The Hunger Games - Review by Dan Wireman

The Hunger Games

by Suzanne Collins

Review by Dan Wireman

            I know plenty of survival skills, but I have never  had to put them to use in a televised fight to the death. This is exactly what Katniss Everdeen is forced to do in the epic novel The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. In Panem, where Katniss lives, the games are the capitols best weapon, and best entertainment.

          Katniss and her best friend, Gale, were the characters that I could relate to the most. They spent most of their time in the woods outside their district, hunting to feed their families. Hunting is illegal though and is punishable by death, but the two of them risk it to feed their families so they don’t starve like so many others in the poorest of the 12 districts, of Panem, district 12.

          Far away from where Katniss lives is the capitol. The government there, led by president Snow, is harsh to the districts, particularly the poorer ones. They claim to still give protection to then though. Long ago there had been 13 districts. Anger had been building in some of the outlying districts though. When district 13 rebelled against the capitol, the district was completely destroyed. Now as punishment for the uprising, every district is forced to send two tributes, one boy and one girl into the Hunger Games, a televised fight to the death. There can be only one winner.

          Katniss does everything in her power to protect her little sister, Prim. Their father was killed in a mining accident, and since then, their mother shows no interest in anything. It is up to Katniss to take over and protect her little sister. But the games are something she cant control, and when Prim is picked as tribute, Katniss volunteers to take her place.

          The genre of the book would have to be science fiction. Colins has created her own world, a world far to futuristic to be anything but science fiction.

          I really liked this book because of how fast paced it is. It was very interesting, and it quickly and fluently transferred to what was happening.

          The idea that children could be forced from their homes to fight against twenty four other kids for entertainment purposes was intriguing. Katniss is handy with a bow and a knife, but does  she have the strength to win the games? Pick up a copy and find out for yourself.