The Hunger Games

Title: The Hunger Games

Author: Suzanne Collins

Series: The Hunger Games (Book 1)

Genre: Young Adult

In a future society, that use to be North America, there are the Hunger Games. Surrounding the Capitol are 12 Districts, each completely unique and making something for the Capitol. Each year, one boy and one girl from the ages of 12 and 18 are chosen to compete. Your name gets added once a year at least. You can also choose to have your name added additional times to "pay" for food and oil for your family.

Katniss is the main character, a 16 year old girl who volunteers herself for the game to save her younger 12 year old sister Prim. For District 12, the Hunger Games usually spell death. Katniss promises her sister she will do her best to win, and heads off to the games with Peeta, the boy chosen from District 12.

The Hunger Games are a fight to the death. 24 contestants enter, and one leaves the winner. The Gamemakers have the ability to alter the weather, terrain and many other variables in the arena where the game is played. Many contestants starve to death, die from dehydration or other exposure to the elements.

Without giving the story of the Hunger Games itself away, I could not put the book down. I've been so busy with work lately, and tried to start reading many books, but have not had the energy or heart to continue with them. I was hooked into the Hunger Games within the first few pages. I felt for Katniss and her practically starving family, and found myself getting up to eat constantly throughout this book. The descriptions of being hungry and thirsty were so intense I had to sate myself.

The story is told from Katniss's point of view, which I thought was perfect. The reader never knows everything that is going on, much like Katniss and it gives you that same slight sense of panic about what is going to happen. I found myself crying throughout the book as it is full of hard decisions and death.

I have seen this book around the bookstores for years, but have always been put off by the (in my opinion) unattractive cover. I heard there was a lot of hype and heard about the releases of the next books, but still I didn't pick them up. It wasn't until I found out there was going to be a movie (March 23, 2012) that I decided it was time. I don't know what took so long!