Keep your trope shut

A divided world, a post-apocalyptic wasteland, a prophecy, a burden too heavy for a young adult. 10 YA dystopian cliches to vanquish in battle.

- Christalle Fernandes

1. Kids have to fix it all.

The Darkest Minds (2018). Ender's Game (2013). The 5th Wave (2016). The Hunger Games books (2008-2010). Why must young people keep fixing the messes of the elders? In some stories the kids get superpowers; in others, they're just expected to be smarter than the adults. None of the kids have real problems: Acne, growth spurts, an inability to wake up early.

2. The chosen child.

Rare powers, magical trinkets, supernatural abilities, or just someone who'd been watched since they were little. Alina Starkov from Shadow and Bone (2021-2023) can summon light. So, she's saddled with the task of saving her kingdom. In Victoria Aveyard's Red Queen (2015-2018), Mare Barrow also has rare powers, which come in handy to overthrow the ruling class. No one ever uses their powers for a house party, sadly.

3. The heroine's side quest.

Sure, she's gotta save the world. But first, she must pretty up, have big pang of self-doubt and a forbidden love. Joey King did it in Uglies (2024), as a woman who must choose between beauty and intelligence. In Tahereh Mafi's Shatter Me series, 17-year-old Juliette can kill with a touch. The government is interested, obv. But what of her social life?

4. The ageing adult behind the curtain.