The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
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Book Reviews of The Hunger Games
Book Review: More Than Five Stars
Summary: 5 Stars
Have you ever read a book that wiped out all your favorite books? That changed your life, your perception of the world? That you couldn't believe you hadn't read, even if it came out only four months ago? The Hunger Games is one of them (I have only had two, sorry The Book Thief, you've been demoted). Even though some readers of this wonderful book might of read it only because Stephenie Meyer put a little blurb about it on her website, I read it for a different reason. I got the idea from Ms. Meyer but didn't read it because she said it was good. I read it because it looked so unique, so interesting, too good to pass up. Oh boy I was right. I breezed through it in a day, four hours I believe, and now I am starting to regret it, mostly because there is no sequel yet, and truly I cannot bear to wait for it.
The book follows a girl named Katniss Everdeen, who lives in the future. Katniss lives in the country of Panem, the ruins of North America. In Panem there are 12 "Districts", each of which have a specialty. Katniss, along with her mother and sister Prim, live in District 12, the coal-mining district, where they struggle to survive. Every year the Capitol (the ruling seat of Panem) holds a competition called The Hunger Games. The Hunger Games are Panem's punishment for a previous rebellion against the country that lead to the obliteration of District 13. Each district, on reaping day, sends a boy and a girl to the Games. There are therefore 24 12-to-18 year olds in all.
Anyhow, on reaping day, Katniss's sister Prim's name is called. Without hesitation, Katniss volunteers to take Prim's place. Katniss and the other District 12 representative, Peeta, are sent to the Capitol. Peeta and Katniss have a past, a past they cannot erase...
In the Capitol they are fed rich food, taken to interviews, and pushed around the arena in gorgeous outfits. Peeta and Katniss, supposedly under direction of their always-drunk mentor, have to pretend they are in love to win the crowd's support. There hasn't been a winner in 30 years from District 12, so one of them needs to win. When the games begin though there won't be all this luxury though. There can be only one winner of The Hunger Games, and Katniss is determined to win. But alliances must be made, foes must be fought, and loves need to be protected.
I couldn't put this book down. From the first page I was drawn in and stayed there. This book wasn't as gory as I thought it would be, although the savagery is enough to make your bones chill. The characters, every last one of them, was interesting and well-thought out. I cared for them all, even Katniss in her oblivious moments. There was humor too.
It is hard to explain, the feeling I got when I read this. I loved how they had to survive, how they had to stay themselves in this harsh new world. It really got me thinking, this book, about the future. It wasn't sci-fi or anything. It actually showed what our world could look like if some bad people and things came along.
The Hunger Games was such an original idea. The things Suzanne Collins did to her characters were stuff they would actually do. For the first time in a long while, I actually felt as though the characters were teenagers, not adults in a teenager's body. They may seem grown-up and mean and savage, but these characters had to survive. Some of them did a great job at it, others not.
And of course the romance. A love triangle, between Gale (Katniss's best friend from home), Peeta, and Katniss. I must say I like Peeta better. The Games can never be taken out of them both. It bound them together. I loved the things Peeta said. You could tell he really meant them. They made me all tingly, how much he loved her and Katniss was being an idiot and it nearly killed me. I liked Katniss, but sometimes I wanted to knock her on the head for being so stupid. She should pick Peeta.
I cannot WAIT for the sequel. I need it to come out soon. Very soon. When a book like this comes around, don't pass it up. It might change you.
P.S
As I have read more into the Battle Royale resemblance I have discovered something. Sure, the plot sounds the same but I highly, highly doubt that Suzanne Collins saw either the movie or the book and went "Wow. Why don't I Americanize that?" Look at her videos people. It is all around us, the violence and obsession with TV and reality contests that inspired her. After I read THG, I went "Wow. This is like our society, only worse, but it in maybe 150 if something goes wrong." And anyhow, it was said that Battle Royale was like Lord of the Flies, which goes to prove that there are only a few plots. I defend Suzanne Collins in this, and I am a teenager myself. You guys shouldn't go and try to ruin it because it sounds similar. Just read it, savor it, and reflect on it. I've got to admire Ms. Collins for writing such a novel, even if she later found out it would get such non-praise. Because guess what? It is a wonderful novel in its own right, and I am proud to call it my FAVORITE book of ALL time.
Book Review: Don't pass this one over...
