Why You Should Read Neal Shusterman YA Fiction Novels In 2024

Are you looking to get into YA fiction? Then look no further than author Neal Shusterman to fulfill your needs. If you were a middle- or high-school book nerd in the early 2000s, then his name should already be familiar to you. 

Neal Shusterman writes mainly young adult fiction novels that are great at expanding the imaginations of teens and children. But he also addresses complex issues and themes.

Moreover, Shusterman has written books spanning various genres that people of all age groups will have a difficult time putting down.

What’s Great About Neal Shusterman?

You’ll love Neal Shusterman’s books for their mind-bending storytelling as they keep you on the edge of your seat. They are filled to their emotional core with thrilling action. Overall, Shusterman’s novels are mostly fantasy, science fiction, and surrealistic.

Why these genres, specifically? Because Shusterman can weave real-life events into his fictional narratives. This helps to make readers connect more. However, Shusterman has had to be creative with the reality-blending aspects, so his stories won’t feel like satire. 

For instance, if Shusterman adds too much fantasy then people may come away from his books with a bad taste in their mouths. His books would be nothing more than shock-value art.

Sit Back And Unwind With A Little Sci-Fi

Neal Shusterman’s sci-fi Dystology series, Unwind, dives headfirst into the controversial topics of abortion and children’s rights. 

Outside its dark premise lies an emotional story. It is about three teens trying to survive in a world where the law allows adults to sell their children for their body parts. And that’s if the children are no longer wanted.

Overall, Shusterman crafts a story that explains how society’s solution to a modern issue can have catastrophic effects for generations. What’s worse? How Shusterman tells this story will make you understand how the “unwind” process could become law, even in our society.

Find Treasure In The Challenger Deep

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With that said, you should add the YA fiction novel, Challenger Deep, to your reading collection. This novel is more personal for Shusterman. Why? Because its story is based on his own sun’s onset of schizophrenia and how his diagnosis affected the entire family. 

As with other Shusterman YA fiction novels, this story blends fantasy with reality by utilizing a dual narrative. It splits chapters between the main character’s real-life experiences and his growing metaphorical hallucinations.

Shusterman does a great job at working the dual narrative as it shows how deliberating mental illness can be. Likewise, critics and readers must’ve left the book feeling the same way if all of the awards and accolades Challenger Deep received were any indication.

Start Your Summer Break With New YA Fiction

Regardless, if you’re a Neal Shusterman fan or hunger for another emotional YA fiction novel to devour this summer, then here’s some good news.

On July 2nd, Shusterman will release his latest novel, Break to You, which plans to shatter your heart with its emotional story. Your summer plans might get interrupted as you’ll spend more time in this book than running around outdoors.

Collaborating with authors Michelle Knowlden and Debra Young, Shusterman creates another heart-wrenching story. This one is about two teenagers in juvenile detention, who will have to navigate through a corrupt system alongside their growing feelings for each other.

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