Review: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Published: October 1st, 2008
Publisher: Scholastic
Pages: 374
Challenge: 350 Page Book Challenge, 100+ Reading Challenge
Other: First book in The Hunger Games Trilogy. All books are published.
Buy the book: Bookdepository


Could you survive on your own, in the wild, with everyone out to make sure you don't live to see the morning? 

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 steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—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 will weigh survival against humanity and life against love.


In the Hunger Games, everything is regulated by the Capitol, who controls everything in Panem; a place that was once called Northern America. There are twelve districts and they are carefully monitored by their mayors. District Twelve lives off the coal mines and that district is the home of Katniss. Katniss is 16 and spends her days hunting behind the fence, a place where she's not supposed to be. The book works up to the reaping, an event that's held every year in which every district sends one boy and one girl between the age of 12 and 18 to the Hunger Games; an arena where 24 boys and girls have to battle until they die, only to have one survivor; the winner of the Hunger Games.

I've heard a lot about this series ever since I started blogging in the book blogosphere, and even though the storyline sounds gruesome and horrifying, I decided to pick up the boxed set. I'm so glad I did.

The Hunger Games are set up to show the people in Panem that the Capitol still has all control. At the reaping, we meet Peeta. Peeta seems a bit slow, a bit dull, at the beginning, but right after that he started to win my heart. He seems such an honest, loving and loyal male character that I couldn't do anything else than feel with him. After the interview, I think he stole my heart. I could totally feel what he felt, even though Katniss didn't seem to understand anything. Sometimes I wanted to yell at her to quit being so stupid, because even I saw what was going on (not that it would help, but hey, it's the idea that countrs).

Katniss has grown up to learn how to survive. We see her instinct and I think Katniss is a pretty strong character. I have to admit that sometimes I couldn't really relate to her as I could to Peeta, even though he wasn't the person we were following around.

Big, big thumbs up to Suzanne Collins on writing such a great book with a great story when the story itself is so gruesome. I think she did an amazing job on creating the world and the Hunger Games. I also want to compliment her on her description of the other (minor) characters, especially Rue. Rue touched my heart.

The Hunger Games held me literally on the edge of my seat the entire time. I felt weird in my stomach when I sensed something was going to happen - like I could feel the tension that Katniss must have felt in the arena. I haven't experienced that with any other book. It felt so weird! The book had me hooked since page 1 and I feel relieved that I own Catching Fire and Mockingjay as well, because I can't imagine having to wait for the books to come in the mail.

My overall rating:

Because holy shiz, Suzanne Collins has written a masterpiece.