The Hunger Games: Movie Tie-in Edition

I have read many of the reviews on the Hunger Games series. I agree with many and not so much with others ... but that's the great thing about book discussions. Gaining different perspective from others can often make us open our minds to things in ways we never thought of. One reviewer wrote that Hunger Games is not a new idea but rather just a retelling of Battle Royal. Well, I have a theory on this, and I will keep it simple. As a musician, we often hear "there are no more original ideas, it's how you play the music". I think the same can be said for almost any book as well. It is all in the way you tell the story ...Hunger Games, WOW! Could there be a more mind-blowing concept for a story! I found myself torn between what Suzanne Collins was trying to take a jab at (in a good way). Was she poking at society? Was she poking at the media? Was she poking about classes and segregation? Was she making a point about bad fashion? Was she making a point of it all? Absolutely brilliant writing ... I don't care what anyone else says! I was engulfed in the story from the first chapter of book one and could not put it down. I read all three books in one week. AH-MAZE-ING story telling! Thank you Suzanne!!Could there be a more deliciously brutal and screwed up world? The facts are simple, and so so so awfully intriguing! To sum it up ... greed destroyed the world, to survive they divided it into 13 poverty stricken districts to which each provide a resource that is delivered to the rich and glutenous Capitol, District 13 fights back and is squashed by the Capitol, as punishment each district must give up one boy and one girl between ages 12 and 18 to fight to the death as a reminder to know their place in society .... and the whole thing is televised ENTERTAINMENT for the Capitol. And that is just the tip of this very complex iceberg. The further you dig the more substance you find. Suzanne Collins is an EXCELLENT story teller.Hunger Games - as mentioned above, is an excellently twisted tale with adventure, love triangle, intrigue and deception. The characters will suck you in and make you love them! The love triangle will keep you guessing (and hoping)! The action will keep you on the edge of your seat! The atrocity will piss you off! Rue will make you bawl your eyes out! And I can promise you that when the ending rolls around you will absolutely rush out to get that second book!!**One thing I want to strongly advise here! If you saw the movie, do yourself a favor and READ THE BOOK!! Suzanne Collins had to cry with the final cut of the movie. While I think the actors did a wonderful job, the director did not do a good job of telling the story ... he missed the entire point and feel of the books completely! Please, read the books! The movie does not do them justice.**Normally my reviews are full of spoilers. This time however, I did my best to leave as much out as possible. I didn't want to ruin a thing! It is rare that I give anything 5 stars (whether I write the review or rate it in my head). The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins is by far one of the best series I have read in 2012! I can not recommend it high enough! If you like action, emotion, love triangles, dystopia, excellent character development, and excellent story telling ... then this is YOUR story! Stop reading my review and go read the book already! I promise you, it will not disappoint!~*~ Rhea

As I write this review there are now 1,756 reviews already posted; which is a lot of reviews when you think about it. I seriously doubt if I will be able to add one thing in my little effusion here that has not already been said but since it will soon be buried and will probably never be read by another human I suppose that will not matter much.Anyway....I have to tell you that like many folks here I was absolutely hooked on the first page and went through torment when I had to put the thing down in order to eat several times and to sleep once. I cannot remember when a book captivated me so.The plot has been given a pretty well going over here so I will not dwell on that much. The story, as told through the words of a young girl, takes place in a future totalitarian society; America, after things have gone horribly wrong. There is a place called the Capitol which pretty well runs everything and the country has been broken up into twelve districts (There is a thirteenth district but in this book it has been supposedly completely obliterated.) Because these districts had, 75 years ago rebelled against the Capital, they are required to give up two of the children each year, a boy and a girl. These kids are taken to an arena and forced to fight to the death until only one is left. The people in each of these districts are treated like slaves and for the most part are simply starved or worked to death in the end.That in brief, is the essence of the story.Is this somewhat brutal? You bet it is. Is this somewhat horrifying? Most certainly. Is the story plot realistic? Unfortunately, yes it is...quite believable. And this is why so many are reading this work and the two books that follow in this series. The author has done her job. Most of us are horrified and most of us do see the brutality in the situation and most of us deplore it. To be quite frank, I would quite worry about someone who was not horrified and a bit disturbed.I have some random thoughts about this book:The writing is good. We are not talking high literature here, and thank goodness for that. We are talking about a well written story that, after reading the many reviews here and on other sites, holds the readers interest page after page. Excellent plot, excellent dialog, lots of action, very fine character development...it is all here. Maybe it is not to everyone's taste, but it most certainly satisfies the reading needs of a lot of folks...both young and old.The premise of this story is certainly not new. Right off the top of my head I think of the old story "The Lottery," and a more recent novel by Stephen King, "The Long Walk." Both are similar but this idea is no worse the wear for being used again and I really think this author got it better than King did with his shot at it.Designating this work as a YA book is really a bit inaccurate as the age group who will enjoy this thing has a very wide range and in many ways the book is more suited for the adult reader than the pre-teen. I personally would have no problem with a younger child reading this thing, but each child is so different that this would be a hard call to make. I do have a great problem with those folks who seem to want to ban this work from school libraries...that is one of the silliest things I have ever heard of. Folks who want this have