The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Genre: Young Adult Dystopian Fiction (series, #1)

Oh my, where do I even start with this one? Not since Twilight have I heard such a unified clamor over a book series (of course, the main difference is that people bonded in hatred over Twilight, but I have heard only good or even glowing comments about The Hunger Games). And on top of that, I’m about two years late starting the book, and the hubbub and hype only seems to grow greater, what with the upcoming movie adaptation and fan-casting and all.

To start off, The Hunger Games is promoted as a fine example of juvenile young adult dystopian literature. If I didn’t hear so much about it, I admit I probably would not pick it up at the bookstore. I’m not extremely interested in stories about fantastical and crappier versions of our world.

With echoes of the psychologically dark Battle Royale, The Hunger Games centers around a gladiator-like arena where 24 helpless and not-so-helpless children are dumped to survive and fight to be the last one standing. I’m not going to explain the lead-up in detail, because Collins, for God-knows-what-reason, loves to rhapsodize about every little thing about the ceremonies, the preparation and the clownish, Oompa-Loompa TV host. I wish she could’ve wasted more breath on the actual Game itself with better descriptions of the locale, the children, the dangers, the fear, the desperation, the madness of having to kill to live. There are so many directions to go, but, alas, none are taken.

Anyhow, the focus of the book is of course Katniss Everdeen, heralded as “a strong female character”. She supports her family, speaks her mind and can kill rabbits and squirrels. She is strong out of circumstance and necessity. Her life is lacking and deprived, yet she fights tooth and nail to cling to it. But, is Katniss really all that? Pay attention to what lucky breaks she receives and how she achieves them. I wouldn’t put her up on a pedestal just yet. But then again, I’m not the one thrown into a forest full of people wanting to kill me. If nothing else, The Hunger Games makes me glad that the Hunger Games don’t exist.

Rating: Exceeded expectations; Beware hype