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Book Review of The Hunger Games (Hunger Games, Bk 1)

The Hunger Games (Hunger Games, Bk 1)
ChrissyVas avatar reviewed on + 34 more book reviews


I was surprised at how much I would like this book. It's pretty much about survival in a messed up society beyond belief in an almost dictator kind of way. The world is broken down into what they call 12 districts and each year they (the Capitol, or mayor's of each district) pick a young girl and boy between the ages of 12 and 18 from each district to compete for wealth and survival. When they hit 12 the name of the child gets placed on a piece of paper for each year until they are 19. For extra grain and oil which can last a year their names go into the pot on several more slips of paper.

It's as if they've taken a step backward as opposed to forward in this futuristic book. First they have a fashion show with interviews as if they are major stars and have a huge feasting in what they call the Capitol. The 24 children are treated like royalty before they are sent to fight to the death. Their living conditions prior to that depending on where they live are horrible, people starve to death have crappy jobs that don't pay them near enough to survive on. They are provided medieval weapons in which they have to fight for to obtain once they are in an arena that is being filmed live. When things get "boring" and the ratings start to drop the ones controlling these "hunger games" as they care called, can control the environment that the children are in by placing wild animals, throw bombs at them etc to flush them out so that they are face to face with each other to fight.

Katniss is one of the main characters of the book and she takes her younger sisters place as she has just turned 12. Never did she think that on her first year her sister would be called to fight. It is also the first time someone has volunteered to be a replacement. She leaves behind her mother, sister and best friend Gale that she met when she found a way out of their district to hunt for food in an area that was forbidden. The book is interesting and can be read in a day, I am looking forward to the next book.