The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

From Amazon - In a not-too-distant future, the United States of America has collapsed, weakened by drought, fire, famine, and war, to be replaced by Panem, a country divided into the Capitol and 12 districts. Each year, two young representatives from each district are selected by lottery to participate in The Hunger Games. Part entertainment, part brutal intimidation of the subjugated districts, the televised games are broadcasted throughout Panem as the 24 participants are forced to eliminate their competitors, literally, with all citizens required to watch. When 16-year-old Katniss's young sister, Prim, is selected as the mining district's female representative, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She and her male counterpart, Peeta, the son of the town baker who seems to have all the fighting skills of a lump of bread dough, will be pitted against bigger, stronger representatives who have trained for this their whole lives. Collins's characters are completely realistic and sympathetic as they form alliances and friendships in the face of overwhelming odds; the plot is tense, dramatic, and engrossing. This book will definitely resonate with the generation raised on reality shows like 'Survivor' and 'American Gladiator.' 

I'm going to be honest from the start.  I love these books.  I haven't loved a book series so much since Harry Potter.  This is actually the third time I've read this series in the past 4 months.  I will try to be objective, but it will be tough as it will be very hard for me to find any fault.


I've also decided to review these individually, so "Let the 74th Hunger Games" begin!

Collins sets up a very bleak, gray world to start this book.  Even the characters are described in a monochromatic way, dark hair, dark skin, gray eyes.  We see immediately that Katniss is a survivor, as she is introduced while getting ready to go out and provide for her family.  As she is only a young teen, we see that she already has much on her slender shoulders.  The initial pages introduce us to her Katniss's family as well, her mother and younger sister.  Gale, her best friend and hunting partner, is described with similar coloring, though as quite handsome. 

Quickly, we find that today is no ordinary day, though Katniss and Gale go about it as normally as possible.  Today is the day of the "reaping", which we, the reader, don't initially understand.  Later, though, we find out that the reaping is the day that each year, two tributes are selected to participate in the Hunger Games, a sadistic yearly ritual where the teenagers of each of the twelve districts surrounding the Capitol are placed into an arena to fight to the death. 

The reaping in the Hunger Games is the catalyst that sets up the rest of the story.  When Katniss's younger sister, Prim is chosen from the reaping ball, Katniss reacts instinctively, choosing to volunteer for her sister.  Within these first few pages, we the reader, are given an insight to what kind of person Katniss is.  She's resourceful, protective, has an incredible survivor instinct (obviously over-ridden by her need to protect her sister), but also jaded and cynical.  She and Gale have a conversation about the injustice of the Games, but rather than join in his rants about the Capitol, Katniss takes a more passive, "well what can we do about it?" attitude.  Of course, that question is answered later in the series.

At the reaping, we are also introduced a few other major characters.  Haymitch, the drunken former victor who now must mentor District 12's tributes every year.  Peeta, the male tribute counterpart to Katniss in the Hunger Games.  Effie, the ever positive chaperone to the District 12 tributes who initially longs to be promoted to a more affluent district.

Peeta especially becomes an important character, as he and Katniss become very close in the Games and share a moment in their past that Katniss has never been able to forget.  He is the baker's son, and is described as stocky and strong.  As it turns out, he also has the gift of gab, and is able to charm the Capitol audience and make not only himself, but Katniss as well, sympathetic to both the Capitol residents and the reading audience.

Collins weaves a story that truly grips at the heart.  She creates characters so real that you understand them, and their actions.  Even the minor characters are fully fleshed out.  For example, Katniss has a "prep team" to prepare her image for the Games, which includes three Capitol hair/make up people.  Though they talk quickly, and are always seen together in their limited screen time, you can tell each of the three apart from each other. 

I wish I could detail each character individually, but there are so many, and as I've said they are all fully fleshed out characters that could take up a page to themselves.  I'll just say that the female tribute from District 11, a slight twelve-year old named Rue is especially heart tugging.

Being a book centered around fighting to the death, there is plenty of action.  Katniss rarely has a chance to breathe while in the arena.  With 23 other tributes, as well as the Gamemakers out to make sure that the Games never get boring for those watching at home, Katniss is constantly on her toes.  There is hand to hand combat, fireball attacks, Capitol-made mutts, as well as meeting basic needs such as food and water to contend with. 

In most young adult books, the boy/girl relationships take center stage with the plot and action nearly a backdrop for the drama.  In the Hunger Games, the opposite is true.  While Katniss and Peeta do develop a "star-crossed lovers" relationship, it very much pales in comparison to everything else that is going on.  This is something that I truly appreciated while reading The Hunger Games, as I typically feel that an author is just trying to create "shipping wars" among their readers rather than truly develop a story.  Collins does both, as I've researched the books, there are definitely wars between "Team Gale" and "Team Peeta", I never feel as though this was Collins' intent.

What makes this book, in particular, so amazing is how invested you become in the outcome of the Games.  A mid-game rule change brings hope to the tributes as well as to the reader.  The conclusion is one that will stir debate as to Katniss's true intentions.  The fall-out from the Games is true, honest, and will leave you anxious to read Catching Fire.