no clue as to what their children are reading right now. I recently read three YA books by different authors. In those three books there were vivid descriptions of vampires sucking the blood out of the necks of virgins, (and a goodly number of non-virgins), blatant and casual recreational drug use, sex, group sex (a cool thing to do, by the way), gang rape (no big deal), infidelity, murder, robbery....oh where to stop? I can assure you that none of these subjects were addressed in this book. No folks, our libraries are no longer filled with `Little House in the Big Woods' books...it is more like `Little Meth House in the Big Woods'...truth be told.The concept of having a drawing to decide which child (ages 12 through 18) be sent off to fight to the death is upsetting to be sure. On the other hand, does anyone here remember a thing called The Draft? We have been sending children, and make no mistake, an 18 year old is still something of a child, off to fight and die in wars since the beginning of so called civilization. This concept of not putting children in harms way has never held much water. During most of our previous wars we had children, young men, as young as 15 fighting and dying in them.The author has done a very nice job with the violent scenes. They are well done, not gratuitous in the least bit, are an important part of the story and not overly graphic when compared to a lot of books that are on our shelves today.Taste in books is wide ranging. This book will not be for everyone. I personally found in one of the better reads I have had over the past ten years are so and am already on the third volume of this series and dread that it will soon be over.Don BlankenshipThe Ozarks

This novel has been out for a couple of years now and I have finally made the decision to give it a read. It has been on the top of my "to buy" list for a while now and seeing how I was running out of "must have" novels to read I gave it a shot. To my surprise this novel was fantastic and blew away any doubts of a bad read in my mind. As always I will try to keep my review as unbiased as possible and try to avoid giving away any of the crucial spoilers that we all hate reading about in reviews.Hunger Games//Katniss and her family live in Panera, a futuristic America that is split into 13 districts, and we see the hardships she faces. Katniss spends most of her time hunting in the forbidden forest to provide food for her mother and sister after her father's tragic death in the coal mines. Each year the government has a forced "Hunger Games" where 24 tributes ( two from each district that are teens from ages 12-18 ) are selected to fight to the death, where only one can survive. When Katniss's younger sister is called to be a tribute, Katniss volunteers to take her place without hesitation to face off against fellow district 12 tribute, Peeta, who is the baker's son.The tributes are allowed to get help during their battles in the arena so they have to gain favor with the public. Katniss and Peeta's trainers come up with a plan to really attract the audience's attention and bring them into the lime light. For the first time ever in the hunger games two tributes will be a couple who will fight together until the very end. Katniss and Peeta's romance help them secure sponsors who are willing to pay the high expense of sending them help in times of dire need in the arena. Though this was a plot by their trainers, Peeta really does love Katniss and used it to tell her his true feelings. Katniss at first believes he is acting his part but gets a sense that Peeta really does love her. She uses the scheme to hide his obvious advances and to figure out her own feelings. It will take all of Peeta's and Katniss's wits, skills, and instincts to survive the arena and become the Victor! But who will end up winning?This book was very well written and cleverly told to keep the reader very much entertained. The entire time I read this novel I couldn't put it down. This is like the gladiator for teens and it really creates a world that is almost believable. You can say it is a mixture of The Game and 1984 mixed up into one grand novel. It contains a complex romance that gets even more difficult for Katniss to understand as the days pass by and has loads of great dialogue ranging from serious to humorous. This has a little bit of everything to keep anyone entertained. Don't worry science geeks they even have flying vehicles and bioengineered animals that have been altered for the purpose of war!The pacing of this story is excellent as you have your slower dramatic scenes mixed in with vicious acts of violence that just blend in so well you never have a dull moment. The author did a wonderful job creating her characters and making the reader hope and pray that they succeed. Every character has depth and personality, which make them stick in our minds even after we have finished reading the book. When you read a novel and can't remember half the characters when you are finished you know the book was not very good. Every single person in this story has a mystery behind them that is just waiting to be explored.Don't let this simple yet complex story line confuse you. This is definitively a read for anyone over the ages of 12 due to its complex romance, humor, and bloody gladiator style combat. It crosses the gender barriers as it is not a girl or a boy book but both. It is hard to give a great novel a numerical value as people have different types of stories they love to read. I myself do not find non-fiction or investigative novels to be that entertaining and would rate such a novel lower then someone who might love them. This multi-platform novel deserves at least a 4.5/5 regardless the type of novels you love to read and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to escape reality and emerge themselves in a world of mischief and courage.Hunger games will leave you craving for more as every word digs deeper and deeper into your mind and creates a world so realistic and intriguing you just can't help but to imagine what happens next. What happens to the Victor after the games? How do the families and friends of the fallen react? How does the public react? Thankfully the second novel Catching Fire has hit the shelves and you will not be disappointed as it is just as good and entertaining as the first!!!!Note: This is my first review so hopefully everyone who reads it enjoys it. I plan on doing more here as well as my personal website (non-profit with no adds...I don't make money I just love reading and writing and hope to write my own novel soon) that I am having made at [...] if anyone is interested. For now I just have a temp website I coded and tossed up until I have time to make a nice one :) Cheers!

