Kaffe · a free reading list
Books like The Hunger Games
Survival under an unjust regime, and the moment someone decides to fight back.
Red Rising by Pierce Brown
A deadly competition, a rigged society and a hero from the bottom. Often called the Hunger Games for adults.
+ Cinematic, fast action blending Roman myth and science fiction, building to a gripping final act.
− Some reviewers found it derivative of The Hunger Games, with little originality or plausibility. (summed up from Wikipedia (reception))Legend by Marie Lu
A fugitive and a military prodigy meet in a divided future America. Fast, YA and full of twists.
Divergent by Veronica Roth
A teenager in a faction-based society hides a dangerous secret while training for a brutal role.
+ Rich in plot and imaginative detail, with gutsy action, romance and an unstoppable story.
− Critics found it flimsier and less nuanced than The Hunger Games, with a simplistic, colour-coded world. (summed up from Wikipedia (reception))The Maze Runner by James Dashner
Teens wake up inside a deadly maze with no memories. A survival mystery with nonstop pace.
+ Hard to put down and pulse-raising, leaving readers desperate to know what comes next.
− The invented slang the boys use is a drawback, and it is clearly only a first instalment. (summed up from Wikipedia (reception))Battle Royale by Koushun Takami
A class of students forced to fight to the death. Darker and more violent, for older readers.
+ Wildly entertaining pulp with a brilliant story that sparks talk about survival, loyalty and morality.
− It is gory, and award judges found its classmates-killing-classmates premise too disturbing to honour. (summed up from Wikipedia (reception))
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