All right, folks. Another sci fi dystopia has hit the shelves, and it’s a good one. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is going to suck you in and swallow you whole, I swear.
Summary: The United States fell apart at some point, seemingly hundreds of years ago. First there were weather disasters (floods, droughts, all the usual stuff), and eventually a new country arose, called Panem. The nation was divided into thirteen districts, but there was a rebellion, and district thirteen was completely obliterated.
But, and here’s where it gets interesting, the diabolical government (located somewhere I imagine is near what we now call Denver) has chosen to remind citizens of their treason every year by hosting the Hunger Games, in which two teenagers from each district — for a total of twenty-four “champions” — must go into an arena and fight to the death until one comes out alive.
Our heroine is Katniss, a poor girl from district twelve, the poorest of the districts. She’s had to make it on her own for various reasons, and so she has learned to hunt and to identify edible plants, which makes her a better contender than she knows. And of course she ends up as one of the “tributes,” or sacrifices from each district to the games.
The beginning of the book starts out with a Shirley Jackson-esque type of lottery, except that in this lottery your chances of being picked are higher if you’re in danger of starvation, because you can enter your name extra times in exchange for simple things like food.
But as Suzanne weaves the story, she delves into a lot of issues. Poverty, obviously. Inequality. And then she also brings up some positive traits that are completely un-expected. Generosity, concern. I mean, really. What teenager wants to kill twenty-three others so she can go home and continue to live?
There are a host of movies that explore the insane urge some humans have to prey upon one another, notably The Most Dangerous Game, but none of them (at least none I’ve seen) explore class barriers in the way Suzanne’s novel does.
And, though it’s weird, you can’t help but get into the game itself after awhile, hoping to see Katniss survive, hoping that a few other characters will make it too, hoping that this impoverished but determined girl from a place that is detested by the wealthy can prove herself. And then, maybe, that she can challenge in the government in some way, that she can become an agent of change.
I’ve read a lot of fantastic books this year, and I keep coming back to you and telling you, “You’re going to love this one! You are! It’s amazing, I swear!” Well, The Hunger Games falls into that category, too. But let me tell you: I read probably three or four times as many books as I review. (If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.) I only recommend books I really enjoyed, and this is one I heartily recommend. It reminds me of so many other works of great dystopian fiction — of Scott Westerfeld, Robin Wasserman, Margaret Atwood (an adult author whose novel Oryx and Crake is one of my all-time favorites, although I could go on about her books for about a million years if you’d let me). And yet it’s unique in its approach.
Let me put it to you this way: The Hunger Games is a really compelling read, and one that takes place in a future you could actually imagine. It’s tragic and yet hopeful. And I’m excited to see what else Suzanne is going to bring us, because a little bird told me that The Hunger Games will not be a stand-alone novel. (Also, the last words in the book are “End of book one,” which is a dead giveaway that there will be a book two.)
So please. Go read it, and soon. And, even if you don’t love it as I did, come back and tell me what you think.
Buy The Hunger Games
I have heard AMAZING things about this book from a few people, and I can’t wait to read it.
I just heard about this today because, apparentally, even Stephenie Meyer loves this book!! After getting to know what it’s about, I really want to read it, too.
Wow i just finished the book no more than ten minutes ago…and my head is still spining from all the excitement.
Im a junior in highschool and two days ago in my S.A.T prep course which is taught by my Sophmore English teacher( Who just happens to be my favorite) makes us read every day for 30 minutes or more if were lucky
and last weekend, or two weeks ago i dont rember but, our local library was giving away free books, and some how she had the hookup to get her hands on it. Its the advance readers copy, and its needs minor editing. Not much from what i could find, but none the less this book took my breath away and still holds it captive amongsts its 420 pages of pure emotional rolller coasters one after another. Just two short days ago i started reading it and every second i got, i put my eyes to work scanning the pages losing myself at its mercy. I dont want to ruin any special details of the book but im dying to converse with somebody over it…
It feels good to also have a one up on everyone who hasnt recieved a chance to trek it pages yet, but if i could say one thing about the book and describe it one word it would be KATNISS (”if you can find yourself youll never starve”)
Just found out about this through Stephenie Meyer’s website, read this and it convinced me to go get it.
I was really lucky my local library had it stock. I finished it the other day, because I had such difficulty putting it down. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading! If anyone hears when the second book is coming out post it please, I really can’t wait.
All I can say is, WOW!!
Stephenie Meyer, had this book on her website as a good book to read, or shall I say excellent – she said she couldn’t put it down. And of course I loved her Twilight series – I just knew she wouldn’t steer me the wrong way.