Summary: 5 Stars
I almost did not read this book because of the idea of people hunting people, let alone kids being forced to do this. So, I have to thank Krista for convincing me to read this book. If it was not for her I would not have picked this book up at all. Once I started reading this book I realized it is not as harsh as I had anticipated, which I am thankful for, and was not able to put it down. (I read this book of 374 pages in two and a half days, which is extremely fast for me.) Most of the book is not even set in the actual arena of the fighting. This book is more of the survival of Katniss and Peeta who are on the defensive and trying to stay alive. There is no cannibalism nor is it gory or brutal. I am very glad I did not pass this book up any longer.
I know there is a lot of talk of this book currently, which may be due to the second book recently being released. So with all this amazing praise I had to read it. Which was also a fear to me that with all the hype I would have higher expectations and the book would not measure up. Well, the book exceeded my expectations tremendously. Let me just say the praise is well deserved.
You meet Katniss here in the beginning right away. She sneaks past the fence around District 12 ment to "keep the animals of flesh eating out" and the citizens are not aloud to go outside the fence. Katniss has a spot she sneaks out and meets her friend Gale to hunt. See, they don't get caught or in trouble because the Peacekeepers of the city look the other way, as they like to eat meat too. Katniss has been trained at a young age by her father to hunt, and this is what Katniss has done to help keep her family alive after her father passes away in a mine accident years before.
Also, in the beginning you learn of the history of Panem, and how the Capitol has a gripping control over the 12 different Districts. As a lesson for trying to over throw the Capitol years past the Hunger Games came to exist. All the people are forced to have their children entered in the contest starting at age twelve through to eighteen, no matter stature or standing in the District. However, the poor children could very well have more entries than the richer. See, if the family is in need of food rations the child can enter an extra name in the drawing for this and you can do so for each person in your family. So with Katniss, she has a sister and a mother along with herself - this would be three more entries along with the one for this year. Oh yes, the entries are cumulative, so they carry over each year. That would get scary after a while.
On the day of the drawing all the people of the District are required to be there to witness this, and as a reminder. Katniss is shocked when her twelve year old sister who only has one entry gets picked as the girl to go to the games. What would you do for your sister? Would you sacrifice yourself to take her place? Well, that is just what Katniss does, volunteers to go in her spot.
I am surprised with the extent the Capitol goes to, to try and make this an exciting game to watch. The Capitol actually seem to enjoy this. The publicity the winners of the drawing get is unbelievable. There is lavish foods, complete make-overs, parades, and interviews. They are treated like royalty. People chant for these poor kids and bet on them. All this before they are sent to the arena to fight for their lives. The suspence is held through this section and there are peaks and valleys through here. My heart felt for Katniss and Peeta (the boy who won the drawing in District 12 with Katniss). Even the interview has a shocker to it. They need to win the love of the people in order to have sponsers to supply them "gifts" while they are in the arena when needed. The contenders all have to go through a training session for a few days then show their skills to the Gamemakers, which results in a scoring that could win them sponsers as well. All of these have their own peaks to them which keep you interested and driving forward in the book.
Then you get to the Arena where the game begins. Now, you are going to have to read the book to see what happens here. Just remember the people of the Capitol like a show and will do anything to get it... There are a few twists that get added along with new rules as they go.
By the end of this book I loved Peeta and Katniss. My heart burst, swelled, and broke with them through all their tribulations. Will they both live? Will one die? Will they both die? I am ready to dive into the next book Catching Fire. This book has told a story and set up for the next book at the same time, very well written in that respect. I also feel I understand the characters very well.
I have to say, for a Young Adult book I would suggest it to any and all adults to read.
Book Review: THE most exciting book I have read in a very, very long time...
Summary: 5 Stars
This is one of those rare novels that will make you forget everything else that's going on around you. You do NOT want to start reading this until you have a long weekend with no plans and plenty of quiet time. This completely transported me from my couch to a place called Panem in post-apocalyptic America. The book doesn't cover the events that led up to this existence replacing the United States, nor does it dwell on "The Future" with flying cars and such. Suzanne Collins created a future that is understated and believable. In fact, it is SO frighteningly realistic, you will believe everything is entirely plausible.
It is what it is - a land which has been separated into 13 districts and ruled by a cruel capitol. Gone are the days of freedom. The world our story takes place in is bleak, but reality for Katniss, a very mature teenage girl whose father was killed in a mining accident. Her mother has lost all coping skills so keeping the family fed has become her greatest responsibility. Survival is tough in District 12. Hunting isn't a sport, but a means of survival. Capitalism is gone, replaced by a meandering existence with no real purpose for living. The only excitement are the Hunger Games, the most disturbing reality show ever created. It's more than a reality show - it's bigger than the super bowl. It's a national lottery where two kids between the ages of 12-18 from each district are selected at random to participate - one boy, one girl. If you are chosen, it's as good as a death sentence. The Hunger Games are a fight to the death and killing all other remaining contestants is the only way out. There is only one winner...and the story begins with Katniss Everdeen's family getting the news that her young sister has been chosen. Katniss feels protective of her younger sister, who is only 12, so she volunteers to take her place - an act that is almost unheard of.
