the Sower? It wasn't a happy happy ending, but at least somewhat upbeat...

I'm depending upon you to have all the answers!!

Listopia is HERE

PS are determined to spoil endings for us this year, aren't they? I can only think of one so far, but there must have been some happy endings during the big YA dystopia trend.

I was looking around and found two possibles - but would not know unless I read them...

Seveneves by Neal Stephenson

Appleseed by Matt Bell

Possibly The Giver would count.

Karen wrote: "I was looking around and found two possibles - but would not know unless I read them...

Seveneves by Neal Stephenson

Appleseed by [author:Matt Bell|18..."

I would say Seveneves ends on a hopeful/optimistic note, though I don't think it's actually dystopian from my recollection; it's more of a disaster hard sci-fi book. That said, I think that "hopeful" is all you can really ask for in a dystopian rather than outright "happy."

Don't MOST dystopians have a somewhat happy ending? At least the YA versions, they usually involve a group of teens banding together to take down the evil overlords. I used to read this type of book a lot.

Nadine, I was thinking the same thing. Yes, people are lost along the way and the characters are physically and emotionally scarred, but usually the bad guys are taken down.

Nadine in NY wrote: "Don't MOST dystopians have a somewhat happy ending? At least the YA versions, they usually involve a group of teens banding together to take down the evil overlords. I used to read this type of boo..."

I would argue that neither the Hunger Games nor Insurgent end happily.

I can think of a couple with epilogues making clear that the evil dystopian system falls, such as (view spoiler)[ The Handmaid's Tale and its sequel, The Testaments. Also Jack London's book The Iron Heel, but can't really recommend that one - London could write a wolf's POV convincingly, but not a woman's. (hide spoiler)]

Dubhease wrote: "Nadine in NY wrote: "Don't MOST dystopians have a somewhat happy ending? At least the YA versions, they usually involve a group of teens banding together to take down the evil overlords. I used to ..."




yeah those would be exceptions

A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World, IMHO, is fabulous. It ends happy-ish and has a great twist.

The problem with this prompt is that I really don't want to know in advance how it ends!

I think Ready Player One and V for Vendetta may work for this prompt.

Karen wrote: "I was looking around and found two possibles - but would not know unless I read them...

Seveneves by Neal Stephenson

Appleseed by [author:Matt Bell|18..."

Yes, Seveneves would work for this - it is a long (and sometimes very dark) one!

Thanks. I will pencil in Seveneves.

Deb wrote: "I think Ready Player One and V for Vendetta may work for this prompt."

Yes, Ready Player One definitely works!

Gail W wrote: " A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World, IMHO, is fabulous. It ends happy-ish and has a great twist."

Thanks, Gail W, I am going with this one.

Has anyone read The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker? I haven't read it yet but from reading reviews it seems like it could fit (view spoiler)[because it sounds like the virus causing the illness goes away (hide spoiler)].

One of my top books this year. It ends on a happy-ish note and is a fantastic book.
A Better World by Sarah Langan.

A Better World

I am quite sure that the 3rd book in the Everland trilogy by Wendy Spinale, which series is a dystopian steampunk retelling of chidrens classics and fairytales, has a happy ending, even a HEA one. Last book is Ozland - will come back and confirm it is once I read it in January.

I love dystopians, so this one is a hard one for me because I tend to grab the good ones soon after they come out! I guess I'll try The Light Pirate.

I *love* the Kindled series by Claire Kent. I've read them all, but maybe I can re-read one! The first is Last Light or Haven

It's dystopian-ish because (view spoiler)[it's short term (hide spoiler)], but 96 Miles, a middle grades book, ends well. Bonus: if you're not really into dystopian fiction, it's short and a quick read.

Anyone know if Starhawk's City of Refuge would qualify?

Jennifer wrote: "

One of my top books this year. It ends on a happy-ish note and is a fantastic book.
A Better World by Sarah Langan.

A Better World"

One of the genres listed for this book is Horror. I do not care for horror at all. Is there much horror or should I choose another book?

Denise wrote: "I love dystopians, so this one is a hard one for me because I tend to grab the good ones soon after they come out! I guess I'll try The Light Pirate."

Thanks, Denise! This is one of those prompts where I need to rely on other people's suggestions, to avoid spoilers. I checked the GR synopsis on this one, and it says right there, that it's a "hopeful" story, so I'm following your lead. Again!

