AUTHOR: Suzanne Collins
STARTED: October 14, 2009
FINISHED: October 16, 2009
PAGES: 374
GENRE: Juvenile
FIRST SENTENCE: When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold.
SUMMARY: [From barnesandnoble.com] Sixteen-year-old Katniss is smart, athletic, and fast. She can take down a rabbit with a bow and arrow, hitting it straight through the eye. Will these skills be enough to survive the Hunger Games?
Suzanne Collins, the author of the middle-grade fantasy series The Underland Chronicles begins anew, exploring a future landscape that will be familiar to devotees of science fiction's dystopic strain. In a nation called Panem, which occupies the landmass that is the present United States, a parasitical fascist Capitol dominates 12 conquered districts. There was a thirteenth district but it was obliterated during a rebellion. The totalitarian government keeps the subjected populations in line by threatened devastation, starvation, and brutality.
THOUGHTS: Katie, my dear, THANK YOU!
Katie recommended this book to me and it was utterly spectacular. This is why you should always be open to reading recommendations; you'll be steered toward spectacular books that you may otherwise completely miss. Hunger Games is the perfect blend of drama, thriller, romance, and kick-ass heroine who solves the problem of how to show young girls strong female leads. I adored this book.
Collins has crafted the type of book that I don't seem to find anymore. I read it in two days. In fact, I was angry that I had stuff to do because all I wanted to do was read this book. I even made The Boyfriend wait as I finished up the final pages.
Katniss is a complex and complicated girl on the cusp of woman hood. She is thrown into a completely dramatic and deadly situation. Not only does she have to fight to survive physically, she has to manage to remain true to herself. On top of that, she's worried about her own understanding of the world and people around her. Katniss is a strong heroine who also has doubts and second guesses herself. She can also be completely obtuse. Her character is totally believable and I cannot wait to see how she handles herself and grows in the next two books.
The additional cast of characters all blend and mesh perfectly. (You know people are raring at the bit to make a move out of this one.) Unlike other novels with strong leads, Collins gives her secondary characters back stories and complex emotions. They are not set pieces in anyway. Sometimes, the secondary characters - particularly Peeta and Haymitch - are more complex than Katniss. Each character acts and reacts in a fashion that is both true to their characters and advances the plot. There is no unnecessary drama or plot twists that come out of left field. The characters are allowed to be who they are and it's magic to watch them interact.
Collins has crafted a book that is both and entertaining read and a study of life that does not come across as preachy or condescending. In many ways, Hunger Games is allegorical. It speaks of the dangers of entertainment society and oppressive, big-brother government without being superior or fatalistic. The story feels completely raw and offers a view into what could be.
I cannot wait to get my hands on the next book.
RATING: 9/10 [Excellent!]
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