Thoughts on: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

March 24, 2012
Article first published asBook Review: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collinson Blogcritics.

About:
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is a dystopian novel written for young adults (YA). Even though the main audience targeted, the book has struck chords with parents as well and has been a best seller since it came out.

  • 384 pages
  • Publisher: Scholastic Press; Reprint edition (July 3, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0439023521

Book Review The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

My rating for The Hunger Games – 4

Buy this book inpaper or electronic for­mat
Or get The Hunger Games Trilogy in paper or electronic format
through the Man of la Book Affil­i­ate Account

More books by Suzanne Collins

Thoughts:
I’ll admit it, I read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (website) because my wife did and I didn’t… we can’t have that now.
Can we?

I can certainly see why the book was such a hit. The novel struck many chords and many themes (teenage anguish, love, work, poverty and more), was an easy and quick read, as well as full of action.

Ms. Collins built a fantastical and believable world where the United States is no more and instead the country is now called Panem which is run from “The Capital” and divided into 12 districts. The story progresses quickly and fluently with well defined characters who have lame names.
Don’t tell me that the baker’s son is named Peeta (Pita) by accident.

I can certainly understand how the YA crowd fell head over heels for this novel.

For me though, and I understand perfectly well I’m not the target audience, the love triangle was cliché but I loved the violence and speed of this novel. The constant suspense kept me turning page after page as, I assume, most of those who read the book. Once I got over my name prejudice, I even liked the protagonist – a bow and arrow female Wilhelm Tell, how can you not like her?

Ms. Collins’ prose is efficient in a no-nonsense style filled with dry humor which causes the book to become addictive. Like any good story, you are immersed in the universe built around you, yet you know it is not real but you can’t stop reading.

That being said, there were some aspects of the book which were too convenient, when Katniss babysits Peeta the second half of the book, the stuff she needs floats down from the sky, that might be passable for the intended audience, but not for me. Also the ending was a bit disappointing, I especially disliked the mutated werewolves but, since this is part of an extremely successful trilogy and the audience certainly stuck around to find out what happens – who am I to say anything?

So tell me, how did you like the ending?

Synopsis:
North America has been destroyed and is now run by the powerful Capital and is devided into 12 districts (district 13 has been destroyed due to a rebellion). In district 12 ace hunter Katniss Everdeen, a 16 year old girl, carves out a meager existences for herself, her younger sister Prim and their widowed mother. In order to keep the 12 districts aware of who runs the county, the Capital arranges a game to the death each year in an elaborate arena. Each districts holds a drawing of one boy and one girl to go as tributes. When her sister is picked, Katniss exercises her option to volunteer for the games. Along with Katniss comes also Peeta, the baker’s son, who grew up with her.

Katniss and Peeta must fend for themselves against natural elements, the Gamemakers and the other contestants whose only option is to kill or be killed.

Buy this book inpaper or electronic for­mat
Or get The Hunger Games Trilogy in paper or electronic format
through the Man of la Book Affil­i­ate Account

More books by Suzanne Collins

Zohar – Man of la Book

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11 Comments

  • 99e3820d11ba3075bdc9249572c0dc1f
    Sue O'Neill WoodMarch 24, 2012 at 8:03 am

    My daughter got this for Christmas two years ago and we were double tagging it. It was an incredibly fast read and for me the ending was simply a dare to go get book 2. Which we did. 🙂 Loved this trilogy. Most books have their weak points but there was nothing so distracting that it prevented me from getting lost in the story, and leave me wanting more. The mark of a good read!

  • 4c7fdea0dc4569ae77f932685e27f42b
    jenclairMarch 24, 2012 at 12:42 pm

    I read and enjoyed Hunger Games some time back. For some reason, though, I haven’t continued the series.

  • 00377887c17f1e30214639b8908b7f29
    Zuzana UrbanekMarch 24, 2012 at 3:09 pm

    Nice review, Zohar! I’m in the same boat — not the intended audience — but it didn’t matter; I really enjoyed this fast and adventure-filed read for the same reasons you did. However, I did not find the items falling from the sky so odd; the premise had been well set up that the Games are very political and fixed to provide ultimate thrills, so the powers-that-be (and possible sponsors) were tipping the scales a bit. I too was not so sure about the mutated werewolves. Oh well, it’s a different verse! I have the second book on my Kindle, awaiting a read, but I want to see the movie adaptation of the first book, which I will do next week. Happy weekend, and happy reading! Z

  • C9f7a0d1fb3cffcec0bb5ce72b532291
    Lilian ChengMarch 24, 2012 at 4:15 pm

    I just watched the movie with a couple of friends yesterday night, who didn’t read the book (which I adore to bits when I read it a few years back and they remember me avidly praising it.) And then they kept asking me if Peeta dies…

    It was sad that they kept saying the money was super long when I felt lie they cut off so much backstory in the movie (though it is understandable why).

    I really loved the first book, but as I got to the third two and three it kinda fell in a downward spiral. The action I liked was there, but in smaller amounts..but it felt like whatever was good in the last two books was already done better in the first.

    • 86c0a0f97ec725b64c693cd9b30e3aa1
      Zohar - Man of la BookMarch 24, 2012 at 10:35 pm

      I haven’t read the other two yet. My wife did and her comments parallel yours – good but “not as”.

  • 74dc8c7ff70059862998afcfcce774de
    Kristie DeanMarch 24, 2012 at 4:15 pm

    I really enjoyed the trilogy – a fast read.

  • F8fcab0c227f657942cf9634241349ce
    RyanMarch 24, 2012 at 10:30 pm

    I skimmed the review because I haven’t read, seen or know anything about this book but it seems to be everywhere. I figure I’m going to have to read this one just to keep “in the know.”

  • 47c40788e2dc8b5fa77c18ea4bfefbe1
    Rachel CotterillJuly 12, 2012 at 4:02 pm

    Have you read the rest of the series? I’m hoping the werewolf-mutants turn into something more than just a showy distraction…

  • F41961caa9c42898da65efb011b435fc
    SpangleMarch 7, 2016 at 10:07 am

    I’m also not within the target audience, but I really enjoyed ‘The Hunger Games’ Trilogy. Unlike yourself I liked the ending, I think it was realistic and hit the right mood for what happens throughout this series.

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