The Hunger Games

Author: Suzanne Collins

Release: July 1, 2010

Rating:    

       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 send 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 is forced to represent her district in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead 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.

      Katniss Everdeen has known loss, she lost both of her parents in a mining accident that killed her father, and took away her mother's will to live. Katniss pushed through the pain to bring herself, her mother, and her sister back from the brink of death. In a world where independence is an offense punishable by death, Katniss has found success and as a hunter within her outlying district. The only person she has grown to rely on and trust is her friend Gale. He hunts with her, confides in her, even asks to run away with her. Gale is her rock, he vows to take care of her family while she is away at the Hunger Games.

      As penance for rebelling against the capitol, each district is required to send one boy and one girl (ages 12-18) to a deathmatch which will be aired on live television. This displays the power of the Capitol and acts as a reminder of the price of rebellion. The Capitol can and will take your children, murder them, and make you watch. How sick is that?

      Katniss does everything she can to ensure the best odds for her little sister, Prim. All extra food rations are bought with Katniss' extra entries leaving Prim with just one name entry for her first Reaping. As luck would have it, Prim is the girl tribute selected for her district throwing Katniss into action as District 12's first volunteer...ever.

      I don't want to say too much more, as it would give away the story, but Suzanne Collins weaves together a wonderful tale. I actually felt the anxiety, fear and pain with Katniss throughout the Games. Every loss, every kill, every injury. The deaths in the book are not overly graphic, but she does not depict them so lightly that the reader can find humor in the situation. Very few writers can achieve such a balance, especially for such a young age group.

      Of course there are some major differences between the movie and the book, so even if you have already seen it, you should definitely get out there and grab you a copy today! In fact, grab the whole trilogy because once you finish one, you'll want to hop right into the next one.