Summary: In this article, I've compiled 20 books like Uglies that explore dystopian worlds, rebellion, and self-discovery, perfect for fans of thrilling, thought-provoking reads. The top 3 are:
- Matched by Ally Condie
- Delirium by Lauren Oliver
- The Selection by Kiera Cass
Books like Uglies explore dystopian worlds where beauty, identity, and control are central themes. These stories often follow strong protagonists challenging societal norms and rebelling against oppressive systems. Whether it's the control of love in Delirium, beauty standards in The Selection, or match-making in Matched, these books dive into themes of conformity, individuality, and freedom. Fans of Uglies will be captivated by the adventure, personal transformation, and rebellion in these equally thrilling and thought-provoking tales.
TOP 20: Best Books Similar to Uglies
- Matched by Ally Condie
- Delirium by Lauren Oliver
- The Selection by Kiera Cass
- The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
- Divergent by Veronica Roth
- Legend by Marie Lu
- The Maze Runner by James Dashner
- Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
- Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
- The Giver by Lois Lowry
- The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey
- The Unwind Dystology by Neal Shusterman
- The Program by Suzanne Young
- Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
- Birthmarked by Caragh M. O'Brien
- Article 5 by Kristen Simmons
- Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
- Across the Universe by Beth Revis
- The Grace Year by Kim Liggett
- Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan
1. Matched
- Author: Ally Condie
- About: In a tightly controlled society, people's marriages, careers, and deaths are decided for them. The protagonist, Cassia, questions the system when her perfect match isn't who she expected.
- Style of writing: Simple, introspective, with a focus on relationships and personal choice.
- Length: Approximately 95,000 words
- Year written: 2010
- Emotional impact: Moderate; it's more about thought-provoking societal commentary than heavy emotions.
- Difficulty level: Easy to moderate
- Why read it: For its exploration of choice, love, and individuality in a controlled society.
2. Delirium
- Author: Lauren Oliver
- About: In a world where love is considered a disease, Lena Haloway is on the verge of receiving a treatment to remove it from her life. However, she falls in love and questions everything.
- Style of writing: Poetic, vivid, and emotionally charged.
- Length: Approximately 100,000 words
- Year written: 2011
- Emotional impact: High; its focus on love and loss resonates deeply.
- Difficulty level: Moderate
- Why read it: For its compelling blend of romance, societal control, and rebellion.
3. The Selection
- Author: Kiera Cass
- About: Thirty-five girls are chosen to compete for the heart of the prince in a reality-TV-like competition set in a dystopian future.
- Style of writing: Fast-paced, dialogue-heavy, light on world-building.
- Length: Approximately 80,000 words
- Year written: 2012
- Emotional impact: Moderate; mostly light and entertaining with romantic tension.
- Difficulty level: Easy
- Why read it: For its blend of romance, royalty, and dystopian intrigue.
4. The Hunger Games
- Author: Suzanne Collins
- About: In a brutal society, teens are forced to compete in a televised death match. Katniss Everdeen volunteers to save her sister and sparks a rebellion.
- Style of writing: Tense, action-packed, and descriptive.
- Length: Approximately 99,000 words
- Year written: 2008
- Emotional impact: High; it's intense, gripping, and deeply unsettling.
- Difficulty level: Moderate
- Why read it: For its raw depiction of survival, rebellion, and societal injustice.
5. Divergent
- Author: Veronica Roth
- About: In a future Chicago, society is divided into five factions based on virtues. Tris Prior, a divergent who doesn’t fit neatly into one faction, must uncover the truth about her society.
- Style of writing: Fast-paced, straightforward, with a focus on action and identity.
- Length: Approximately 105,000 words
- Year written: 2011
- Emotional impact: High; Tris’s personal growth and sacrifice resonate.
- Difficulty level: Moderate
- Why read it: For its focus on identity, belonging, and personal choice.
