The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1)

by Suzanne Collins

Katniss is a 16-year-old girl living with her mother and younger sister in the poorest district of Panem, the remains of what used be North America. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, "The Hunger Games." The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed. When her sister is chosen by lottery, Katniss steps up to go in her place.

Reviewed by ladygrey on

3 of 5 stars

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Surprisingly, I really liked this book. Even though I was absolutely decided that I wouldn't read it. (peer pressure, man. I'm far too sensitive)

The inescapable fact is that it is very well plotted. Like a really smart, tight film, all the turns come at just the right moment. It's quick and informative and just emotional enough to string you from one event to the next. The characters are developed enough that you care about them when you need to, but never elaborated on so much that they distract from the tightly focused story. Even Katniss serves the story rather that having a story indulgently wrapped around her.

Normally I'd complain (even just a little) about how straight forward the prose is. But in this case it was simple and to the point and kept the story moving. I didn't love it, and I'm obviously mentioning it, but I'm not complaining.

I didn't like how it diverged in that whole secluded, romantic set up. No matter how much [a:Suzanne Collins|153394|Suzanne Collins|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1285984570p2/153394.jpg] insisted that it was part of the Games and how well she integrated the concept into the core of the narrative, it still was jarring for them to spend days together in this quiet romance when people were dying and their lives were on the line. It just didn't resonate well in the atrocity she'd so firmly established

What I think I liked best, in the end, was what a complicated character Katniss was. She was manipulative throughout, but mostly in smart ways. So I really liked that she couldn't sort out who she was or what she wanted; that she couldn't distinguish between what she'd done for who or what she felt. I like those sorts of complications and it made what Peeta said about not letting the Games take who he is all the more significant and suddenly very interesting. She survived but she'd given a lot of herself away in becoming what everyone else wanted her to be in order to do it.

Fascinating stuff that is a brilliant spring board into the next book which I'm sure will disappoint by not wrestling with the emotional snarls I enjoy so much but I'm sure will be exciting in its own way, if nothing else.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 25 January, 2012: Finished reading
  • 25 January, 2012: Reviewed