Book Review: The Hunger Games (Book 1) by Suzanne Collins

Book Title: The Hunger Games (Book 1)

Author: Suzanne Collins(http://www.suzannecollinsbooks.com/)

Pages: 374

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy/Sci-Fi

(Scale Explanation: 1) Meaning awful, 5) Meaning not good, but not bad, equal, 10) Meaning wonderful)

PLOT - 10

CHARACTERS – 10

BEGINNING - 9

ENDING - 9

FLOW - 8

OVERALL – 9

What I liked about this book: Oh my, this book was sooooo good. I had to finish it from the time that I picked it up. It was absolutely wonderful. The characters were all very thorough, though I would have liked to have learned more about a few of the characters. Though, this is the first book in a trilogy, so I’m sure that within the next few books, I’ll learn more about the characters that I hadn’t learned about. I loved Peeta, and Katniss is a total badass. I can’t wait to read the other two books in the trilogy.

What I disliked about this book: I had an odd issue with the POV and tense that the author used. Though that is a minor problem, I felt like I was reading the book as I was sitting on a cliff about ready to fall, the entire book, which if you think about it, is probably the way the author wanted the story conveyed as you are basically sitting on a cliff about to fall off the entire time you are reading it.

Who I would recommend this book to: I would recommend this book to anyone that I recommend books to. It was a fun read that had me on the edge the whole way through. The characters were lovable, so anyone that reads, read this book.

What I felt the book was about: Katniss Everdeen is a teenage girl that lives in the Seam, the most povertous part of District 12, the coal producing district of Panem. The ruins of North America is the land where Panem resides. It consists of 12 districts, each producing a specific need that the Capitol uses. the Capitol is very lavish and to get back at each of the districts for the rebellion that took place years ago, they hold the annual Hunger Games. Pitting teenagers between twelve and eighteen against each other in an all out battle to the death. Only one victor emerges each year and they are showered along with their district with gifts and tidings all year long. Katniss lost her father in a mining accident years ago and has taken on the role of head of the household. She leaves the fences surrounding district 12 each day to hunt and gather food for her family and also for trading. She hunts with her friend Gale, the only person other than her sister that she has ever been able to trust. The Reaping coming along, the announcements of the boy and girl tributes for the Hunger Games and Katniss's sister, Prim, gets called. Katniss volunteers to take her spot and heads to the Capitol for training and pampering before the games are to start. The boy tribute from district 12 is Peeta Mallark, a Baker's son that has had a crush on Katniss since they were five, but Katniss doesn't know yet. After getting to the Capitol, they push their mentor Haymitch into actually being a mentor, sobering him up to teach them and give them strategies. Haymitch was a victor of the games a long time ago. Katniss can't tell whether she should trust Peeta at all, but she finds herself trusting him off and on. She can't shake the fact that after her father died, Peeta risked a beating burning bread to give to her so that she could survive. He was her wake up call to take the head of household position. District 12's stylists make them unforgettable and during an interview, Peets confesses that he loves Katniss. Katniss is dumbstruck and has no idea what is going on. Haymitch speaks with her later and tells her that the best strategy for them to play is the star-crossed lovers angle. The next day, they have to show off their talents to the Gamemakers to see what score they can get that will aid in their mentors getting Sponsors, people that send them gifts while in the arena, everyone is astounded when Katniss recieves the highest score of all 24 tributes. The games begin the next day and after being placed in the arena, Katniss is tempted to run to the cornucopia containing survival packs, water, weapons, and other things that one might need to survive in the wild. Peeta sees her getting ready to run and shakes his head, meaning he wants her to run into the woods. Katniss mistakes his gesture as a malicious cause and grabs a bag before she heads into the woods. She camps in a tree and wakes up to someone starting a fire on the ground below her. Peeta has teamed up with the Careers, teens that have trained for the Hunger Games their entire lives, and it seems as though he is helping them find Katniss. Eventually, Katniss teams up with Rue, a twelve year old small girl from District 11 and they take out the careers food supply. One night, the trumpets sound and the announcer announces that two victors can prevail this year if they are from the same District. Katniss finds Peeta who is badly injured by Cato's sword. Cato is a Career tribute. They begin to pour on the star-crossed lovers act and Katniss feels as though it's not all an act on Peeta's part and begins to feel for him too. She brings him back from the clutches of death through Sponsor gifts and acting the love part. They end up with only one other to kill, Cato. The Gamemakers have made some sort of strange dog/human creature that they sick on the last three tributes. Needless to say, Katniss and Peets survive and have to keep pouring on the love act. The whole time Katniss is worried about what ale might be thinking even though they were never boyfriend/girlfriend. To win the Hunger Games, Peeta and Katniss do something in total defiance of the Capitol and unbeknownst to them start a new type of rebellion. Sure to be continued in Book two which is on its way to my door right now. :)

Favorite excerpts or quotes from the book: “Remember we are madly in love, so it's alright to kiss me anytime you feel like it."

I could pick several other quotes, but you must read to find them. Great book. Read it! NOW!