Well, I loved The Hunger Games!! Once I got thru the first three chapters, I could no longer put it down. Now I am patiently waiting for “Book 2″.
Please Suzanne Collins, hurry and finish the second book…
Just barely finished and I CAN NOT wait until the second book comes out. This book was absolutly amazing! Draws you in within the first chapter and doesn’t let you go! I’ll say it again- AMAZING!
-From a HUGE twilight fan
LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT !! amazing book….it had me all emotional through out the whole book 1st chapter and I was hooked I cant wait for the 2nd one!!!!!
I had not heard about this book until Stephenie Meyer recommended it. So because of Stephenie I went out and bought it. I could not put this book down, I can not wait until the second book. Great read, but not for young children.
Im 12 years old and im admit that im a huge geek. I love reading and can’t stand a day without a book in my hand. When I was 9 I read Suzanne Collins “The Underland Cronicles” unforturnetly, the last book in the series was not out then. When I was 11, I saw that the last book came out and went biserk! I imedaly grabed it off the shelf and started reading it. I fell in love with the books. Suzanne Collins was my favorite author. I wrote a letter to the publisher begging for more. I checked her website everyday to see if she came out with a new book. Nothing. Then, i found out about Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. I thought it was a good story line so i read it. And boy my life would not be complete if it wern’t for Stephenie Meyer. I read the other books in the series and Stephenine Meyer became my favorite author with Suzanne collins in 2nd. I was obsessed with the series for about 5 months. Then, on Stephenie’s website about a week ago, I saw her recommendation for The Hunger Games. I was sitting at the computer before school, and I screamed so loud my mom thought someone was murdering me! I could not belive she wrote another book! And the fact that Stephenie loved Suzanne’s book sent chills up my spine. Before I read the synopsis… I went straight to Barns and Noble.com and bought it. I couldn’t wait for the book to arrive! it was unlike anything I ever expected. The best piece of writing I’ve ever seen! I just finished if this Sunday, and with the last words “END OF BOOK ONE” I could not live without this book. Suzanne Collins is my favorite author!
I totally love this book. i’m 19 and I just LOVE it. I also found it from Stephenie Meyer’s website and the book is awesome. I heard the second one is coming out september 2009 though which is one whole long year to wait.
i have yet to read this, but i also just happened to see it on stephenie meyer’s website and decided to check out the story line.
it’s sounds pretty good, and after reading everyone’s comments, i’m def going to read it!
I have deleted a comment here, which alleged that Suzanne had lifted her story from the film version of the Japanese book Battle Royale, but from a brief plot synopsis of the Japanese book I can see quite a few differences between the two.
The original commenter is welcome to respond if she can show evidence of this allegation.
Otherwise, and this is for everyone, please refrain from making any accusations against authors on this site unless you’ve got links to back up what you’re saying. Thanks.
Thanks Stephenie for recommending this GREAT book. I so enjoyed this story and was so hooked on pulling for the main character in the book. I could not put the book down. I cannot wait for the next book to come out. Great job Suzanne!!!! I loved it!!!
An Absolutely amazing book. 5 stars I couldn’t tear my eyes away. Can’t wait for book two. Will Katniss and Peeta be able to make meanful changes? Will they lead revolution? When is book 2 going to be released?
I fell in love with the characters and I could just feel my emotions running and my heart pounding as I imagine every situation that Katniss goes through and feel it as if I was going through with it. Does anyone know when book two comes out? I’m already wondering and want to find out what happens to Peeta and Gale in Katniss’s life and if she will go and fight the capitol? well keep me posted!
Oh another thing I bought this book because of stephenie meyer’s recommendation and I soooo wanna thank her!
I never read. Seriously, never! I heard so much about the Twilight Series that I had to just check it out. I read all four books in 6 days. I absolutely love them. Of course, I immediately read them all again. Then I started on The Host, which I also loved. So, after 32 years of never reading, I decided that I actually do like to read, if it’s the right book. So I took Stephenie Meyer’s suggestion and read The Hunger Games. Thank you Stephenie!!! This was a fantastic book, I read the entire thing in one day, I couldn’t put it down. I can’t wait until the next one! So, since I’ve never read anything, and don’t know where to start now, I’m looking for new suggestions from all you that loved these books (until the next book from Suzanne).
I read about the Hunger Games on Stephenie Meyers web site so I read it this weekend. This is the first book I have read from Suzanne collins but it will not be the last. I am an avid reader The Hunger games was the 16th book I have read just this year and I thought it was a great book. I could feel the pain and anguish that Katniss was feeling, like I was there with her. I Hope book 2 comes out very soon So we can see how the rest of the story plays out. There are so many different things that could happen. I will be waiting for a release date for book 2. I will tell others about this book.
