The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is a futuristic dystopian story of Katniss Everdeen. The novel takes place in a reimagined US where the country is divided into 12 districts and the Capitol. These 12 districts are in poverty, while the Capitol thrives off the labors of the people in the districts. Katniss is a citizen of District 12, where she lives with her mother and sister. A main event in this new country is “The Hunger Games.” Though it is called a game, the event is more of a way for the Capitol to get revenge for the “Dark Days” when the districts rebelled against the Capitol. The game entails 2 tributes, one boy and one girl, from each district to fight to the death in an arena for the Capitol’s pleasure. Katniss Everdeen is brought into the games after she volunteers in her sister's place. This decision leads Katniss down a path of destruction, love, and loss. This book was one of my favorite stories I’ve read. Suzanne Collins does an amazing job giving life to the characters and explaining their hopes. In this she goes into much detail to elaborate and emphasize each character’s drive to do what they do. A great example of this is the look on Katniss and her struggles finding how to act and what she should, what she can do to improve her and her family's lives, all while trying to stay alive. The author also does a fantastic job imagining the future we will have in store if we fight, and all the bad that will come out of it. Both the maleficent evil and the bright goodness shine through in the book. The bad is represented by the eeriness of the Capitol and its despicable pleasure, while the good is the people making a difference and fighting against the rules of the Capitol. Suzanne does a good job subtly hinting at the hints of hope throughout the story, whether a pile of mud or a burnt loaf of bread, she gives both the reader and the characters a reason for hope. The novel clearly illustrates the love for family, our instincts to survive, and the malicious acts that could cause our downfall at any point. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a read that is full of action, excitement, drama, and a hint of romance.