Book Summary:
In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, “The Hunger Games,” a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed.
Amazon Reviews ( 5 Stars – 4902, 4 Stars – 930, 3 Stars – 307, 2 Stars – 154, 1 Star – 192):
Wow. I was barely able to put this book down for a second after the first few pages got me completely hooked. Suzanne Collins narrative here has an immediacy to it that, when combined with the very dramatic life-or-death plot, is incredibly compelling. It’s entertaining, and incredibly disturbing all at once. If this was merely a good read, I would have given it 4 stars, but they say great art leaves you changed after you experience it… and this book definitely did that. Suzanne Collins has, with one amazing work, propelled herself onto my top shelf.
Parents, caveat emptor! The storyline is brutal. Even though the writing is geared for young adults, the main characters are teenagers, there’s very little physical romance, and the actual violence would probably count as PG-13 nowadays… it’s probably one of the most terrifying books I’ve read in a very long time! Right up there with George R.R. Martin, if not more so. Remember what we learned from Jaws: you don’t actually need to SEE the shark in order for it to be terrifying. Sometimes not seeing the shark is even worse.
The story is basically about a teenager who is forced to compete in a 24-man-enter-1-man-leaves event. I don’t want to spoil it by saying any more, but if you liked The Running Man, you’ll definitely like this. And if you’re young enough that you don’t remember The Running Man, nor did you get the Thunderdome reference, then I’m just way too old. But take an old fogey’s advice and read this book.
Clearly Gregor was merely the prelude. Suzanne Collins, you’ve been holding out on us, missy. As an author we were accustomed to your fun adventures involving a boy, his sister, and a world beneath our world. I think it’s fair to say that we weren’t really expecting something like The Hunger Games. At least I wasn’t. But reading it gave me a horribly familiar feeling. There is a certain strain of book that can hypnotize you into believing that you are in another time and place roughly 2.3 seconds after you put that book down. Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer could convince me that there were simply not enough canned goods in my home. And The Hunger Games? Well as I walked down the street I was under the disctinc impression that there were hidden cameras everywhere, charting my progress home. Collins has written a book that is exciting, poignant, thoughtful, and breathtaking by turns. It ascends to the highest forms of the science fiction genre and will create all new fans for the writer. One of the best books of the 2008 year.
While I will say that I wanted to keep reading, it just is not a great book.
The Hunger Games is a mix of Roller Ball, Death Race 2000, and The Running Man. The plot is well-documented in other reviews.
My issues with the book are few, but are significant enough to justify a two-star rating.
The Ending. I believe it was too abrupt and almost ‘tune in next time for the exciting conclusion of…..’ aka ‘buy the next book’. The book lacked complete, or at least adequate, resolution.
The Psychology. The story centers around children, most being randomly chosen by lottery, who fight to the death in “The Hunger Games” as a penalty for a past rebellion against the ruling Capitol. They are dressed up, trained, and prepped for the spectacle which is broadcast to the nation on television. Speaking for myself, being placed in this position, I would be in a state of stunned shock – even if the games had become an accepted but despised evil in society, as I’m sure many readers would argue. The author set the main characters off on psychological tangents, such as admiring how good they looked in their costumes, how well their interviews went, how good the food was, etc… Being placed in the same position, did not ring true to me.
The Morality. The book creates a very strong moral dilemma: “as an unlucky participant in the Hunger Games, I’m going to have to kill innocent children, like myself, simply to survive”. The book sets up a horrible situation for the main characters and then, I believe, lets them off too easily. This is especially annoying when the ‘rules’ of the Hunger Games are changed (three times!). I could give many examples, but want to avoid spoilers.
This really is a Young Adult book, which unlike many, will not satisfy the majority of adults (but apparently I’m in the minority).
I will say again, the book was compelling enough for me to look forward to my nightly reading sessions, but has some major flaws.
I’m seventeen, and everybody and their mother told me to read The Hunger Games, because “it’s incredible!”. I finally decided “Why not?”, despite the fact that I have long given up on Young Adult novels. Sure, I’ve come across some good ones, but The Hunger Games is a prime example of why I don’t shop in that section anymore.