Hannah I know the hunger games is absolutely incedible and I hate reading and I mean I hate hate reading. The Hunger games brought me back into the readig world and I rembered how incedible it was. Right now I’m just thinking How could you leave us hanging like this. Did Peeta even think she really had feelings for him? Also does she like gale? And if they had those dog things can’t they bring them back to life? Come on End of Book One why not more and more.
I was lucky enough to read an advance copy of The Hunger Games about five months ago. Or, unlucky, I suppose, given that I have to wait so long to read the next book.
Like everyone else I’ve heard from, I couldn’t put it down. Despite being significantly older than the “appropriate” age for the book (30, ugh!), I was hooked from the beginning – as were several of my co-workers
To Andria – You might want to check out the Libba Bray series that begins with “A Great and Terrible Beauty”. It isn’t modern; it’s set in Victorian England, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Also, “Un Lun Dun” by China Mieville is *excellent*.
I read this book and I could not put it down! I got it yesterday and finished it today. I cannot wait until the next book comes out. It was an exciting read that kept me on my toes and wanting more the entire way through it! I also love the Twilight series and i was never a big reader until those books. I flew threw those books so fast and when I was done I could not wait to get my hands on anther great book. i saw that Stephanie Meyer wrote great things about the book so I went out and bought it. The rest is history. i just hope now that it does not take a long time for book 2 to come out. I dont know how long I can wait! I am now going to read the book Tantalize. Someone suggested it to me so if it is pretty good I will let you all know…
If anyone is looking for more suggestions on great books by great authors…if you liked the twlight series you’ll really like the night world series by L.J. Smith… thsy just starting printing her books again but you should get it soon or try getting them on amazon.com because her books were out of print and her books would range from 30 bucks to 40…but you’re in luck if ur interested cause its available at borders or any other book store but only for limited time…L.J. Smith is one of my favorite authors and if you enjoyed the hunger games and twlight…you should reallylook into her books….
mahalos
I love this book! i read it in Stephenie Meyer’s website like so many others! I’m still in shock about how it turned out i would def recommend it to everyone! Heck I’m 22 years old so its not like its just for young kids. So many clue when the next book comes out? I hope not too long
I loved this book!!! I would definitely recommend it. I’m a 34 yeard old mother of 3 and i couldn’t put the book down. In fact i finished it in a day!!! I really want to know if there is going to be a sequel or maybe a whole 4 book saga like Twilight…:-)i too got this book’s recommendation from the Stephanie Meyer website!!!
Oh my gosh! this book is amazing! i read it in two days and just got done reading it and it’s incredible! but my question is………….when does the next book come out?!?!
Oh my gosh i found out about this book on stephenie meyers website because i hated reading and never would do it tell twilight then i was left with nothing and felt like a lost a chunk of my life cuz nothing would please me then i found the hunger games and i can’t help butt say i found another book i am truly obsessesed with sad i know. and i just finished it like 20 minutes ago and had to find away to find out when the sequal comes out but i found this to let all my feelings out and i really don’t know if i can wait because this is just such an amazing book and the romance and supence is incredible.
I finished reading Hunger Games yesterday, and I nearly threw it out my window. I should have waited to read it after the next one comes out. I loved the book and I am an English teacher, although it was very predictable as I read, and I don’t like to be left hanging like this AND it made me crazy to know I have to wait for the next one… and there isn’t even a publishing date for the next one; but, since Stephenie Meyer recommended it, I thought I would try it out.
I am having my students read the Twilight saga, and I will probably have them read this too….Anything to get these guys to read.
Someone find out when the next one comes out.
omg i loved this book! it was fantastic and now im giving myself heartattacks just by thinking about the second book! I REALLY HOPE IT COMES OUT SOON!! good luck with writing the next book Suzanne Collins and congrats on writing the best book ever!
p.s Suzanne, if you are reading this, write the next book soon because I have practically told the whole school about this book and they are going crazy! SO PLEASE FOR ME AND MY SCHOOL…….FINISH THE SECOND BOOK FAST! =)
Thanks Christi and Naomi, I’ll definitely check those out!