Instantly, Katniss is swept up into a world of dread and pageantry as she prepares for her debut as a contestant in The Hunger Games. If you're a fan of survivor tales and psychological thrillers, you're going to love this. This book also doesn't have an age or gender base of which it will appeal to most, which is great. You can recommend it to anyone. It's tame enough for younger readers who can stomach the violent subject matters. The characters are also mature enough where adults can easily slip into the roles without much difficulty as well. I've heard this book compared to Battle Royale: The Novel by Koushun Takami, The Most Dangerous Game - Richard Connell's Original Masterpiece, House of Stairs by William Sleator, The Running Man (Special Edition) and even fans of the TV reality series Survivor - The Complete First Season. In book form, it's a PG rating. The violence is loathed, not glorified. There are various sub-plots that will reinforce the fact that you won't want to put this book down once you start reading it. Psychological elements of who you can trust, who you can't, a romance that leaves the reader and the protagonists scratching their heads and the thrill of strategic victories make this positively addicting. Cat and mouse fear fests abound throughout.
What will hook you about this novel? It's written as realistically as watching a reality show feels. Everything unfolds like you are watching it on camera. There are no dull moments. Unlike TV reality shows where there is time to hear plenty of gossiping, complaining or watching contestants laze around on hammocks, there is none of that here. Every second is a fight to survive as the contestants are thrown into a wilderness setting where knowledge of plant life, weaponry, strategy, and their own cleverness are the only things standing between themselves and a sure death. If you're a superbowl fan, you know you can't just turn the TV off and watch the recorded version some other time. You have to sit and watch the whole game. That's how this book is - you can't put it down until you reach the conclusion. Brilliant book! Can't wait to read the sequels!
Book Review: Absolutely Spoiler Free Review (if you've managed to not hear anything about this yet...)
Summary: 5 Stars
So after months of seeing nothing but blog post after blog post for the release of Mockingjay, the third book in The Hunger Games Trilogy, after hearing a very close friend rave about the series, I caved. I went out and bought the first book, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.
In the post-apocalyptic world, where North America once lay, is the country of Panem. With it's shining Capitol at the center of twelve districts. The Capitol rules all. The very lives of the people are not even under their own control, they live and die by the Capitol's generosity and greed.
Seventy-five years ago there were thirteen districts, and there was a rebellion. The districts rose up against the rule of the Capitol. And were squashed. District 13 was destroyed utterly and the other twelve live an even more bleak existence. Since then, the Capitol, to remind the people of their absolute power and the futility of dissent, has required that each district provide two tributes. One girl and one boy between the ages of twelve and eighteen are taken to compete in the Hunger Games. A nationally televised event that pits these children against each other, and only one can come out alive.
When sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen steps forward to take her place in the Seventy-Fourth Hunger Games she regards it as a death sentence. Having to feed and provide for her mother and younger sister for the last several years has made Katniss persevere. She already knows how to fight to live, how to endure difficulties, and it will take every inch of her abilities in order to gain success. But if she's going to win, Katniss is going to face hard decisions. Life against love. Survival against humanity. And at the end of it all, if she actually manages to succeed, will she be someone she can live with?
Because I know there are people out there that haven't read these yet, I'm going to try to remain spoiler free. I really believe that this series is one that's best enjoyed as it unfolds. Suzanne Collins did a wonderful job of pulling me along and wringing emotions out of me, from smiles, to tears, to outright shock.
Katniss has had a hard life. She lost her father quite a while before the story begins and because her mother was so stricken with grief, it fell to Katniss to make sure that her family lived. She became the main provider, going outside the electrified fences that surround the district in order to hunt. Learning to trade and bargain. Selling and buying in order to keep her sister from ever knowing the depth of despair she had. She's a strong heroine, but she's not perfect.
She makes mistakes, misreads people and their objectives - even when it seems so clear to everyone else - and she can be exceptionally hard-headed. I admit that there were times when I wanted to shake her to make her see the truth of something, but in the end all it did was endear her more to me. Katniss is a heroine you can root for. Flaws and all.
