The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Book Details

Author: Suzanne Collins

Ages: 11+

Rating: 8/10

Number of Pages: 454

Plot: Set in a post-apocalyptic world, America is now separated into twelve districts all controlled by the all mighty Capitol. Each year each district must sacrifice one girl and one boy to the blood thirsty Hunger Games to repay the Capitol for their ‘generosity’ after the war. The games, a source of entertainment for the people of the Capitol, have only one rule – kill or be killed. In the starved district 12 sixteen year old Katniss Everdeen does something that shocks and delights the people of the Capitol – she volunteers for the games. In order to protect her sister and her new friend and ally Peeta Mellark, Katniss must use her skills with a bow and arrow to survive the Hunger Games.

Review: To celebrate the release of the final instalment of the Hunger Games films this winter I have decided to do a review of the first Hunger Games book by Suzanne Collins. So, I absolutely love the Hunger Games trilogy and have probably read each book a thousand times each. I am also a huge fan of the films and, as you have probably already guessed, I am so excited for the release of the new film. I first read this a few years ago and from the first read I loved the plot, the majority of the characters and the extravagancy of the Capitol. If you have read any of my other book reviews you will know that I am a massive fan of any dystopian or post-apocalyptic novel or series of books, and this series is one of my favourites. Not only does Suzanne Collins create a world that is unique and shocking at the same time but she also creates a contrast between the many different types of character within the book.

 “He made you look desirable! And let’s face it, you can use all the help you can get in that department. You were about as romantic as dirt until he said he wanted you. Now they all do. You’re all they’re talking about. The star-crossed lovers from District Twelve!” says Haymitch.

Initially, I thought after reading the blurb and reviews online that the book would be incredibly violent and gory and lack in the development of relationships amongst the characters. However, the book contains less violence and gore than I imagined and there are plenty of complex relationships between characters that make it a thought-provoking and intriguing read. My favourite relationship throughout the whole book was probably the friendship between Katniss and Rue. From their first meeting it is clear that 12 year old Rue reminds Katniss of her younger sister Prim; at the beginning of the book we see that Katniss acts in a protective and maternal way towards her younger sister and this same nature is seen when Katniss befriends Rue. I liked how Suzanne Collins used this to emphasise the protective nature of Katniss which can sometimes be lost due to her cold interaction with some of the other characters, e.g. Peeta.

My favourite characters in the book have to be Effie Trinket and Haymitch Abernathy, despite being very different from each other it is clear that they both care about Katniss and Peeta. I hate how these characters are always overlooked when people discuss the trilogy and that characters that lack the same depth and intrigue are put on incredibly high pedestals, for example, Gale. To be honest I really hate how in the film adaptations we don’t see enough of Haymitch and Effie’s love and admiration for Katniss and Peeta. Despite this, if you are one of the only people on the planet who has not read this you need to go and read this. Even though it’s classified as being a YA novel, in my eyes it is a modern classic that everyone must read. It’s not just another dystopian series, it has much deeper meanings that make it one of the most intriguing and interesting books to read.