6. Legend
- Author: Marie Lu
- About: In a dystopian future, two teens from very different backgrounds—June, a military prodigy, and Day, the Republic's most wanted criminal—cross paths and uncover dangerous secrets.
- Style of writing: Alternating first-person POV, fast-paced with action and intrigue.
- Length: Approximately 90,000 words
- Year written: 2011
- Emotional impact: High; intense moments of loss and connection.
- Difficulty level: Moderate
- Why read it: For its thrilling action, plot twists, and morally complex characters.
7. The Maze Runner
- Author: James Dashner
- About: A group of teens wake up in a mysterious maze with no memory of the outside world, forced to survive while unraveling the maze’s secrets.
- Style of writing: Suspenseful, action-heavy, and filled with cliffhangers.
- Length: Approximately 94,000 words
- Year written: 2009
- Emotional impact: Moderate; tension and mystery drive the story, with some emotional depth.
- Difficulty level: Moderate
- Why read it: For its unique mystery and fast-paced survival plot.
8. Red Queen
- Author: Victoria Aveyard
- About: In a world divided by blood—those with red blood are commoners, while silver-blooded elites have supernatural powers—Mare Barrow, a red, discovers she has powers of her own.
- Style of writing: Dramatic, with a blend of fantasy and dystopia.
- Length: Approximately 128,000 words
- Year written: 2015
- Emotional impact: High; filled with betrayal, rebellion, and high stakes.
- Difficulty level: Moderate
- Why read it: For its unique world-building, plot twists, and strong heroine.
9. Shatter Me
- Author: Tahereh Mafi
- About: Juliette Ferrars has a deadly touch and is locked away by a repressive government. When she’s set free, she must navigate a world that fears her power.
- Style of writing: Lyrical, poetic, with a unique, fragmented narrative style.
- Length: Approximately 80,000 words
- Year written: 2011
- Emotional impact: High; deeply emotional and intense.
- Difficulty level: Moderate
- Why read it: For its poetic writing and exploration of power, fear, and identity.
10. The Giver
- Author: Lois Lowry
- About: In a seemingly perfect society where emotions are suppressed, young Jonas is chosen to receive memories of the past, revealing the dark truths behind his world.
- Style of writing: Simple and straightforward, yet deeply philosophical.
- Length: Approximately 43,000 words
- Year written: 1993
- Emotional impact: High; its quiet storytelling leaves a lasting impression.
- Difficulty level: Easy to moderate
- Why read it: For its thought-provoking themes about memory, freedom, and individuality.
11. The 5th Wave
- Author: Rick Yancey
- About: After four waves of alien invasions decimate Earth’s population, a girl named Cassie fights to survive and rescue her brother, while learning to trust no one.
- Style of writing: Gritty, action-packed, and suspenseful.
- Length: Approximately 110,000 words
- Year written: 2013
- Emotional impact: High; intense feelings of loss, paranoia, and hope.
- Difficulty level: Moderate
- Why read it: For its mix of dystopia, alien invasion, and a strong, survival-driven protagonist.
12. The Unwind Dystology
- Author: Neal Shusterman
- About: In a future where teens can be “unwound” for organ donation, three runaways fight to survive and fight against the system that deems them disposable.
- Style of writing: Dark, thought-provoking, and tense.
- Length: Approximately 98,000 words (for Unwind, book 1)
- Year written: 2007
- Emotional impact: High; morally challenging with strong emotional undercurrents.
- Difficulty level: Moderate
- Why read it: For its exploration of controversial ethical issues and survival in a dystopian world.
13. The Program
- Author: Suzanne Young
- About: In a society where teen suicide has become an epidemic, those deemed at risk are sent to “The Program,” which erases their memories. Sloane fights to hold on to her identity.
- Style of writing: Emotional, introspective, with a focus on psychological elements.
- Length: Approximately 85,000 words
- Year written: 2013
- Emotional impact: High; explores themes of mental health, identity, and control.
- Difficulty level: Moderate
- Why read it: For its unique take on dystopian mental health, memory, and identity.