The Light Pirate is on the Listopias so I’ll go with that maybe. I can double it up with climate fiction for another challenge.

I'm gonna cheat a smidge on this prompt, or at least define the prompt my way and say "post-apocalyptic." Plenty of dystopian novels are after an apocalypse, and I've had more luck finding "LIGHT HEARTED POST-APOCALYPTIC" than any dystopian with happy endings.

sorry for yelling, I just hope someone zooming through the replies can pick out a different Google prompt to find a book they need.

Katherine wrote: "I'm gonna cheat a smidge on this prompt, or at least define the prompt my way and say "post-apocalyptic." Plenty of dystopian novels are after an apocalypse, and I've had more luck finding "LIGHT H..."




Great search term, thanks. Book Riot has a nice list: https://bookriot.com/lighthearted-pos...

It's kind of dystopian-lite, but Zero Stars, Do Not Recommend would work for this prompt, I think.

What about The Maze Runner, The Scorch Trials and The Death Cure by James Dashner.....would any of these fit this prompt??

I've read the Hunger Games books so many time so going with:

Mockingjay

It helps knowing how this one ends already and it's positive.

I'm really struggling with this one, especially since I'm trying to find a standalone. I already have a ton of series on the go and don't really want to commit to another one, but most dystopian I've found are series.

I have been listening to Red Rising by Pierce Brown, and wondered if I should stop until the new year. Does it fit this prompt, even as happy for now?

Well, I am really struggling with what to read for this prompt. I feel like The Maze Runner, The Scorch Trials and The Death Cure by James Dashner all would fit this prompt.

I have decided to read a book from the LISTOPIA for this prompt:

*The Other Valley by Scott Alexander Howard

HAPPY READING!!

I have just finished Zombie Apocalypse Running Club, and it surprised me with a happy ending. I was using it for the Run Club prompt, but there you go.

I read The Archipelago of Another Life for ATY and I think it can fit here. It is set in a real-life dystopia, Siberia in the time of Stalin's rule, and features the pursuit of a prisoner escaped from a gulag. A very good book with at least a hopeful ending for some.

Does anyone know if Cinder by Marissa Meyer would work for this?

Josie wrote: "Does anyone know if Cinder by Marissa Meyer would work for this?"

Probably not unless you're planning to read Scarlet, Cress, and Winter, too.

I just read The Dreamers & I think the ending is happy enough for such a book. I do recommend it.

As You Wish wrote: "I have just finished Zombie Apocalypse Running Club, and it surprised me with a happy ending. I was using it for the Run Club prompt, but there you go."

I just picked this one up from the library this week. It looks like an interesting book.

I just remembered that Warm Bodies has a happy ending! And I'm already planning to re-read this one for a different challenge (52 in 52) so I think I'll go ahead and just do this one for the happy ending dystopia!

I'd recommend Liberty's Daughter by Naomi Kritzer. YA dystopian set on a seastead off the coast of California, but definitely has a more positive ending. I read it last year as it was nominated for the Lodestar YA award.

I like the author in general, as she tries to see the positive side of people.

I read Ready Player One a while back. Has anyone read Ready Player Two? Would that work here?

I listened to Internment by Samira Ahmed

I read The Light Pirate

Big vote for The Last Murder at the End of the World! I just finished it and thought it was incredible. Was surprised to see somewhat mixed reviews on Goodreads, but it was a 5 star for me.

I ended up using The Big Time by Fritz Leiber for this. It's about a time war, set in a "recuperation station" where the soldiers in the war go for r&r. It's dystopian in that, at the point the action takes place, Hitler has won WWII and taken over North America. It's a mystery plot, so I don't want to say too much about the ending, but I think it qualifies as happy by the standards of a mystery story. It's also quite short, so might suit someone who doesn't want to spend too much time on this prompt. I listened to the audiobook, which is superbly narrated and really adds to the atmosphere. The only caution I would add is that there is sexism and homophobia typical of the periods the characters represent.

I saw The Grace Year on the listopia. I would say that doesn't have a happy ending. But I think in a dystopia, happy might be relative.
A couple of recs. The Erasure Initiative and Moongazer

I am going to re-read . I read it in 2016. Plus, it's available on Kindle Unlimited :)

I read Death of the Author