The Hunger Games, Divergent, and... Do we need more future dystopias? (Part 1)

Many futuristic dystopias have landed with great impact on the book and movie worlds in recent years, with The Hunger Games series and the Divergent series probably being the most popular. The appeal of this genre is undeniable.

Why do people love future dystopias? I think the answer can be found in the fact that these stories revolve around strong characters, who survive and don't bend their principles in the face of the adverse circumstances surrounding them. It's not that people enjoy the brutal dystopias, but rather the strength of those who survive and find a way to thrive in them.

But do we need the context of unrealistic made-up future dystopias to show us this 'strength'? After all, this strength, the spirit of survival, bravery and optimism, can be found everywhere in real life. And I believe, as both a reader and an author, when it's based in a context similar to real life is when it really shines. It's why I've chosen to base my Princess's Spirit Trilogy in our recent history (well, a semi-fictionalised version of it, but it's still in the context of our world in the early 21st century).

Bravery, optimism and defying the odds, are all things we love to celebrate. It's not just to be found in future dystopias. It's everywhere around us.

From Hunger Games to Star Wars, and Beyond: The Rise of the Heroine

When the first Hunger Games movie was released in 2012, it was one of a kind: not many movies had a strong heroine type lead back then. The popularity of the Hunger Games series appears to have changed that forever. In the past few months, many big movies have been released featuring strong heroine type leads, including the latest Star Wars movie (a first for that previously male-dominated franchise, so congrats), The Fifth Wave, Joy, Sufferagate, not to mention the whole Divergent series.

Whilst this may be dismissed by some as just Hollywood's latest fashion, I beg to differ. I have always believed that cultural change is the path to real gender equality, and like it or not, Hollywood driven popular culture affects our wider cultural conversation to a great degree. Whilst some feminists have focused on political initiatives like affirmative action, I have always believed that they are not the way to go, that changing the culture is the only way to go. For 'cultural' feminists like myself, any signs of cultural change is an important victory, and wholesale cultural change driven by Hollywood is a big game changer indeed.

What do you think?