This trio of young adult novels by Suzanne Collins takes place in the future world of Panem, located in what was once North America. Panem is made up of 12 districts and the Capitol, all controlled by President Snow and various other members of the Capitol city. The citizens of the rest of the 12 districts exist only to provide for the Capitol; provide food, clothing, medicine, coal and very importantly, entertainment.Many years past, the citizens of the 13 original districts had risen up to rebel against a very unfair living arrangement. District 13 was obliterated and the Hunger Games were begun as a way to control the other districts. Each year, a boy and a girl from each district, between the ages of 12 and 17, is "reaped", their names chosen from a list of all of the children in that district. Once chosen, those two children join the 22 others from the remaining districts for a fight to the death in an arena, termed the Hunger Games. This spectacle is broadcast as required watching for all citizens of Panem, who in the 12 districts get to watch those they know and love get brutally murdered by other children.In District 12, Katniss Everdeen, a 16 year old living in the poorest of the districts, supports her mother and beloved younger sister, Prim, with her illegal hunting and creative ways of providing for her family.On the day of the reaping this year, Prim is the one whose name is chosen. Katniss immediately volunteers to go for Prim instead. In her mind, she has agreed to die for her but cannot bear the thought of Prim dying in the Games.What unfolds from here is a spectacular tale of rising up against oppression, with Katniss becoming the symbol for the rebellion. She is joined in the Hunger Games by the first of two love interests, Peeta, who is a baker's son she's known for years.Throughout this story (it is truly one long story broken into three parts), the author does an amazing job of writing flawed characters. Put into this world, there are few who are selfless, or even marginally kind. Katniss herself is surly at best, having been forced to care for her family since her father died when she was 11. For any young adult reading this novel, it truly shows how a young girl feels inside at this age; not always able to see the true motives of those around her or believe the truly good things about herself.This story also a commentary on many social and political issues, interspersed with lessons about what should and should not be trusted in life. The politics of those on Katniss' own side of the war, for example, is a lesson on how those in power are those who disseminate the information, and how they spin it and whether how they act on in is in the best interest of the people. It is a lesson on how human beings treat each other and why, how arbitrary things are in life and how betrayal is a part of that.Although these books were written for YA, they are easily accessible for adults. I found myself riveted, in no small part because of how much the author made me root for Katniss. She is an extremely complicated character, but one I would want on my side in a rough situation. She can't help but protect those who are smaller or weaker than she is, and even those who aren't. She is cold and calculating, though, which makes her decisions and her words unlikable at times, but she is as real a character as I've ever read.I was struck by the more esoteric parts of Suzanne Collins' writing as well. For example, she references other literature, most notably numbering Katniss' army squadron (from the final book, Mockingjay) 451. The numbers have no meaning in the army, and this number is most easily remembered from Ray Bradbury's tale, Fahrenheit 451, another futuristic story about government control. This is only one reference, however. She uses character's names (eg. Cressida, Castor, Pollux) to further reference historical and literary ideas, as well as metaphorical ideas (naming the very evil President Snow, whose breath smells like blood and roses).In all, these novels are well-worth reading for those of all ages who like a gripping futuristic tale that isn't all that far-fetched.

