Book Information:
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Title: The Hunger Games
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Author: Suzanne Collins
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Cover Artist: Tim O'Brien
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Published: 2008 (book 1)
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Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
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Pages: 374
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Genre:
Young Adult/Science Fiction
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My Genre Category: Young Adult/Dystopian
Summary (Courtesy of Goodreads)
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 Primrose, 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 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 will weigh survival against humanity and life against love
Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister Primrose, 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 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 will weigh survival against humanity and life against love
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Some spoilers in general about the book will be noted ahead of time*
My
Review
General
Comments
Because
there is movie coming out in March, I thought I would review this book now.
Normally,
this is not my style of book. I like happy endings and moments in books. This
does not mean that there are no nice moments in Hunger Games, but happiness is not a key factor in this book. When
discussing the Hunger Games with
friends, I had a slight struggle coming up with the right description for the
book. Maybe it was because I'm not used to reading this kind of genre? For
whatever reason, the closest description that I could come up with is a
"dystopian" and survival book. No, not surviving the end of the world—surviving
life in Panem. I rented this book from Amazon Prime on my Kindle. I just
finished book two, and will complete the series next month when I rent the last
one. This review is for book one only.
Characters
Hunger Games
mainly focuses on Katniss. Other main characters that we learn more about is
Peeta (the other contender from District 12), and Haymitch. Because of the life
that Katniss leads (even prior to the Game) makes the readers wonder how Panem
got be the way it was. No wonder she has issues with feeling such as love
(except for the kind that she feels towards her sister).
**Possible
spoilers below**
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Her
best friend, Gale, is hardly in the book although she thinks of him throughout.
I don't think there was enough depth to their relationship to make me believe
that she would have ended up with him if she did not go into the Games. I admit
that it could have happened.
Therefore, I didn't feel too betrayed in the middle and end of the book with
what happened with Peeta. In other
words, I don't feel a strong love triangle here—just a confused girl in bad
world.
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**End
of possible spoilers**
Peeta
seems like a nice boy and fairly transparent. Haymitch has his moments. He has
a few more layers than Peeta. As a final note, I must mention that I did like
Cinna (the stylist). He seemed like a genuinely good guy.
Plot
The
plot is straightforward in that you know that Katniss will be entering this
Game with competitors from the other districts. It is about survival and not
only in the Game but in Panem life. There is starvation and inequality in the
country as well as those who enter the games. Any acts of rebellion are out of
the question unless you want to be killed and/or your family. It shows
sacrifice, perseverance, cunningness, instincts, and consequences. Considering
there are two books that follow this one, the reader knows that Katniss will
make it to the next ones, but you are not sure how she will do that. Does she
kill her fellow opponents? What about those that she "owes" or has an
alliance with? There are surprises despite the straightforward plot.
Writing
Style
Because
you are reading through Katniss's point of view, you are restricted to her
thoughts and actions, relying on others filling you in when something happens
elsewhere. The style is written for young adults and provides an easy read. The
author also likes to take the reader back through flashbacks to help explain
things.
Thinking
about reading the book?
This
book might not be for everyone. It's not the type of I would say "I love
the story in this book!" because it is a constant struggle for the protagonist.
The setting is one I would never wish to be put in. However, it is a story that
denotes overcoming obstacles and surviving in a harsh world. If you like
slightly futuristic, science fiction, survival, and dystopian stories this book
would be for you.
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