14. Brave New World
- Author: Aldous Huxley
- About: In a futuristic world where individuality is suppressed and society is controlled through technology and pleasure, one man begins to question the system.
- Style of writing: Dense, descriptive, and philosophical.
- Length: Approximately 64,000 words
- Year written: 1932
- Emotional impact: High; it provokes deep reflection on society and individuality.
- Difficulty level: High (due to its themes and complex language)
- Why read it: For its iconic and thought-provoking dystopian vision that still resonates today.
15. Birthmarked
- Author: Caragh M. O’Brien
- About: In a post-apocalyptic world, midwife Gaia Stone delivers babies into a controlled society, but when her family is taken, she questions everything she’s been taught.
- Style of writing: Simple yet descriptive, with a focus on world-building.
- Length: Approximately 104,000 words
- Year written: 2010
- Emotional impact: Moderate; focused on family, survival, and moral choices.
- Difficulty level: Moderate
- Why read it: For its unique take on dystopian society and the ethics of control.
16. Article 5
- Author: Kristen Simmons
- About: In a future United States where the government enforces strict morality laws, Ember Miller is arrested, and her mother is taken for breaking one of these laws. Ember must fight to save her.
- Style of writing: Fast-paced, emotional, and action-driven.
- Length: Approximately 92,000 words
- Year written: 2012
- Emotional impact: Moderate to high; it explores themes of control, family, and resistance.
- Difficulty level: Moderate
- Why read it: For its intense action and moral dilemmas in a dystopian world.
17. Under the Never Sky
- Author: Veronica Rossi
- About: Aria, a girl living in a sheltered, technologically advanced world, is cast out into the wild and must team up with an outsider to survive.
- Style of writing: Dual perspective, blending action, romance, and world-building.
- Length: Approximately 96,000 words
- Year written: 2012
- Emotional impact: Moderate; strong themes of survival and connection.
- Difficulty level: Moderate
- Why read it: For its exciting mix of adventure, dystopia, and romance in a richly built world.
18. Across the Universe
- Author: Beth Revis
- About: Amy is cryogenically frozen and placed on a spaceship, only to awaken 50 years too early into a society governed by strict rules and secrets.
- Style of writing: Sci-fi with a focus on mystery and character relationships.
- Length: Approximately 98,000 words
- Year written: 2011
- Emotional impact: Moderate; mystery and survival keep tension high.
- Difficulty level: Moderate
- Why read it: For its mix of space exploration, dystopia, and intriguing mystery.
19. The Grace Year
- Author: Kim Liggett
- About: In a patriarchal society, girls are exiled for a year to rid themselves of dangerous magic. Tierney James faces harsh realities as she fights for survival and truth.
- Style of writing: Haunting, intense, with a focus on survival and societal critique.
- Length: Approximately 100,000 words
- Year written: 2019
- Emotional impact: High; it’s dark, thought-provoking, and leaves a lasting impression.
- Difficulty level: Moderate
- Why read it: For its fierce critique of societal roles and female empowerment in a dystopian world.
20. Glow
- Author: Amy Kathleen Ryan
- About: Two spaceships set off for a new planet, and when one kidnaps the children from the other, the survivors must band together and uncover the truth.
- Style of writing: Suspenseful, with elements of space opera and survival.
- Length: Approximately 98,000 words
- Year written: 2011
- Emotional impact: Moderate; focuses on survival, trust, and leadership.
- Difficulty level: Moderate
- Why read it: For its unique space setting, high stakes, and moral dilemmas.
Conclusion
If you loved Uglies by Scott Westerfeld, I think you’ll really enjoy these 20 dystopian reads. At the top of my list are Matched by Ally Condie, Delirium by Lauren Oliver, and The Selection by Kiera Cass. These books, in my opinion, do an excellent job exploring controlled societies, personal rebellion, and the search for freedom. With their mix of romance, social critique, and adventure, I’d highly recommend them to anyone looking to dive deeper into the genre after reading Uglies.
