Book Review: The Hunger Games

I have to admit, I didn't really get what all the "The Hunger Games" hype was all about, but I needed a break from some of my other reading and decided to give it a go.

Synopsis: (from amazon.com)

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual 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. But Katniss has been close to dead and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

I was very pleasantly surprised by this book. In fact, I read it in 3 days. It is one of those "it's-2am-and-I-can't-stop-reading" books. I really liked how Suzanne Collins developed her characters... you can't help but feel the desperation, the fear and the triumphs of each one. Somehow she gets you past the horrifying violence of children killing children (seriously, I have no idea how they made this a PG-13 movie) and focuses on the spirit of survival. This is definitely a must read book!

I've moved on to the next book in the trilogy and am happy with how that one is going as well! Stay tuned for the review!