Book Review – The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

I’ll fully admit to being one of those people who has watched the films several times without having read the books the are based on. I really enjoy the movies, especially the first one. Usually when this happens, I often find myself a little disappointed with the book for the movie was my introduction to the characters and story. When the book isn’t like the movie at all, I often dislike which ever one I experienced second. Practical Magic is a good example of this. The film is one of my favorites, but when I read the book years later was left wondering how they got one from the other. I’m happy to say that was not my experience with The Hunger Games.

If you haven’t experienced this in either book or movie form, the story follows Katniss who volunteers as Tribute in her sister’s place to be a participant in the Hunger Games, a violent winner take all event designed to keep the poor citizens of Panem down. A reminder of the war they lost. A punishment for their uprising to give up their children as tributes every year. Katniss must find a way to survive as the 23 other tributes fight for survival. When her district’s other tribute admits his love for her, they use it as a way to win.

What is so great about this book is that it never actually says what the war was about or how our society ended up how it did – obviously there was some kind of environmental happening that caused a disturbance that changed everything. Eventually there was an uprising that failed. Citizens were separated into districts. Fandoms will be able to tell you more on this, but I like the ambiguity. Collins just concentrates on the story at hand and lets your imagination fill in the blanks.

Katniss is a great narrator. Strong yet vulnerable. Hot headed but learns from her mistakes. Observant which makes her both a good hunter and a survivor. And she is only sixteen, so while loving her family comes easily, she does not yet understand the implications of pretending to love Peeta in the arena to survive. She may see her best friend Gale as a brother, but pretending to love Peeta complicates that relationship too.

This actually made me love the movies more for they DO fill in the blanks on some things. While we only get the story from Katniss in the book, the movie often shows the reaction of Gale or Katniss’ family back in her district while she is competing in the arena. We get to see how District 11 reacts when Katniss tries to save Rue, only twelve when her name was drawn to be a tribute. Visually, this works better for the movie since Katniss’ future hostile relationship with President Snow comes into play.

Only at the end of this book does Katniss understand that she will have to fight the rest of her life to survive. That she will always had to pretend to love Peeta. Her life and the lives of her loved ones depend on it. Winning the Hunger Games was the easy part. As far as young adult dystopian books go, this one ranks among the best.

5 out of 5 stars.