Winning means fame and fortune.
Losing means certain certain death.
The Hunger Games have begun …
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 once 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 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 weight survival against humanity and life against love.
The Hunger Games Review
With the release of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, I knew it was time to re-read The Hunger Games. While I loved the series the first time around, I was nervous as to whether it would stand the test of time.
Spoiler alert: The Hunger Games totally stands the test of time.
Set in a dystopian world, The Hunger Games follows Katniss as she volunteers as tribute for the annual games. Since the Capitol wants to remind the districts of the past, only one will survive the games.
The characters in this book are just great. Katniss is aggressive and bold but she’s also loyal and brave. The love she has for her sister Prim and her friends is so admirable. I also just love how blunt she is.
Peeta and Haymitch are also great characters. They each bring out a different side of Katniss and are integral to her gameplay. It’s interesting to see how they both affect her emotions and her overall game.
While the theme of a fight to the death is not the greatest to read about, it’s a total page turner. There’s something about the dystopian world that really draws you in. And the Capitol itself is intriguing – especially given their weird obsession with watching children fight to the death.
But years after reading this book for the first time, I still found myself wanting to know more. Suzanne Collins really leaves you with the feeling that you’re in that arena beside Katniss.
Even years after reading it the first time, I constantly turned the page wanting to know more. Suzanne Collins leaves you with the feeling that you’re in that arena beside Katniss. This is definitely because of her writing, it’s just impeccable.
Overall, The Hunger Games is a great read. Whether you’re reading it for the first time or years later, it draws you in. I’m so happy I decided to give this series another read in preparation for The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.
Rating: ★★★★★
Favourite Quote
Here’s some advice. Stay alive.
About the Author
Suzanne Collins is the author of the bestselling Underland Chronicles series, which started with Gregor the Overlander. Her groundbreaking young adult novels, The Hunger Games, Catching Fire and Mockingjay, were New York Times bestsellers, received wide praise, and were the basis for four popular fims. Year of the Jungle, her picture book based on the year her father was deployed in Vietnam, was published in 2013 to great critical acclaim. To date, her books have been published in fifty-three languages around the world.
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[…] Fire picks up after the events of the first book, The Hunger Games. The series follows Katniss Everdeen, who lives in a dystopian world and volunteers as tribute for […]