The Hunger Games (2008) by Suzanne Collins

“Ladies and Gentlemen, let the seventy-fourth Hunger Games begin!”

 

Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark.

 

Those two names will forever be known to me.

 

As well as a few million YA readers. I have officially jumped on the Suzanne Collins bandwagon.

Not that it's a bad thing. Sometimes when a movie is coming out and is based upon a novel, it spurs me into action (how can I avoid a book that's good/interesting enough to be portrayed on film?), and I find myself a copy and get right down to the nitty-gritty.

 

The film is slated to be released sometime in 2012, and its sequels are set to be released 2013 and 2015, respectively (it looks like imdb has a “Hunger Games 4” with a (???) date, but my understanding was that the books were meant to be a trilogy). Yup, it's confirmed, here it says that Mockingjay is the third and final book in the “Hunger Games Series” (I don't know why imdb doesn't have it listed with their respective titles).

 

I do not currently own any of the books, so I will have to wait at my “71 out of 72 holds” spot in line at the library (but they've got 39 copies!).

 

 

All right!! To the recap and review.

The Hunger Games follows a “Battle Royale”-type of scenario (with kids battling it out to the death), “Gladiator”-style. What they call the “arena” is really (almost) a habitat built specifically for the games. But maybe I should back up.

 

The world in which these characters reside is that of a dystopian future for the U.S. and its neighbors. The current Panem nation was once North America, but through wars and other destroying powers, the new Panem arose out of the ashes and formed 13 surrounding districts. However, the districts rose in rebellion against the Capitol (where their head of state and leaders/powers-that-be reside and rule), and the resulting war seems to have been nothing short of a holocaust. District 13 is razed and the rest pick up the broken pieces of their existence and stay in line from then on out. No District steps a toe out of line, and each serves its purpose. For example, District 1 is in charge of jewelry and the like, and are one of the more affluent districts. The Districts know nothing of each other's lives or cultures, and the Capitol would like to keep it thus. Katniss, our main character, is from District 12, the coal-mining district.

 

As a punishment (and reminder of their power), the Capitol hosts an annual “Hunger Games,” which requires each District to send 2 tributes—one male and one female—to engage in a battle to the death. The winner... survives, obviously, but also gains lifelong fame and fortune (although that may not always be great as witnessed by District 12's last winner). This is to show the Districts they are powerless against the Capitol, and by participating and watching (as they are required) the Games from year to year, the districts are ceding their free will to the Capitol.

 

Katniss' lot in life hasn't been fair. Every year she runs a higher risk of having her name called (there is something called a tessera that some citizens submit for via slips of paper for their names to be drawn in the reaping—the calling of the tribute ceremony—in order to have food for their families and survival), but it is in the first year that her younger sister, Primrose, is eligible, that her fate is sealed. Katniss, who has over 20 slips with her name in the lottery (which gives her a higher chance of being called), has never been called. Primrose, with her first year and one slip, is called to fight in the Games. In a noble move, Katniss offers to go in Primrose's place and she believes her doom is inevitable.

 

Herein lies “the rub:”

 

Every year 2 tributes must be sent from the 12 remaining districts. However, the more affluent districts primp and train prime candidates to be their tributes each year. Katniss calls them “Careers” (Career Tributes) because they have been groomed and raised to become tributes, and generally they are genetically superior (bigger), older, and ready to fight (dirty, if they must). Although it is technically illegal to train for the Games, nothing has been done thus far to change the lot in life of these districts. Katniss states that generally, a tribute from District 1, 2, or 4 wins the Games.

 

I don't want to give away too much, but let's just say this year District 12 has 2 prime candidates of its own, and as you learn the backstory of Katniss and her fellow tribute and Panem's history, you begin to get an idea of the corruption and totalitarianism that abounds. And although the districts sit quietly, really, it seems there is revolution brewing just below the surface.

 

I am excited to read Catching Fire (which I hope to get within the next 6 weeks—hopefully sooner!) and the conclusion of Suzanne Collins' trilogy. I hope they prove to be more rewarding (as YA fare goes) than The Giver and its sequels (The Giver by far is the best, which is probably why it's the only one to win a Newberry Medal).

 

On a side note:

It seems Lenny Kravitz will be playing the part of newcomer stylist Cinna, but I had more of a Christian Siriano-type in mind, but less flamboyant. 

 

Would I recommend The Hunger Games? Hell yes. I give it a solid high-10 (sorry for the new rating system... basically, High-5 is decent and you should still read it; anything lower I just give it a standard ★ rating)

 

Get thee to your local library (or bookstore—it's a worthy investment, I'd say, especially if you're a bibliophile such as myself—I'm debating on whether to get myself a copy since my sis owns one...)