Review Detail

Reader reviewed by Stephanie

THE HUNGER GAMES is without doubt one of the best books I have ever read. 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen lives with her family and friends in what used to be North America. Now, its divided up into 12 impoverished fenced-in Districts and ruled by the faraway Capitol of Panem. The Capitol keeps all the Districts in line by hosting the annual Hunger Games. One boy and one girlcalled tributesare randomly selected to fight all the other tributes to the death on live TV.

Katniss frantically volunteers in place of her beloved and delicate young sister, Prim, when Prim is chosen. While Prim would not have stood a chance, Katniss is strong and resourceful. Often she has hunted illegally in the woods outside of their district to provide food for her family.

She is joined in the Hunger Games by Peeta Mellark, the bakers son. Katniss is a coal miners daughters and thus their socioeconomically different lives have never crossed, except once when Peeta basically saved her life. But now she knows that they must kill each other if they want to get out of the Hunger Games alive&even if they may or may not have feelings for each other.

THE HUNGER GAMES is suspenseful, action-packed, and well-written, with an endearing love story. Suzanne Collins spins a terrifying dystopian world for readers. I was only sad when the book ended too soon and left some important issueswill anything be done about the totalitarian government?unanswered. However, the ending seems to promise a sequel, which I will anxiously await.