For what was advertised to me as an “awesome, fast-paced adventure”, I was bored out of my mind from start to finish. With every turn of the page, I thought it’d get better, thinking surely something interesting had to happen or else people wouldn’t be so obsessed with it. Twilight should have taught me that people can go nuts over poorly executed literature, but I gave it the benefit of the doubt.
The book is poorly written, in the POV of the main character, Katniss. When I say “poorly written”, I mean both in the construct and execution of plot and characters, AND the writing style (e.g., Lots of cliche ideas, like “it feels like I was just dreaming”, and one line I remember reading was “the saltiness of the soup reminds me of my tears”. I find that ridiculous, like some moping Emo-stereotype) And, because the story is in first-person, I (*spoilers*?) started the book KNOWING that she wasn’t going to die (not to mention, two books follow). I didn’t feel any danger for her and I didn’t like her. While, admittedly, I like the CONCEPT of the book, I didn’t enjoy anything about it while reading. The characters and plot are one-dimensional. It was painfully predictable. Cliche. Boring. Immature.
The sad thing is, I think teenagers like this book because it requires no thought–it has no sustenance by means of developed characters or intricate plot. If we want people my age to start reading, should we really settle for feeding them empty stories like this one?
Barnes & Noble Reviews ( 5 Stars – 31336, 4 Stars – 5028, 3 Stars – 1483, 2 Stars – 581, 1 Star – 944):
591 out of 740 people found this review helpful. ( 5 Stars)
theReader278 Posted June 23, 2011
Loved it
I loved reading this wonderful book! It is a story that keeps you entertained for hours.
273 out of 349 people found this review helpful. ( 5 Stars)
Anonymous Posted July 27, 2009
Wow…
There’s really not much to say other than I just read a book that was equal part disturbing and completely compelling.
I can’t even say how much this book effected me, both emotionally and physically. (I bought a bow and arrow set. No kidding.)
I think this is a book that will stick with me for a very long time.
Caution: It’s violent and a lot of parts are very unsettling, but if you can get through it, it’s really an amazing read. Opens your mind, for sure.
I can’t wait for the sequel.
8 out of 46 people found this review helpful. ( 1 Star)
Anonymous
Posted January 4, 2012
Sad
The thought of kids killing each other for entertaimnent is horrible!
Anonymous
Posted April 10, 2012
Is this kids friendly
Would this b good 4 an 11 year old?
.Flipkart Reviews ( 5 Stars – 61, 4 Stars – 9, 3 Stars – 2, 1 Star – 4):
It’s actually my fault that I didn’t do enough research on the book before ordering it. Had I done that, I would’ve known that despite its dark, Orwellian, Battle Royale-like plot, it’s a young adult novel written for a target audience comprising Twilight-loving, Teen Choice Award-voting pre-teens yuppies. The end result is a contrived, pseudo-gritty novel with the potential of a 1984 but the writing style and substance of a Twilight or Princess Diaries.
But what it lacks in soul, it makes up with its sheer adrenaline-pumping, pulse-pounding action. Collins loves leaving her readers on tenterhooks at the end of almost every single chapter. So despite all its contrivances and silly romantic angles, The Hunger Games does manage to make for a surprisingly exciting read. And as much as I hate to admit it, I want to read the next two books as well.
Plot (5 out of 5): the story just pulls you into a world where hope and strong will is very hard to nourish. it makes you bitter yet surprisingly you cannot wait to know what happens further.
Character development (5 out of 5): the story unfolds through the eyes of 16 years old girl who is trying to stay alive in a very hostile environment. you want to cry your eyes out to such unjust done by government so called “CAPITOL”. i actually cried at some point i will not tell you when in the story but you will fall in love with the main protagonist for her strong will, bravery, kindness and caring nature.
Writing (4 out of 5): the way story unfolds, the characters are developed you will remain glued to the book till end.
Altogether (5 out of 5): an absolute delight treat from Suzzane collins. A must read book.
Google Books Review ( 5 Stars – 17985, 4 Stars – 8210, 3 Stars – 2656, 2 Stars – 666, 1 Star – 343):
Niiice
Couldn’t put it down! Little depressing but still thrilling
The Hunger Games
Breath taking.
Nakiera
I seen the movie and I just had to read the book and its really good
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