The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The Hunger Games (Hardcover)
by Suzanne Collins
Scholastic, September 2008
384 Pages
I admit, I’m late to jump on The Hunger Games
Before I get started I have a question I need clarified. This book is about twenty-four kids of various ages (from 12 to 18) brutally murdering each other while everybody watches and cheers them on. Did I get that right? Is this really what the book is about? I can see how one might consider The Hunger Games to be a social commentary on how we as a society have become obsessed with “reality” TV shows like Survivor and Who Wants to be The Biggest Loser?. It could have been a Modest Proposal lampooning reality TV. Instead it fails because one of the reasons this book is so damn compelling is because it’s set up like a reality TV show.
Back to the book at hand, The Hunger Games follows Katniss, a sixteen year old girl from the poorest of the 12 districts, who volunteers to take her sister’s place in the annual Hunger Games. Once inside the arena, she must stay alive in the wilderness while making both allies and enemies. Peeta was also selected from District 12 and his intentions are in question throughout the entire novel. Is he a good guy? Bad guy? Is he in love with Katniss or is it just a ploy for ratings? Again, all good trademarks of “reality” TV shows. The novel is really well paced and full of action. There are explosions and danger around every corner. The reader never knows when Katniss is going to be attacked and by who.
There is an abrupt ending that left me annoyed. Had I read the book when it first came out I would have been downright livid. Luckily, the entire trilogy has been released so the only thing holding me back from finishing the series is the two books I am currently reading.
I do have one MAJOR complaint about the book. If you are one of the few who have not read it just stop reading because the following contains spoilers.
My biggest complaint was that it was too convenient for Katniss not to kill anybody. I know she is the main protagonist and the reader must be able to relate to her, but she hardly makes an attempt to win the games. The other contestants die at the hands of each other while Katniss just sits up in a tree and waits. Since there can only be one winner, the reader goes through the book thinking Katniss and Peeta will have to fight to the death at some point only to have the rules changed and suddenly there could be two winners conveniently saving the two main characters. I just wish that Suzanne Collins would have pushed the character a little bit further and made her actively try to win the games instead of just winning almost by pure luck.
They’re also making a movie based off of the book.
Oh wait, wrong movie. My bad.
Second Opinions:
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Fyrefly’s Book Blog
Dreadlock Girl
Whimpilsive
August 31st, 2010 at 2:40 pm
In addition to The Running Man I thought it also had elements (the teenage kids) of another King story (written as Richard Bachman) The Long Walk.
August 31st, 2010 at 6:39 pm
I never really thought about how passive Katniss is, but you do have a point. I saw it as more of a conscious character trait, though; she’s just not the “killing type.”
The film comparison for me is definitely Series 7, which is also based on reality TV taken to a similar extreme, although at least that one’s with adults.
August 31st, 2010 at 9:57 pm
It’s like Katniss wanted to be strong and win the games but she didn’t want to kill to do it. From the beginning I assumed that Katniss would somehow be alive at the end of the book. It seemed impossible to me that she could win without getting her hands dirty.
August 31st, 2010 at 10:00 pm
The Long Walk does sound interesting. I may have to check it out.
August 31st, 2010 at 10:00 pm
From wikipedia: One hundred teenage boys must maintain a speed of at least four miles per hour or they are killed.
I think we just found the plot premise for Speed 3: Power Walking.
September 15th, 2010 at 6:56 pm
[...] these kids were forced to kill each other in order to be able to win. In a post by someone called “The Book Pirate”, an astute observation is made. He likens the Hunger Games to our society’s obsession with reality [...]
January 10th, 2011 at 8:02 pm
[...] The Book Pirate » Blog Archive » The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins [...]
January 27th, 2011 at 6:19 pm
I love Hunger Games and agree with your assessment of it. I recently posted a blog about it http://solittletimeheresmine.blogspot.com/
March 19th, 2011 at 5:35 am
NEW HUNGER GAMES NEWS! Jennifer Lawrence is going to play Katniss in the Hunger Games movie! http://bit.ly/gRYvsi
April 7th, 2011 at 1:24 pm
Hi,my name is Lily,I am a 5th grader from Fairview Elementary School,and I just love the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.I love the way she gives so much detail,and isn't afraid to put the real deal on the line.YOU ROCK SUZANNE COLLINS…..
June 3rd, 2011 at 3:33 pm
I was actually surprised I liked this book…I wasn't expecting it…especially considering the premises of the book. Definatly not one I would have picked up on my own.
June 30th, 2011 at 8:13 pm
I loved the Hunger Games and the whole series. I do agree that in the first one it seemed altogether too convenient that the protagonist and her love interest survived almost unscathed, but by the 3rd book she definitely showed the reality of the death of those close to you and pushed Katniss' development. They really are great books.
September 14th, 2011 at 1:55 pm
same here, it was a bob book but i didnt get to read it until almost the end of summer. i stayed up like all night reading it!
September 14th, 2011 at 1:56 pm
opps that was ment to be a reply to MsChris
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