The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins, is a fictional novel set in the future of what used to be North America, but is now split up into the 12 districts of Panem. The Capitol of the country thrives off of authority, and after the districts rebelled, wanted to do anything in their power to make them suffer. For example, food shortages and barriers around the districts make it almost impossible to live, and impossible to escape. To prove their power over the districts they create The Hunger Games. In the games, each district is forced to send two tributes, a boy and a girl (between the ages of 12-18) to a Capitol-run arena in which they will participate in a most epic fight to the death. Outside of the arena, people see the Hunger Games not only as a sporting event, but also an opportunity for receiving food should the tribute from their district survive. Every moment of the games is broad casted to all of Panem.

Katniss Everdeen, from district 12, volunteers for battle as a substitute for her younger sister Primrose, after she is chosen to compete in the games. Throughout her experience in the arena, she fights against starvation, dehydration, wildlife, wounds, and most of all, the other tributes. One by one the competitors succumb to death. Last standing is Katniss and her district partner, Peeta Millark. Forced into killing each other, the two decide upon a strategy that forces the producers to make a decision which may change the tradition of the games forever.

It seems ridiculous that people would send their children out to fight to the death merely for entertainment. But Suzanne Collins brings up an interesting point. Could things ever get so bad that making that type of sacrifice would seem worth it? For instance, could hunger and lack of freedom ever sway us into making those types of decisions? The willingness to sacrifice our own family members for the slightest possibility of getting something to eat? It sounds crazy, but it is definitely not impossible.

The Hunger Games was one of the best books I've ever read. Since it is written in present tense, throughout the whole book I was unaware of what would happen, and who would survive. From the title page, to the last words, I was kept in suspense and didn't want to set the book down. I absolutely LOVED the intensity of the games. There are some scenes of the book that are gory, but they are totally worth it. A+