Let me preface this--I'd been hearing so much about this book, I felt like the last person to read it. But just in case...What IS The Hunger Games, you ask?Well, take Richard Connell's short story "The Most Dangerous Game," mix it with Reality Television, throw in a tinge of romance, target it to the young adult audience, and out comes the first book in Suzanne Collins's post-apocalyptic trilogy.THG is set in a time where western civilization is gone, and all that's left is a Roman Empire-style nation called Panem with a main Capitol surrounded by 12 districts. (There were 13 until #13 was destroyed by the Capitol for rebellion.)Residents of the Capitol are very rich, well-fed and bored. So every year they hold a big, nationally televised, death match called "The Hunger Games."The games are also used to reinforce the Capitol's power over the districts because each district is required to send two "tributes" to the games who must fight to the death--only one tribute out of all 24 is allowed to win (i.e., live).Tributes are chosen via lottery where all the kids aged 12-18 have their names put in a drawing. Your chance of getting picked increases each year because the number of times your name is entered doubles every year.And if you're poor, your chances of getting picked are even further increased because you can trade putting your name in the hat an additional time for food.That brings us to the main character, 16 year-old Katniss Everdeen and her little family.Katniss lost her father in a mine explosion when she was eleven, and she's been the sole supporter of her mom and her little sister Primrose ("Prim") ever since. She's a hunter and she's smart, but she's also had to trade her name for food more than once, so the odds are against her.Katniss has a hunting partner Gale, another impoverished fellow, who she's been hunting with since she was about 12. The two make a great team, and Collins hints at a romance between them. But they're very focused on their mission: finding food and taking care of their families. (Gale has three little brothers and no dad also.)So here comes the lottery, and since she's 12, it's also Prim's first year to be in the draw. I won't spoil the drama for you, but ultimately Katniss is the female tribute for District 12. The male tribute is a baker's son named Peeta.Peeta and Katniss have a history because after Katniss's father died, she almost starved to death until Peeta took a beating to give her two loaves of bread. They haven't really spoken since then--Peeta's from the privileged class--but neither of them have forgotten it.Now's the part where I get honest.All that takes place in the first chapter and a half. The next several chapters are focused on traveling to the Capitol, describing the Capitol, describing the food they eat, the clothes they wear, the interviews, the training... mer mer mer...Then the games start and the first chapter of that part is spent on Katniss with no weapons, hiding and nearly dying of dehydration.Now I know all that's "tension building," and I also know I'm risking having tomatoes thrown at me by saying this, but at that point in the book I was BORED.I lamented to a friend that I was starting to think I was the only nerd who didn't *get* The Hunger Games fever. Seriously. I was like "When is something going to HAPPEN?"And right then it did.AND I've got to hand it to Collins. There's this Big Event during the games that's orchestrated by the Capitol because any time the games get "boring" the Gamemakers step in and make something happen.Ouch! Did you see what she just did there? She made Me, the Reader, identify with the barbaric Capitol. My hat's off to her. Nicely done.So back to the story, from there to the end, the book literally soars. That's how I lost a Saturday afternoon. You can't put it down.Don't get me wrong, it's a tough read at times. Tears were on my cheeks more than once. Katniss is an excellent MC. She's a survivor and she's tough, but she's also relatable. And more than once she's put in the position of having to choose whether to protect or kill another tribute.Her relationship with Peeta is also difficult. He's a sweet boy, and she owes him her life from when she nearly starved to death. But this is a death match, and she's determined to get back to her family.The story is so well-executed and Collins covers all the bases. I can't think of a time while reading where I was like, "There's no way that could happen."There is zero bad language (Moms) or "adult situations," and while it's violent, the nice thing about book violence is you can control it by how much you choose to envision.

