Rating: 4 stars
Cover Synopsis: In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps its districs in line by forcing them all to send one boy and girl between the ages of 12 and 18 to aprticipate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. If she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.
I've seen this book come up in several news articles and book reviews lately. It's supposedly the latest and hottest young adult fiction series. The premise sounded pretty gruesome, but I thought I'd check it out and see if it's worth the hype.
It is.
It took me a while to accept the premise, but Collins does a good job of justifying it. And once I hit that point, I was sucked into the action and the emotion. This reminded me a short story I read in middle school, "The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell. But Collins certainly makes it her own.
It took me a while to accept the premise, but Collins does a good job of justifying it. And once I hit that point, I was sucked into the action and the emotion. This reminded me a short story I read in middle school, "The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell. But Collins certainly makes it her own.
I love the stark differences in good and bad -- and the VAST shades of grey here. For instance, Katniss is forced to compete against the boy who saved her from starvation several years earlier. Their relationship reminds her that while survival is the most immediate concern in the Hunger Games, staying true to yourself, and holding on to humanity even in such inhuman circumstances is of the utmost importance. What are the consequences when society rewards entertainment over substance and humanity? Katniss isn't just struggling for survival, but audience approval -- and in many ways, these two needs are one and of the same. It's a theme that is poignant for our reality-TV, image-obsessed culture.
The book moves quickly and the physical action and emotional struggles keep you moving. I read it in two days. But it leaves so many loose ends I'm dying to know how Collins ties them all together in the next book. Just placed a hold on book 2, "Catching Fire," at my library. I hope it gets here fast!
The book moves quickly and the physical action and emotional struggles keep you moving. I read it in two days. But it leaves so many loose ends I'm dying to know how Collins ties them all together in the next book. Just placed a hold on book 2, "Catching Fire," at my library. I hope it gets here fast!
