Hardcover: 374 pages
Katniss is a 16-year-old girl living with her mother and younger sister in the poorest district of Panem, the remains of what used be the United States. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, "The Hunger Games." The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed. When her sister is chosen by lottery, Katniss steps up to go in her place.(Source)Review
THE HUNGER GAMES, by Suzanne Collins, was a fantastic and thrilling story of survival when all odds are against you. The world that Collins created in Panem was scary but completely possible. The government in the Capitol was corrupt but extremely powerful and willing to take out anyone who rebel against them.
The characters in this book were fantastic. Even the smaller roles, such as the other tributes, were a joy to read. I almost wanted to know more about these children before their untimely and unnecessary deaths. Katniss was an amazing choice as the POV. She was selfless and strong, and all she wanted was to support her family. But she ended up with the short end of the stick when she volunteered to take her sister's place in the Hunger Games. In the beginning, Katniss would do anything but conform to the rules of the Capitol, but she quickly learned that to survive in the Hunger Games she would need to put on a facade or she would not live. She did manage to stay true and honest to herself, which ended her in a precarious situation at the end.
The men in this book were so great. Gale, as Katniss' best friend and partner, was a strong and perfect gentleman and an obvious choice for Katniss. But Peeta, being thrust into the Hunger Games with Katniss, created another piece of the triangle that was equally tempting.
I was blown away by this book. The idea of the Hunger Games was inhumane and disturbing. The fact that this government went to such great lengths to punish the children of those who rebelled stirred powerful and hateful emotion in me while reading. I do appreciate the honesty and amazing creativity that Collins put into this book, and I cannot wait to continue this series.