"And may the odds be ever in your favor." Whether you are interested in finding out what this book means or you are just interested in finding a good new book to read, you're in the right place. The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins, hyped up beyond belief was, to my great surprise, one of the best books I have ever read. Finishing it in two days, I could not put it down.There are 723 people on the holding list at the library, just for three weeks of "the book of the decade!" Within a month of coming out The Hunger Games made millions of dollars. It surpassed both classics, Harry Potter and Twilight. When the movie came out a year later, fans screamed for it, newspapers wanted a glimpse at it, and before the midnight premiere, it was almost as loud and crowded as a sold out One Direction concert. EVERYONE had watched it within two weeks of the premiere. It was about the only topic of everyone's conversations at school for weeks.In this popular favorite, you'll find action with a bit of romance. The United States, now called Panem with twelve districts and a Capitol, hold an annual televised event called the Hunger Games. Two tributes from each district (one boy and one girl from the ages of 12-18) are chosen to compete in a fight to the death. Katniss, a sixteen year old girl, gets into the Hunger Games along with another boy from her district. Who will survive? What will happen? Will there be a love story involved? Find out the answers to all these questions by reading this wonderfully written novel.Looking for great characters? What about creativity or drama and suspense? All of these are shown in Collins' book, The Hunger Games. The characters are remarkable. Protecting her family from harm, Katniss Everdeen hunts for her family with her best friend, Gale, in the Seam (the forbidden part of District 12). The soft, loving girl helping her mother is Prim, whom Katniss loves dearly. Also living in District 12, there's Peeta, the baker's son, also known as "lover boy." And lastly, there are the people living in the Capitol. They, to Katniss, look very much fake and plastic.Collins has a great mind especially when it comes to her imagination and creativity. How many of you could have thought up the plot and setting that she did. I mean really! North America in the future - Panem with 13 districts (one getting destroyed by the Capitol) and holding the Hunger Games to keep the other districts from trying to over throw the government ever again. It's genius.Going along with her creativity comes all the drama and suspense in this book. Katniss, one minute strategizing her next move, could be scrambling rapidly trying to escape the fiercest wild fire ever, the next! Or, concentrating immensely Katniss could be figuring out how in the world she is going to get down from the tree and then the next second worrying about how to survive the tracker jacker attack.Oh, I almost forgot about the romantics of the novel. Will Katniss fall for best friend or "lover boy?" Will this lead them to their ultimate fate or help them survive this crazy journey of the Hunger Games and be the first survivors of the Hunger Games for District 12 in 20 years?Excited to find out more about everyone's fate? Well you should be. This awe-inspiring contraption is one of the only hyped up books I actually liked. Have you finished the first book and thirsty for more? No problem! The other books in the series are Catching Fire and Mocking Jay.

Summarizing my thoughts on the Hunger Games is probably one of the most difficult things I've ever had to do, simply because I've never felt such an emotional connection to any piece of fiction before and I highly doubt my written review will be doing it justice.North America has been completely eradicated and reborn as Panem, a bleak and twisted shadow of the nations it once comprised. Under the totalitarian regime of the Capitol, citizens are segregated into one of twelve districts, making equality and personal freedom a thing of the past. To further exude their absolute authority over the masses, the Capitol holds a spectacle of blood every year known as the Hunger Games. Every year, one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve to eighteen are picked randomly from each district to become tributes. They're then sent to the Capitol to be placed in a massive outdoor arena to fight to the death for the entertainment of all of Panem, and for the glory and benefit of the victor's district. For the denizens of District 12, poverty and the struggle for survival is their entire existence, no one understands this more than sixteen year old Katniss Everdeen. Ever since the tragic passing of her father, Katniss has tasked herself with the duty of supporting her mother and younger sister Prim. She does this by hunting on the forbidden grounds beyond District 12, and by trading her kills for other necessities. All of this changes when Prim is chosen against all odds to become a tribute for the Hunger Games. To save her sister, Katniss voluntarily becomes the tribute in her place. From there, she's whisked off to the Capitol alongside her fellow tribute and childhood acquaintance, Peeta. To survive the Hunger Games, it will take every ounce of skill, instinct, and intellect she can muster.Suzanne Collins has a very distinct style that I've never quite seen realized before in fiction writing. Apart from her superb skill at world-building and strong characterization, it's her ability to emotionally connect the reader to the protagonist in the story. She understands how human beings naturally tend to sympathize with and form emotional attachments with people who are in a great deal of emotional trauma or physical pain. It's this intangible emotional bond with Katniss that Collins uses to effectively, and at times maliciously, pull you into her dreadful dystopia. I actually found reading the first few chapters of the Hunger Games to be difficult, not because it was bad god forbid, but because I found it to be emotionally disturbing. It's done so sadistically well that reading the Hunger Games becomes less of