The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games

Suzanne Collins

374 pages

Rating: 5/5

Could you survive on your own, in the wild, with everyone out to make sure you don't live to see the morning?

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 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.

My Thoughts:

I am not sure what I could say about this book that someone hasn't said.  Being 2 years old, I'm sure most of you have heard about The Hunger Games and heard the hype that came along with it (especially when Mockingjay came out).  Just like Harry Potter, I put off reading these books.  Partly, because there is apart of me that does not want to be a follower but wants to be original.  Partly because I knew that something everyone talked about being "so incredible" could only bring me disappointment.  Then, this morning at 5 am, I was reading some blog posts, just browsing to wake myself up, and I stumbled upon My Overstuffed Bookshelf's review of The Hunger Games.  I can honestly relate to over half of what she was saying about putting it off.  I just kept procrastinating and putting it off and keeping it on my TBR shelf.  Well, this morning I finally said, "OK!  I get it!  I'll read it!" And I sat down and started it immediately.

What I didn't expect to do was finish it.  I believe I read this entire book in one sitting (minus one bathroom break for the puppy and myself).  I have been snuggled on my couch while it snows outside for almost 5 hours.  Not a personal record, but definitely not what I imagined the first five hours of my day to shape up to be.

Ok for those of you are don't like to be followers, who held out on Twilight (the books) and Harry Potter, don't let your pride keep you from a great enjoyable read!  What the heck was I thinking, having this book in my possession for TWO WEEKS and not reading it?!  The Hunger Games was a fast-paced, wonderful read that surprised me throughout the novel.  It wasn't all blood/guts/killing like I thought it would be.  In fact, there's a pretty great story line to it.  I was shocked at how fast-paced it was (partly because I was expecting the Games to happen throughout the three novels).  Plus, never once did I think, oh my, I've been reading for so long.  Instead, I looked up and said to Benentt, "Where did the time go?!"

Like I have said before, there have many, many praising reviews on this book.  So I will not attempt to write about literary qualities, the depth of the characters, or the sentence structure and quality of Collins' writing.  Instead, I will simply say that I loved Katniss as a main character.  I felt her struggle and brief moments of happiness throughout the whole book.  I love Peeta.  In my mind, he's completely adorable, surprisingly resourceful, and I can't wait to read more about both of them in the next novel.

I gave this book one of my rare five star ratings, because I loved it!  I can't wait to get ahold of the next book, and I am excited to see what unfolds for Katniss, Peeta, Gale, and Prim.  Perhaps it's not the most well-written story ever read or has the most suspense out of all the novels in the world.  I'm sure others could find flaws in it.  But it's not each of the individual characteristics of the book that make it wonderful, it's all of them put together.  I loved it.  I read it in one morning, and I will brag about it to most anyone I meet.  If you haven't read it, go read it.  I promise it won't disappoint.  It's one of those books you don't sigh at end because you're frustrated with some flaw, wanted it to end differently, or just were dissatisfied with it in general.  You sigh because it's over and you are transformed back to the living world.