Some of the best stories can be found in books about rebels. Overthrowing oppressive governments, evil rulers, and unfair societies–how could it not be exciting? And that’s what today’s prompt from Top 5 Wednesday is all about:
Martin Luther King Day was on the 18th, so I thought it would be nice to honors the rebels today! Martin Luther King Jr. rebelled against the rules in place to try to make the world a better place for people unfairly discriminated against. This week, let’s look for some books where rebels opposed to the law laid to try to make the world a better place.
(This week’s prompts were provided by Alex (The Scribe Owl). Top 5 Wednesday was created by GingerReadsLainey.)
Honestly, this prompt challenged me more than expected. See, a lot of the books I know are kind of about rebels, but also kind of not. Plus, when you think about it, “rebel” is a pretty vague, broad descriptor. Who counts as a rebel? Who doesn’t? And what about the nuance between rebellions and revolutions and uprisings and so on?
Yeah. Needless to say, more thought and time went into making this list than originally planned. Still, I think these are good choices, and I hope you agree!
#5: Les Misérables by Victor Hugo
Les Misérables definitely features the most traditional rebellion out of all the books on this list. And since it’s a book based on the French Revolution, that’s far from surprising. Regardless, this is just an inarguably excellent book. When it comes to classic literature, this is definitely high up on my list of favorites. Many before me have already sung this book’s praises, though, so there isn’t much for me to add to all that. Still, if you haven’t already read it, I definitely recommend taking the time to give Les Misérables a try!
Find it here!
#4: Legend by Marie Lu
As I mentioned in my review of Rebel, the more recently published addition to this series, I absolutely loved this series when I read it. And I still do, to be honest. June and Day are both great characters, and the entire world that these books are set in is so interesting. As for the rebellion aspect of this series (in other words, the main plot) it’s genuinely a rollercoaster ride; there are just so many facets and twists to it! So, if you haven’t read these yet, I would one-hundred-percent recommend doing so.
Find it here!
#3: The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini
It’s been a while since I last visited the world of Eragon. But I loved this series each of the times I read it and I still think very highly of it. Paolini really is a remarkable writer, and the world he created for these books is just so detailed and wonderfully described. As for the character, they definitely fit the traditional definition of rebels more than some of the others I’ve included on this list. They’re also a large part of why I love these books; the sheer number of perspectives Paolini explored over the course of the series was incredible.
Find it here!
#2: An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
This series is on my list of all-time favorites, and for good reason! The world is stunning, the characters are masterfully written, and the plot is incredibly complex and exciting. And a big part of all those things is the rebellious aspect of the story! Honestly, everything about these books and the story they tell comes together so nicely; it’s just an overall amazing experience, and I highly encourage reading them if you haven’t already.
Find it here!
#1: The Giver by Lois Lowry
I just love these books so much! The world, the characters, the storyline; it’s all so beautifully imagined and written. I first read this series a long time ago, but these are still some of the best books I’ve ever read as of today. Admittedly, this series isn’t about rebellion in the traditional sense, with the exception of the first book. But the characters in all of these books are going against the grain of their societies and world, even if they don’t quite fit the description of people we would usually think of as traditional “rebels,” so I definitely think they deserve a spot on this list.
Find it here!
So, what are your favorite books about rebels and revolutions? Are any of them the same as mine! Drop a comment and let me know!