a desire and more of a necessity, you need to find out what happens next.Of course this emotional connection wouldn't be possible if the protagonist wasn't likable, fortunately that couldn't be farther from the truth. Katniss as a whole essentially personifies every character trait that teen novelists almost always try to avoid. She isn't some frail flower who requires a man to define herself as an individual. Nor is she bogged down to the now very cliché snarky heroine persona that we've seen a thousand times before. Yet she still manages to have a delightfully subtle sense of humor to prevent the book from becoming completely morose in its tone. But her greatest trait that I admire is her indomitable spirit. Even when suffering through a series of physical and psychological horrors induced upon her by the Capitol, she never loses her fire.Upon being dropped into the arena, the book drastically shifts in direction. No longer focusing on the contrived spectacle of the games and instead on the games itself. Gone are the pretty dresses, make-up, and gourmet dinners. It's a gritty, primal, and relentless struggle for survival. Collins really knows how to make a very fast paced narrative and it truly shows here. It also works in Collin's favor that Katniss isn't characterized as a cliche Hollywood bad-ass. We know she has the ingenuity, instincts, and skill-set to stand a chance at winning but she doesn't possess the mentality of a killer. This makes the notion of her becoming the victor not so far-fetched. But at the same time she always feel vulnerable thus adding precious tension and drawing us ever more into the urgent narrative that Collins so expertly weaves.Most people will without a doubt compare this novel to other books with similar plots like The Running Man and Battle Royale. But I personally like to compare this book to George Orwell's 1984, a book that also imagined a futuristic totalitarian dystopia. He succeeded in fully realizing his horrific vision of the future, but in my opinion it fell short due to the completely flat characters and boring plot. Never once did I ever feel like a part of his world, nor did I cringe at the thought of Big Brother's gaze shadowing my every move. I was an observer, not an inhabitant and thus the shock-value that was intended was lessened in its affect. The Hunger Game's dystopian future is much more immersive due to the aforementioned emotional connection the reader shares with Katniss, something I feel 1984 could never hope to achieve. It makes the ludicrous premise of the actual Hunger Games much more believable, and thus more despicable.There is also a romance sub-plot involving Katniss and Peeta. I had apprehension to this at first due to romances in teen novels portraying completely forced relationships between characters. Yet the Hunger Games not only avoids this pitfall, it actually manages to satire this stereotype in my eyes. In an interesting ploy, Peeta stages a romance with Katniss in the hopes of gaining the populace's favor in the Hunger Games. They've literally used the Capitol's regime of totalitarianism to deceive the masses and gain their favor. It's literally a contrived romance, yet at the same time this causes Katniss to ponder how much of it is truly deception, and if there's any sense of honesty to their relationship. But more importantly, if she can truly trust the boy who she is supposed to kill to survive. It's a very welcome change of pace from the typical love-struck schoolchildren succumbing to sheer sexual desire instead of a strong character-driven relationship. It's emotionally endearing unlike the typical cringe-worthy schlock written for the target teenage demographic.This is the first book that I've ever read out of hundreds that will truly stay in your thoughts and pull on your conscience. It's the exceptionally paced narrative, believable world-building in conjunction with such wonderfully realized characters that'll invest you in Katniss's painful tale. Like I said at the beginning, I've never read any book in my life that upon completion has had such an emotional effect on me, and I'm sure my words aren't doing it justice. I'll just finish this by saying Suzanne Collins has created a book that has left me entranced long after I'd reached the final page. It will truly consume you.

REASON FOR BOOK CHOICEI am an aggressive reader now, for sure, but I didn't used to be. As such I found out about Hunger Games via a trailer on Apple.com. It looked intriguing and the main character had a lean and angry feel to her that I hadn't seen in a while. I like kick ass female heroines and the story seemed to tick all my desirability boxes.Then a few reviewers said the movie wasn't as great as it could be, so I passed and decided to wait for the DVD release. However, a couple of weeks ago I was trawling for a good book and I thought: Hunger Games, why not? I'm currently writing my own YA book and I thought that I should be pragmatic and check out the competition. I didn't expect it to be good, I certainly expect it to be great. It was just the new Twilight that I had to read because the world demanded it.COVERThe cover for the Kindle version I purchased is the movie tie-in edition. I'm not sure what to think of that. I know that keeping your marketing material the same is a good idea, but would it be such an ask to have a unique Kindle cover that really takes advantage of its grey scale processing? We're not talking a single independent writer here, this is a professional squad. Surely they could design something that grabs you straight off from the get go.The cover itself is fine. It's Katniss' mockingbird on fire and I already knew it looked great in print at the local bookshop. In greyscale, however, not so much. All the vividness and contrast has been drained out of the picture; therefore, even though it's in super high definition, it doesn't grab me on the Kindle.It's also strange that the cover suffers from the 'blank space' issue a lot of books have around its left and right sides. I went off at Alan Parr last week about and I haven't changed my opinion. This