Past Over Trivia Quiz

Answer: Lois Lowry

Written by Lois Lowry and published in 1993, "The Giver" tells the story of 11 year old Jonas. Jonas lives in a world where pain and suffering, and the choices, and therefore failures, of human kind have been eliminated. Jonas is unique, being the only one to perceive things differently than everyone else in society. Upon turning 12, Jonas is assigned a "job", just like everyone else, but his is different, just like him. Jonas becomes the "Receiver of Memory", the person who holds all of the community's past emotions, so as not to repeat the community's past mistakes.

The previous Receiver is an old man known only to Jonas as "The Giver". As memories and emotions are transferred from The Giver to Jonas, Jonas becomes more frustrated at the community for making the choice to give up their emotion and free-will. The two begin to work together to try and change society permanently.

Answer: James Dashner

"The Maze Runner" by James Dashner was published in 2009, and is set in a dystopian world where a great illness has devastated the population. A group of boys have their memories wiped and are placed in "The Glade", a habitable area surrounded by a vast maze full of threats and dangers. Each day, a group of four goes into the maze to attempt to find a way out. They map the maze the best they can, but the walls of the maze change every day.

Thomas, the final boy brought to The Glade, ultimately becomes a maze runner. The last person to be brought into the group is the first female, a girl named Teresa. Eventually, the group is able to escape the maze, where they are told that the illness has been caused by massive solar flares, and they have been selected to find the cure.

Answer: Ray Bradbury

Ray Bradbury's 1953 novel is a dystopian novel set in America. Books have been banned from society in this story. Any books that are found are burned by people known as "firemen". The protagonist in the story is Guy, a fireman who befriends Clarisse, a young woman who helps him see how books are not the evil that society has made them out to be.

Answer: Veronica Roth

Veronica Roth's dystopian novel was published in 2011, and is set in what used to be the city of Chicago. Society is broken down into five factions which have their own attributes that are fundamental to humankind's success. At 16, those coming of age attend the Choosing Ceremony, where individuals choose whether to stay with their birth faction, or change to any of the other four factions. To aid in their decision, they are given aptitude tests to show them which factions they are best suited for.

Beatrice enters her aptitude simulation unsure of where she will decide to go. The problem is, her test results are inconclusive. The test administrator tells her that she is Divergent, which means that she does not fit into any one faction better than another. It also means she cannot be controlled by the simulations administered to society, which makes her, and her kind, a threat to those in charge.

Answer: Suzanne Collins

Suzanne Collins' best-selling series began with "The Hunger Games", published in 2008. The series is set in what was previously North America, now known as Panem. Panem is comprised of the Capitol and 12 Districts, with the Capitol in control of the country. The Districts rebelled against the harsh rule of the Capitol, but the Capitol prevailed in the war. As a result of their defeat, the districts were punished with a cruel and torturous reminder of the Capitol's iron grip.

Every year, each of the 12 districts offer up one boy and one girl between the ages of 12-18 as tributes, to fight to the death in the Hunger Games. The tributes are locked into an arena designed by the Capitol, and the last surviving tribute is declared the winner. The Hunger Games are mandatory viewing for all of Panem. Capitol citizens look forward to the yearly event, while the districts dread what comes every year.

Answer: Stephenie Meyer

Stephenie Meyer, of "Twilight" fame, published her novel "The Host" in 2008. Post-apocalyptic Earth has been invaded by Souls, an alien race who act as parasites, invading human bodies. Upon a Soul entering their host, the only thing remaining of the host is their memories. One Soul, upon invading their host body comes to realize that their host is communicating with them, and won't give up her life so easily.

Answer: Lauren Oliver

Published in 2011, "Delirium" follows Lena Haloway, who lives in future Maine, United States. In this dystopia, those in leadership believe that love is a disease and that it must be removed from every living person. A "cure" for love has been found and mandated by the government. Shortly before the date of her operation, Lena falls in love. Because of this, she is in danger, but Lena will do anything and everything she can to escape the procedure.

Answer: Ally Condie

Ally Condie's "Matched" was published in 2010, ultimately becoming a trilogy. The Society, set in what was once the United States, rules with complete authority over their subjects. Every single aspect of a citizen's life is determined by the rulers and experts of the Society. Cassia, the main point of reference in the story, is matched for marriage upon the appropriate date. Finding a discrepancy in the matching, Cassia become rebellious against the Society, believing them to be hiding more than they claim.

Answer: Kass Morgan

"The 100" was published in 2013, and the novel does not begin on Earth, but in orbit around it. After disaster struck Earth, the planet became uninhabitable, and survivors have lived in orbit around the planet for 300 years. Eventually, the ruling body decides to send 100 prisoners to Earth to see if anything has changed. Those 100 struggle for survival, fighting not only the elements, but also other survivors that no one knew remained on Earth.

Answer: Rick Yancey

Published in 2013, "The 5th Wave" is the first of a trilogy by Rick Yancey. Multiple alien invasions have left Earth's population a mere fraction of what it once was. The most recent invasion has thinned the human population even more, as the aliens are able to physically imitate humans, allowing them to blend in and hunt humans more effectively.

The main character, Cassie, is shot by one of these aliens, but before she can be finished, she is saved. Things for her get a bit complicated when she finds out her savior is an alien as well.