I LOVE THIS BOOK i heard about it from Stephenie Meyer and i just finished it today, its AMAZING. PLEASE PLEASE Suzanne finish the second book soon cuz otherwise i’ll go insane!! o_0
I love this book!! I heard about it via Stephenie Meyer’s website and I was hooked chapter one! This book was FANTASTIC! She is such a great writer, I can’t wait for the second book! I know it takes time to write a book and I want the second to be as good or better than the first but please Suzanne don’t make us wait to LONG!! I am already having withdrawals, (hunger pains if you will) LOL
I love the book, it was completely amazing, I was submerged in it for hours and not once did I become bored. I can’t wait till the next book, I’m dieing to know what will happen.=] The book was outstanding!<3
one word for the book WOW!!!!!!!!!!
it was great and perfect
even though the book was quite short for me but its perfect just the way it is!
and i cannot wait till the second book!
My 2 favorite authors loved your book and for me I couldn’t put it down either. Wow reading 5 hours straight is sure exciting. One of the best and most flawless book I ever read. I just hope I don’t have to wait till Fall 2009. Thank you for experiencing such an action pack, plot twisting book.
This was certainly compelling, but I wanted to like it more. I was disappointed that there will be book two, because there are so many series and so few stand alone novels. Certainly worth buying, but not the best thing I’ve read!
OMGosh! I LOVE this book! I WAS obsessed with Twilight for the longest time. I had to BEG my mom to get me the books cause I read like every one in TWO days! But then I read The Huger Games and now I don’t know which is my favorite?!?!?!?!?!??! If it wasn’t for Sephanie Meyer I would have never known it exsisted. Just in time too, cause I was just about to go to book fair like in a week and didn’t know what book to get. Then in these little magazine things they give us giving us and idea of the books that are oging to be there…. I saw it! I saw The Hunger Games! I also wanted the host, but my mom said only one… ugh….. so anyway. I got it! WOOO! I read it in like 1 and a half days. There are soooooo many questions I want to ask! *BOOK TWO COMES OUT SOMETIME IN SEPTEMBER OF 2209!* Thats CRAZY! I almost started crying when I found that out… cause I absolutley LOVE books…. and my mom was like.. Whats wrong? I was like THE BOOK!!!!!! THE SECOND ONE DOESN”T COME OUT FOR LIKE 10 MORE MONTHS!!!!!! AHHHHHH! lol lol! She thought I was weird, but so does everyone else! Okay well thank you Suzzane for writing such wonderful books. And thank you Stephanie for requesting this on your website! ♥ both of your books!
OOPS! I MEANT BOOK TWO COMES OUT SOMETIME IN SEPTEMBER OF 2009 SORRY!!!!!
Im at the part of the book when there’s a fire. I LOVE THIS BOOK!!! Pretty much everybody i know wants to read this book. I hope theres a second that i can read after the first.
I LOVE THIS BOOK! I heard of it on http://www.stepheniemeyer.com, where Stephenie recommended it, AND IT IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!
OMG! I LOVE this Book!!!!!!!!!! I read it in two days and i almost died when i heard book 2 doesnt come out til september of 2009!!! and i found out about this book because my mom works for scholastic so she gets books all the time!! We have lik our own library upstairs!! wow im not much of a reader but this book really got me into reading more!!! WOW I CANT WAIT TIL CATCHING FIRE COMES OUT!!!! <3
i finished the book in a day! id have to say its one of my best reads! its been hard for me to find a good book lately so i must ask you to please recommend one to me now that i have to wait for suzanne colllins to release the sequel. hope to hear from you!
oh! my god i love this book. At first I dodnt want to read it but then my teacher said it was a god book and when i started reading it i couldn’t put the book down. i got in trouble with my mom because i stayed up so late readin the book. and when i finished it i was so sad so i read it again and i saw it said end of book 1 i was so excited but also very mad because it just came out so we’l have to wait a while before book 2 comes out but i totallycant wait
I loved it so much!!!!!! I finish it in less than a day, I just couldn’t put the book down, stephenie meyer was right is amazing.
by the way I am a twilight fan!!!!!!!
i just finished the book 2 minutes ago i read it in about a total of 8 hours with interruptios from my parents for chores th ebook is incredible and the 2nd 1 needs to release soon
Im in love with this book!! i saw it at our school bookfair and when i read what it was about i had to have it!!!! Im dieing for the second one and i’ve only been done with the first for a few minutes!!!!
Just finished the book about 30 minutes ago. So disappointed that we’ll have to wait till next year. I’ll have Chuck Palahniuk to keep me company.
AMAZING read. No words… amazing..
Well I just finshined reading it myself and I have to say it was amazing. I(like most people) got interested in this after hearing Stephenie Meyers praise it. I thought it would be good but I had no idea it would be like that at all.
it was amazing i got for christmas and i couldn’t take my eyes off of it. i finished in three hours and i have like read it three times now and i CANNOT wait until she comes out with the next one!!!
This was an amazing book I finished it in one day i couldn’t believe it, I want to know what happens next!!!!!