is really lazy work and whoever put the book together for the Kindle should be spoken to about it. Yes, they would have to modify the file but it would be worth it.BOOK LAYOUTEven though the book still starts right into the novel (please, can we not do that?), I found it had all the essentials: TOC, chapter headings, acknowledgments and a really great way of promoting the next book. Unfortunately, I'm not a huge fan of the way the TOC had been laid out and although I understand it's not the Kindle version creator's fault (because he / she was staying true to the source material) it really reeks of sloppiness.I can comprehend that fans of the novel would want it changed as little as possible from one version to another, but I'm not sure they would complain about aesthetic changes like chapter headings. I say this because the TOC chapter listings are 1, 2, 3 and so on. It works when you create a printed book because you can make those numbers really large but as TOC headings, it looks like an eighth grader put the table of contents together. Surely they could have changed them to One, Two, Three and kept the spirit of the book.One thing I love about the layout is their marketing. At the very end of the novel is a picture promoting the new novel: Catching Fire, and it's great. It let's you know that the other book is available, what it's called and it's not trying to force you to read anymore. I'm already thinking for picking it up in the Christmas period (or when I have holidays) to add to my list of reading material.STORYThe story is pretty well known by now: Katniss has voluntarily put herself forward to compete in the Hunger Games so that she can save her sister from a likely death. This games are a survival tournament between the 12 different districts that is held in the Capitol and features participants from the ages of 13 (?) to 18.The main story: survival, is added to with the possibility of romance, audience manipulation and defiance against an oppressive regime. I loved it. I really loved it. The story arc is tightly wound and just goes up and up in its tension as the book progresses.I found Suzanne Collins totally ruthless as an author (for this kind of book she needs to be) and that was overwhelmingly refreshing for me as a reader. No-one is spared. Friendships are made because of the need to survive and then characters are dispatched as if the Hunger Games was happening in reality right now. There's no sentimentality in this book or inauthentic moments and that's what makes the story work because it feels as if you're right there every step of the way with Katniss and the other competitors.Also, the book ends. The Hunger Games end and that makes it a compelling (and fulfilling) read.CHARACTERSIt's been a long time since I've read characters who I've cared about so deeply. I love Katniss and her strength, her confusion, her struggle with humanity versus survival. It's powerful, it's evocative and it made my heart jump more than once. She's a character that hasn't just turned up with a bow because that's what the author wants, she's a character who grew to use a bow because of her fierce determination to survive. I feel that things are going to go badly for her in the next two novels but you can't help but hope she makes it somehow.There's a great mentor in Haymitch who I hope will be fleshed out more in the second book, a complex and volatile love interest in Peeta, an uncertain ally in Cinna and a fascinating interviewer in Caesar. I think what I loved about all these characters was the fact that they arrive as real people. They have histories, secrets and their own goals Suzanne hasn't told us about yet. Nothing feels deliberately hidden in the book but you can feel it lurking beneath the surface and just waiting to explode.I think Cinna was probably my favourite outside of Katniss and I'm looking forward to seeing if he gets more space in the next novel.WRITINGWow. This is incredibly written. The end of the book says that Suzanne Collins explores the effects of war in her novels and you can feel that. She writes with a purpose and drive that I did not feel in Twilight or Switched. Everything feels stripped back, every word feels as if it should belong on the page and there's no fancy literary games to be played with the author. I felt as if Katniss was speaking to me directly all the way through.It's written in the first person perspective and in the present tense. I think the narrator is a little unreliable (she's only 18) but has a unique and strong voice that you can hear in each sentence on the page. After reading the big ones: Switched and Twilight, I'm pretty comfortable saying this is in a whole different league. There was nothing wrong with Stephanie Meyer or Amanda Hocking's writing ability in those books, but they were not at this level. Not this gripping, not with this strength of tone and force behind each word. It was like being kicked in the teeth and then pulled behind a chariot for three thousand metres.CONCLUSIONIs it worth five dollars? Yes. Hell yes.I can't tell you how much of a relief it was for me to read Hunger Games. I really struggled through the last two books and thought that maybe I had lost my ability to enjoy well written novels because I was writing more myself. I wasn't. The last two books just weren't that good.Hunger Games grabbed me from the first page and held me until its bittersweet end. I started it at ten o'clock at night and finished the novel the next morning. It's about 80,000 words but it didn't feel like it. It felt so much smaller than the other two novels I had just read. I loved Hunger Games and it made me believe that there was some more Young Adult fiction out there for me.You don't need to like YA to enjoy Hunger Games, you don't need to like vampires, love torn women or any of the tropes of the genre. This is fiction at its finest with an immediacy that would have made George Orwell proud.--------------Disagree? Think it's not that great? Believe I'm being too kind? Too harsh? Bounce over to my website and leave your thoughts in the comments section at [...]

