The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The Hunger Games Trilogy, Book #1

Next book in series:Catching Fire
Publisher:  Scholastic Press
Release Date:  October 1, 2008
Hardcover: 374 Pages
Age Group: Young Adult (12+)
Author Website

Rating:

Could you survive on your own, in the wild, with every one out to make sure you don't live to see the morning? 

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to second one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to death before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love. 

When I first got this in the mail about a year or two ago, I quickly set it aside after seeing the not very alluring cover. After days went by I finally decided to try and look past the cover and see what it was about. So I did, and was still not very into wanting it on my reading list. It sounded a bit interesting, but not enough to really draw me in.

But now, lately, I've seen this book and it's series around everywhere. I couldn't shake this series. I started reading reviews on it and all of them have been great reviews. I have not seen one bad review so far! Basically all of them are five or four stars. So I finally decided to sit down and try and read it.

I told myself that I would read the first 10 pages before I went to bed and if it didn't catch my attention and if I didn't remember what I had read the next day, then I would set it aside again and try and read it at a later time when I was more in the mood for it.

The next day came and I remember everything and was more interested in reading it! And I'm so glad that it caught my attention because this is one GREAT book. I can see what all the hype is about it now and why I see "Team Peeta" and "Team Gail" around everywhere! Which, by the way, I am completely "Team Peeta". Not that there is anything wrong with Gail, he's a nice character. But Peeta has me completely won over!

I can see the meaning of the cover now and it fits with the book well. It may not be one of my favorite covers, but I appreciate it a bit more now after reading the book.

Collins' world building is prodigious, but scary! I can't imagine being able to live in Panem. The world is already upsetting enough, but not as upsetting as her world would be. Can you imagine being forced to sit down and watch twelve through eighteen year olds fight to the death as entertainment? I couldn't!

The characters in this book were real and believable. I couldn't help but want to know more about the other tributes as they were killed off, one by one. Each one had their own personality and it was sad to see them killed.

Katniss was the perfect heroine. She was strong, and selfless, and intelligent and her family was her top priority, which is highly admirable.

Collins' left nothing out, you read from Katniss point-of-view at all times as though you were really in her mind, watching everything she sees and does. Even though the chapters leaves off in amazing cliff hangers, she starts right back up from where it left off. Which I really liked. Her writing style kept you reading and at the edge of your seat.

This review is really hard for me to write because this book completely blew me away and I can't type fast enough to even begin to tell you everything about what is going on in my mind about this book. I highly appreciate the honesty that Collins' put into this book, no matter how disturbing her world was, and I can't wait to continue the series and see what else she has install for us.

I recommend this to anyone who would love to be put into a world different, but somewhat the same, as our own. Also, even if the book doesn't sound appealing to you, please try and at least give it a chance and read a chapter of two before you completely dismiss the book. You will be missing out on a wonderful book that I can see as a classic one day.