Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games is a violent yet captivating tale that deals with the themes of love, survival, and, most of all, the concept of humanity. It is the first book of The Hunger Games trilogy that is followed by Catching Fire and Mocking Jay. Being a New York Times best seller, it can match up to the Harry Potter Series, the Twilight Saga, and the rest of the popular teen books. This three hundred and seventy four page novel will keep anyone reading for hours and craving for more.
This entrancing tale takes place in the ruins of what used to be North America. In the center of these ruins, there is the nation of Panem, ruled by a technologically advanced and materialistically centered Capital surrounded by twelve districts. The Capital is ruthless and inhumane towards the districts and, in order to keep them under control, forces them to participate in a dangerous game. Each year, all twelve districts must select a boy and a girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in what they call “the hunger games”, were all twenty-four tributes (what the participants of the games are called) must fight to the death until only one is left alive. All the action is captured on live TV and all the inhabitants of each district are forced to watch the bloodshed every year. The main character, Katniss Everdeen from District 12, voluntarily takes her twelve year old sister’s place in the games. Unintentionally, she becomes one of the toughest contenders in the games as she battles her way through the hunger, the thirst, the cold, and the dangers that lurked inside the battle arena.
As I kept reading I found it harder to put the book down. When I was a third way into the novel, I was instantly hooked by the romance that surged between Katniss and the boy tribute from the district 12. In the hunger games, there is no room for romance; all the tributes must fight to the death. What also kept me reading was the fact that Katniss became friends with the youngest tribute in the games, a twelve-year old from District 11. Katniss found a liking to her because she somewhat resembled her little sister. As the plot thickens, Katniss was forced to make a choice between her own survival or the survival those she holds dear to her heart. The final outcome of the first novel of this trilogy led me straight to the book store to buy the second book and start reading right away.
The Hunger Games is a very violent and shocking novel for a young-adults; it gives the readers a new perspective on human nature. This story kept me thinking about the horrors that humans are capable of; when pitted against each other, even the most civilized person can turn into a wild, blood thirsty beast. On the other hand, the participants in these games had no choice but to kill in order to survive, so it seems their actions are justified. Suzanne Collins did an excellent job in showing the best and worst sides of humanity through this intense work of literature. Overall, The Hunger Games is a very exciting book to read and is in the process of becoming a movie that will be released in March 23, 2012.