The Hunger Games

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  Hunger Games opens in District 12 of Panem, located in the Appalachian Mountains of the former United States of America. The Capitol, the seat of government of Panem, is located in the Rockies. After the dissolution of the USA and the formation of Panem, the poor districts surrounding the Capitol revolted. Using technology and science, the revolutionaries were crushed, district 13 was erradicated and Capitol instituted a practice called the Hunger Games.

  Every year, an event called th... (show more)

  Hunger Games opens in District 12 of Panem, located in the Appalachian Mountains of the former United States of America. The Capitol, the seat of government of Panem, is located in the Rockies. After the dissolution of the USA and the formation of Panem, the poor districts surrounding the Capitol revolted. Using technology and science, the revolutionaries were crushed, district 13 was erradicated and Capitol instituted a practice called the Hunger Games.

  Every year, an event called the Reaping takes place in each of the the 12 districts. All children between the ages of 12 to 18 are required to place their names in a lottery to choose one girl and one boy to become tributes from the district to "play" in the Hunger Games.

  The Hunger Games are a reality television event in which the children are required to kill each other until only one is left. The main character, Katniss (16 years old), volunteers to be the district's tribute after her sister's name is drawn. The Hunger Games chronicles Katniss' experience in the games.

  While the story is an interesting mix of Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card, The Running Man by Richard Bachman (Stephen King) and the movie Battle Royale, Collins adds enough of her own story to make this novel truly affecting and interesting. Katniss is a dynamic character who matures organically. I was seriously disturbed by the fact that children being forced to murder one another had become a major entertainment event for the disaffected individuals living in Capitol. There is a loss of humanity and empathy in all people from Capitol, including the people who try to help the tributes. As kind as the people of Capitol were to Katniss at various points, I was left wanting to shake them into realizing how fucked up watching CHILDREN kill one another was.

  This novel addresses many dark themes, but it never suffocates the reader with them. There was a lack to the book which may be explained by the fact that there is a sequel in the work. I'm eagerly awaiting the sequel. This is a must read. The book is a quick read and is considered Young Adult. (show less)

   

   

  by Emily M Schulz on Feb 07, 2009 at 05:01PM

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  To be honest, I was a bit apprehensive to read this. At the back of my
  mind, another young adult? And plus, there was always that huge poster in the "Bestsellers' section in the bookstore with Stephenie Meyer's comments about the book that plays in my head saying there's no doubt we should read it with as much enthusiasm as her books. Gahd, I dunno why they even have to do that? As if being on the bestseller's list wasn't enough publicity as it already is.

  Anyway, The Hunger Games was ... (show more)

  To be honest, I was a bit apprehensive to read this. At the back of my
  mind, another young adult? And plus, there was always that huge poster in the "Bestsellers' section in the bookstore with Stephenie Meyer's comments about the book that plays in my head saying there's no doubt we should read it with as much enthusiasm as her books. Gahd, I dunno why they even have to do that? As if being on the bestseller's list wasn't enough publicity as it already is.

  Anyway, The Hunger Games was first and foremost very original, plot, character names and settings-wise. That, I fully found interesting. It takes little for me to get bored with a book and I found myself turning page after page, anticipating what will happen next.

  The love angle wasn't exaggerated and I found myself get kilig-ed at just the right amounts. And this is a good thing because when I picture my 7th grade cousin reading this, I'm comforted at the thought that she won't be reading something she cannot fully handle just yet. (Ahem book four of another author who disguises as a young adult novel!)

  It was a bit more graphic than I think a young adult novel should be. Imagine Survivor meets Lost. Gore factor, check, but nothing that's more than necessary to develop the story.

  And then there's the Rue side of things. Okay so I cried a little. I'm a big sister so that got me. I just wish it lasted a few more days for them y'know?

  So all in all I give The Hunger Games four and a half stars. I loved the originality as every other young adult novel that I come across with these days would borderline trite (case in point: vampires). Love story was there but was not rubbed in your face. I found myself on the lookout for the main characters while they traipsed along the arena and worried when one of them got hurt.

  Guess that's what a good book does to you, for a few fleeting moments you leave your world and find yourself within their realm --fingers crossed, that even in a twist of fate your main characters will end up heroes and that the love story will have a happy ending even if the real you knows it's least likely. (show less)

   

   

  by Kyela Lasangue on Oct 06, 2009 at 09:39AM

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