Review: The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins Pages: 374

In a future North America, where the rulers of Panem maintain control through an annual televised survival competition pitting young people from each of the twelve districts against one another, sixteen-year-old Katniss's skills are put to the test when she voluntarily takes her younger sister's place.-goodreads.com

Oh gosh...where to start. I read this book in 3 days. I started Monday, and finished yesterday. That's how good I thought it was. The Hunger Games is actually my summer reading book, but I couldn't put it down after the first few pages. I've got to give kudos to my school for choosing this one, it's very gripping.

The book starts out introducing Katniss and her family, giving us background into her life. She's the breadwinner for her mother and little sister, and they live in one of the poorest of the twelve 'districts' that divide the country of Panem. However, it doesn't last long. Before chapter one ends, there's a sever plot twist. Suddenly Katniss finds herself in a completely new place, surrounded by strange people and wealth she had never even dreamed of before. She meets 22 other tributes, two from each other district, and they prepare to kill each other. That's the point of the Hunger Games. The person who outlives everyone else becomes the champion, and they never need to work another day in their life.

Katniss and the other tribute from her district, a boy named Peeta, end up playing the 'starstruck lovers' role, something new to the Hunger Games, because the rules state that there can only be one champion. Both characters also have very different views on their 'romance', because one is more interested in survival, and the other in love. The only problem is that one of them has to die.

As mentioned above, the book took me three days. It's a quick read, but you won't be able to put it down. Peeta and Katniss definitely have something going on, but Katniss tries to hide it because she knows one of them will die, and that the entire thing is televised, and being watched by literally everyone. I loved how the two balanced their strengths and worked together in various parts of the book. They bounced off each other and worked well together.

The book itself is mainly action, most of the time spent in the Games themselves. There's a lot of killing, but it's not disgustingly graphic. It's just enough to get the point across. The wide variety of characters is nice too, from an annoying girl named Effie to a friendly fashion designer named Cinna, they all add something interesting to the book.

Something small to note, the book is written in first person, so it's narrated by Katniss. It's interesting, seeing things from her point of view, but I like it. It helps the reader to make connections to her and distinguish her friends from her enemies.

Overall, however, I loved the book, and can't wait to read the next one. Suzanne Collins is a new author to me, but I'm liking what I've read.

Rating: 9/10


Catch you later,
Harry