The relationships between Katniss and everyone around her was something I truly enjoyed. For all her rough edges, Katniss has a very big, soft heart and you could easily see that in her thoughts and conversations. From her family, to her mentor for the Games, to her fellow tribute, even other competitors in the arena, each interaction brought more...just more of everything. There were several times I was moved to tears and sometimes I was smiling through them.
Beyond the characters, which I absolutely fell in love with, the world surrounded me in its embrace, holding me tight and showing me everything. I felt involved there, connected to the people and the place. More than anything I wanted to fight alongside them, with them, for them. Ms. Collins paints a vivid picture of a dark and gritty world, brushed with realism that, quite honestly, hit me like a punch to the gut.
With my emotions, frequently, running high I raced through The Hunger Games anxious to see what would happen next. It kept me on the edge of my seat, staying up late into the night. In fact, I finished it around midnight on a Friday, fell asleep and woke up to immediately go to the store to buy the next two. Which I promptly read.
The Hunger Games is a dark, gritty, emotional story filled with pain, joy, loss and love. I definitely recommend it to anyone looking to get lost in a vivid world filled with characters that make you feel and a plot that doesn't let you go.
Book Review: Best Fiction Book I've Ever Read
Summary: 5 Stars
"There's some confusion on the stage. District 12 hasn't had a volunteer in decades and the protocol has become rusty. The rule is that onece a tribute's name has been pulled from the ball, another eligible boy, if a boy's name has been read, or a girl, if a girl's name has been read, can step forward to take his or her place. In some districts, in which winning the reaping is such a great honor, people are eager to risk their lives, the volunteering is complicated. But in District 12, where the word tribute is pretty much synonymous with the word corpse, volunteers are all but extinct." -- From the Hunger Games
Imagine North America in the distant future. It's divvied up into 13 Districts (well, make that 12--the 13th was destroyed by the Capitol when it tried to rebel). Each District creates, harvests or mines a speciality...espressly for the use of the Capitol residents (located near the Rockies). In this world, there are genetically altered animals and humans (sometimes, mashed together) called "muttations", as well as high-tech devices and machines...some that even control the weather. There is also abject poverty and hunger and disease...but not in the comfy, colorful, all-your-desires-at-the-touch-of-a-button Capitol.
Every year, to remind the Districts of the absolute power of the Capitol--and the repurcussions of the past insurgence--there is the Hunger Games. It starts with a lottery of girls and boys ages 12-18. For each year, a child's name goes in an additional time. With many hungry, children put there name in multiple times in order to get precious grain and oil to feed their families for a year. Of course, this means a greater chance to be chosen as a tribute...
What's the Hunger Games, exactly? Well, 24 children--a boy and a girl from each District--is chosen to compete to the death. Only one can survive. Tributes don't know what the terrain will be--it could be desert or arctic or forest or some other hellish landscape. The Gamemakers boobytrap the area with disasters or unleash one of the vicious "muttations" into the arena. And weapons are provided. If you can get your hand on them before being killed by a fellow tribute or land mines or other traps...
Oh, and it's televised. And it's been going on for 74 years.
In fact, each tribute can get "sponsors", depending on how the stylist makes them look during the entrance, the success of the personal interview, the score the Gamemakers give during the private exhibition before the Games, etc. Sponsorship, and the "gifts" that are delivered via silver parachute, can mean the difference between life and death during The Hunger Games.
Barbaric? Absolutely.
But somehow, author Suzanne Collins makes The Hunger Games much more than just a post-apocalyptic, dystopian YA book. Somehow, this books has HEART...even among the violence, cruelty and dispair. The main character (and she IS a heroine in every sense of the word) Katniss Everdeen wins you over almost immediately. Peeta Mellark is equally likable.
The names, the memorable characters, the descriptions, the plot, the pacing, this believable, mesmerizing futuristic North American world--everything about this book is superb. In fact, I can't remember the last time I read a real "page turner"--an honest-to-goodness, OMG, I can't stop reading, page-turner. And my husband felt the same way! He devoured both this book and book 2 (Catching Fire). And we have Mockingjay on pre-order. (I'm reading Catching Fire now. WOW. This looks to be as good as Book 1, The Hunger Games!).
Even if you can't stomach violence very well, especially with children, you will still love The Hunger Games. (My husband couldn't finish The Maze Runner and he was almost at the very end of that book. Yet, he ADORES The Hunger Games!). Having said that, I wouldn't let my pre-teen read this book. It's at the far end of PG-13--or even R. (If it were a realistic movie, it would have to be R.)
I never, ever re-read fiction books and yet, I'm longing to go back and re-read The Hunger Games already. Highly, highly recommended!
-- Janet Boyer, author of Back in Time Tarot