My review on The Hunger Game
The United States are not split into 12 districts controlled by one capital and ruled by a dictatorship. In the book The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins she does a fantastic job of telling us what it would be like if it was like that. Suzanne lives in Connecticut but grew up in New York. She got the inspiration for this New York Times Bestseller when she was channel surfing one day, she saw a game show on one channel and Iraq footage on another; she started to mix these two ideas and then The Hunger Games was born.
The country this takes place is called Panem (it is what is now North America.). There are twelve districts and a capital that controls them all. There was once thirteen, but the districts had rebelled against the unruly capital and lost 13 was destroyed for starting the rebellion and thus the games were made to remind the districts who’s in charge. The games are a fight to the death, Only one winner in arena; the contestants are one boy and one girl from each district.
The story is told through the eyes of a sixteen year-old girl names Katniss Everdeen. She lives with her mother and her little sister Prim who just turned twelve so she has to enter the drawings for the games. She takes us on her journey through the tough life in the district 12 and the horrific events of The Hunger Games.
The strong determination of Katniss to keep going a make things better for her sister and the districts is what keeps the reader engaged. She tells the story in such a way that really helps readers see and feel the things she feels and see on her journey. It has that edge of your seat Cliff hangers that leave readers begging for more and the action that everyone likes to see.
“I don’t care if we’re rich. I just want you to come home. You will try, won’t you? Really, really try?’ asks prim. ‘Really, really try. I swear it,’ I say. And I know, because of Prim, I’ll have to” (Collins 36)
This is just one of many quotes where Katniss tells us that she doesn’t want to survive for herself; she has to for Prim and her mother. This is a common theme throughout the Hunger Games series. But what Katniss doesn’t know is everyone else is also doing everything they can to keep her alive. Katniss doesn’t necessarily want to live, She just wants to do enough to get prim a better life.
Suanne Collins has picked two really good characters for this book. Katniss is sixteen and she is living in the seam (where the poor workers families live). She is a very grown up young lady, but she’s had to be to keep Prim alive and her and her mother. Her father died in a mining accident and her mother pretty much died with him. Katniss is very strong willed and will do anything in her power to keep the food on the table for her family. Peeta Mellark is the boy tribute that was picked for the games. He is seventeen years-old, soft spoken and very polite, but when he talks everyone listens, He’s a great leader. At home he’s a baker and has saved Katnisse’s life once already, when she was going to starve to death. But once in the games, he risks his life with the tributes most likely to win (the careers).
In this first book the plot is pretty much set up by Katniss. She is planning on winning these games and defying the capital. She wants them to know that they do not own her and will not control her.
I would rate this book a 10 out of 10. New York Times have called it “Brilliantly plotted and perfectly paced.” It is also a bestseller since its release in 2008. Now you don’t need to listen to those reviews, but I do not read and even I could not put this book down.
If you want and edge of your seat thrilling book. Something that keeps you guessing and makes you have emotions you didn’t know you could have reading a book. Then I would definitely recommend you read The Hunger Games by Suanne Collins.
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