Book Review: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Book: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Published: Scholastic Press, 2008
Genre: Young Adult
Pages:  384 pages
Where I got it: the library
Buy It: Amazon

Summary (from Goodreads): Could you survive on your own, in the wild, with every one out to make sure you don't live to see the morning?

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love. 

My thoughts: I am fairly certain I am one of the last few people on earth to delve into The Hunger Games series. I hadn't heard much about it until the final book, Mockingjay was released earlier in 2010. Since then it's been on the back of my mind to eventually get myself a copy in order to see what all the hype is about. Lately, I have found that a book that has been so hyped up ends up leaving me quite disappointed. I'm excited to say that The Hunger Games delivered exactly what I was hoping it would and I can't wait to finish my current book so I can start in on Catching Fire.


I think what I liked most about The Hunger Games was the concept. It's something so far-fetched and awful to think about that I became fascinated with Katniss' world. The book is decently sized at nearly 400 pages but it's very easy to breeze right through because the suspense makes it impossible to put down. I thought Katniss was one of the most likeable characters I have read about in a long time. She felt very real to me in the way that she volunteered for the games so that her younger sister, Prim, did not have to go. Her heart got her so far in a battle where caring for others was nearly impossible. I thought that her developing relationship with Peeta was interesting and I'm excited to see where that leads, as well as how her friendship with Gale with play into it.

The verdict: 4 stars