Young adult post-apocalyptic fiction is especially interesting to me because most of the time the teen characters don’t have the opportunity to remember — or barely remember — what it was like “before.” This is just what their world is, so they’re initially accepting of it while the reader is horrified, which makes for a tense juxtaposition. Plus, they are just beginning to come into their own power, so we get to see the reach and limits of that power and how they decide to use it. The addition of a queer element often offers another level to explore. In the face of annihilation, has society moved backward or forwards in their tolerance or acceptance? When the world is crumbling/has crumbled around bigots, do they lean in to their bigotry or do they realize they have their own problems to think about? Here are my nine favorite (or most-anticipated, in one case) queer YA post-apocalyptic books. Some of them take place in the aftermath of our actual world, while some take place in the aftermath of another or an alternate world. Whether it’s aliens, disease, magic, a great fire, or financial collapse, I love to read about the way our world might end and the people who are left after the end. If you’re looking for more recommendations, check out 8 of the Best YA Books Set in Post-Apocalyptic Cities and take the quiz Which Post-Apocalyptic YA Book Should Be Your Next Read?
