The Hunger Games- Caroline Jones

Jones, Caroline

English Period 4

November 14th, 2008

The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins was a book I was recommended to by the author Stephenie Meyer, who writes the best-selling Twilight series. No, unfortunately, she did not recommend this book to me in person, but rather, she posted her recommendation on her website for everyone to see. After reading the summary, I realized that I had read a series like this before; A series by Koushun Takami called Battle Royale, though The Hunger Games features a post-apocalyptic world rather than a twisted military one which appealed to me more. With the recommendation and the compare-contrast list I had made in my mind, I promptly added the book to my cart on Amazon and proceeded to checkout.

The story's main character is a girl named Katniss Everdeen. She is stuck in the poorest section of the poorest district of the grand nation called Panem, which is on the continent North America, where The United States of America once stood. A while ago, when Panem used to have 13 districts, the 13th one decided to revolt against the government, which is located in the Capitol city of… Capitol. No joke. The Capitol obliterated the 13th district, and as a reminder to the rest of the districts that the Capitol is always in control, they set up a tournament that two teens, a boy and girl, from each district participate in: The Hunger Games. Basically, the 24 teens are placed in a battleground where they must fight to the death. Winning means that you're set for life, with riches beyond anyone's imagination. If you lose, well, you won't be leaving the battleground, because you'll be dead. The contestants are chosen by a lottery system, and when Katniss's sister's name is chosen, she volunteers to take her place. Katniss must overcome her sometimes denseness towards her long-time friend, Gale, and her partner in The Hunger Games, Peeta to survive this ordeal. Not only that, but she has 23 other contestants to be rid of , including Peeta, who she is just discovering her feelings for, in order to make it out of the games alive. With her not-always sober coach from District 12, Haymitch, helping her, her hunting instincts, swiftness with a bow and arrow, Katniss might just be able to win this thing. If her whole love triangle thing doesn't blow up in her face or if the contestants who have been bred for the games since their birth, the careers, don't lop off her head first.

Only I keep wishing I could thing of a way to… to show the Capitol they don't own me. That I'm more than just a piece in their Games." Peeta said this to Katniss right before the games started. In the games, after Katniss's dear friend dies and she avenges her death by killing her killer, she is extremely upset. She wants to do more to avenge her friend, but she isn't sure what. Then, while staring blankly at her friend's dead body, she remembers Peeta's words. His words shape her actions for the rest of the games. Surviving the Games is still a priority, but it comes second to defying the Capitol. This, she feels, would be a proper way to avenge her friend's death, and make her feel content if she were to die during the Games.

I would give this book four out of five arrows. The reason why I chose arrows as the rating system is because if Katniss did not have her bow and arrow to use in the Games, she would not have survived. It has been a key element throughout the entire story; From page 1 to 374. There wouldn't have been a Katniss by page 100 without these multi-use items. I'm giving this book a 4 arrow rating because of the lack of descriptive language. I loved the story and plotline and characters, but the lack of rich describing words was really one of the things I was disappointed about. The author almost seemed lazy by not describing the character's feelings about killing or describing their surroundings or thoughts in any detail whatsoever.

I would really recommend this book to anybody, however, the age group that would most likely enjoy this book the most would be children and teens from ages 10-16. I believe that people should read this book because, first of all, I think that the nation of Panem is intriguing. Who would have thought that when our country fell, a dictatorship like Panem would rise up in it's place? Secondly, all of the twists and turns and the down right unpredictability of it all really makes it hard to put down. I would tell myself 'Ok Caroline, just one more chapter and then you need to finish up your homework' and I would end up reading ten more and have to go to bed quite late in order to get all my homework finished. Also, Katniss's love triangle predicament adds a nice little twist to the story. It's a situation that any teenage girl would want to be in, really, two older boys both attracted to you. And you get to chose between them. This situation is actually one that Katniss is not fond of, as it raises complications throughout the story, but adds a delightful element to the novel nonetheless. Lastly, Katniss's adventure doesn't end with this book. No way. It's going to turn into a trilogy. For me, I like to read a series where only the first book has come out when I start reading it. That way instead of immediately jumping to the second book, I can digest the first one and think about all of the possible events that might happen in book two.