This was my first ever re-read and I am not disappointed! To be completely honest, I struggled through the first couple of chapters because I knew how the book ended and didn't want to waste my reading time on a book I'd already read. I am glad I kept going.May the odds be ever in your favour. Welcome to The Hunger Games, the literal fight to the death of teenagers, as a way for the Capitol to show it's dominance. Katniss is 16 and is facing her death sentence taking her place in the games, but she's faced death before and won. Without realizing her abilities, Katniss becomes the one to watch in this years Games, and she's ready to prove District 12 shouldn't be counted out.When I read this book for the first time, it created a world I couldn't imagine ever existing, while breaking my heart. Now, after re-reading it as an adult, living through a current pandemic, this book set me on edge and continue to break my heart. This book takes place on what used to be North America and some days it feels like that may not be too far off. The way the world is, it seems like this book is becoming a bit too close to reality than fiction. However, I loved re-living Katniss' journey and battle, I loved reading the finer details and exploring the tale I may have missed when I was younger. Katniss is tough and fierce, brilliant and loyal. Most of the characters in the novel make you think, but the way Collins' writes her characters makes you interested to know their story and see what becomes of them. Your heart will ache and tear, wondering what else could possibly come next. Definite must read for the whole family.

There is an enormous amount of hype surrounding this series of books which is rapidly becoming a global phenomenon. The question is whether the hype surrounding the book is justified.The concept of the book is that of a future dystopia where two candidates from each of the now twelve districts are chosen to participate in an annual gameshow known as the hunger games. The games are conveyed as a means of punishment to the ditricts to demonstrate the capitols totalitarian grasp over the districts. In the past an era refred to as the dark ages the then thirteen districts insurrection fought against the capitol. Twelve of the districst were defeated with the thirteenth being completely destroyed.The first element you will notice is that the books are written entirely In first person and present tense. This narrative style immediately draws the reader into the world created by Suzanne Collins and immerses you in the horror and desperation experienced in the world.There is a strong narrative running through the novel which revolves around the protagonist: katniss. Once each year there is a yearly lottery where the tributes are chosen for the hunger games. Katniss's sister Primrose is chosen in the lottery and instead her sister steps up to take her place.Underneath this narrative are frequent flashbacks to Katniss' past which help to explain the protagonists personality and the key events that alter her psychologically. Meaning that what happens to characters referenced in flashbacks carries some emotional weight adding to the drama.Katniss is an intreging character who demonstrates depth She is by far the most well rounded and complex character portrayed in the novel. She is constantly over analysing peoples motivations and trying to second guess their future actions. In the interest of not spoiling the story I will not discuss the hunger games themselves, this is where the majority of the action and character development takes place. This novel has a perfect amount of background information pertaining to the poverty sticken state of distict 12 and the politics and society of the capitol to invest the reader.Katniss is constantly evolving throughout the story which allows the reader to become emotionally invested causing you to urge katniss to succeed. This is one of the most engaging novels I have read it really puts the reader in the shoes of the protagonist. The novel will have you guessing all the way through and you will be unable to stop reading until you have the answers.The language used in the Hunger Games is fairly basic and is clearly aimed at 11-16 year olds. I would argue that there is reason for older readers to pick this book up. The Hunger Games is a rich and intresting story it is relentless in its action as well as offering intresting characters and adrenaline filled action sequences. The first one hundred pages or so slowly introduce the reader into the key concepts of the novel this might put some people off. It is well worth persevering, and when the hunger games event starts you will be unable to put the book down.Score 8/10

This book was so fun to read and the suspense was unreal. This was the best book I read so far. This book amazed me in how there’s so many plot twists and the plot it’s self was outstanding. I am so excited to read the next book!! I recommend to anyone over the age of 13 because there’s a lot of gore and violence.Overall amazing book I recommend to all

came a little bit damaged

Most people thinking of buying The Hunger Games probably already know the general premise or have seen the films so I wont spend too much time on those details but will say that the books offer something deeper, especially for readers old and new to the dystopian genre.Firstly this is an affordable paperback edition. When I purchased it, it was on sale at $12.The first book of the trilogy introduces us to the world of Panem. There is just enough detail to make it feel real, and the Games themselves are intense. Collins captures the horror of the spectacle-based oppression without romanticizing it.Overall I really enjoyed the whole trilogy and these paperback editions make it affordable to own.