a review of "The Hunger Games"

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
(Scholastic Press, ISBN 978-0-439-02348-3)

Here I am, once again, stepping outside my normal reading fare and reviewing a Young Adult book...and once again I am very happy I listened to the recommendations. Having read so many excellent reviews of this big hit from last year, I finally checked to see if my local library had a copy, which happily they did.

Now for the two of you who have not read this book yet, let me give you a brief run down on the plot.

The book is set in some near future or alternative history of North America. There is no United States of America in this world. North America (not sure if it includes Canada or not) is now a nation called Panem, made up of 12 districts, all overseen by the Capital, which is located somewhere west of the Rockies, perhaps where Denver is now located. But there were not always 12 districts. Once there were 13, but the 13th district revolted against the central government and was destroyed. In order to remind the remaining districts of the overwhelming power of the capital, the government instituted the Hunger Games, a horrible, violent, voyeuristic spectacle. Two young people, between the ages of 12 and 18 are chosen by lottery every year from each district, and the 24 engage in a fight to the death, each year in a different sort of setting...all televised in excruciating detail on live TV.

When her younger sister is chosen, 16 year old Katniss steps forward and volunteers, as allowed under the rules, to take her place. In all likelihood, she is stepping forward into her own death. But Katniss is a survivor, with a keen mind and some helpful survival skills and she promised her little sister she would fight to win. Since her father's death some years ago in a mining accident, she has been the one sneaking outside the district fences and hunting game for food, as her father had taught her, to keep her mother and sister from starving to death. But now the game she is hunting is human, including the seeming very nice Peeta, the young man from her own district.
In order for her to live and to be able to go back home, every one of them must die.

I can't say that when I first read about the book I found the plot terribly appealing. Quite honestly, it sounded extremely violent, like a reality show gone very, very bad. However, that was not really the case. Yes, people kill and get killed but I didn't really see that as the center focus of the story. Katniss is a great character, a very smart, appealing young woman. Seen through her eyes, this alternative reality, this dystopic nation is disturbing real and believable. Katniss wants very much to live, but as she survives the first wave of deaths, she also realizes that the game, being watched live by the nation, is as much about PR as it is about skills or strength. And she must make the decision about how far she will go and what she will do to protect her own life. This story is as much about friendship and loyalty and compassion as it is about death.

I found this a well written, compelling story that I enjoyed a good deal, more than I actually though that I would. You can be sure that I put my name at once on the unfortunately long hold list at my library for the second book in this three part series Catching Fire.