In a desperate future Katniss is a young girl that has had to become the sole provider for food for her family. She struggles to keep her sister and feeble willed mother fed and safe from the an oppressive and exploitative government. Things go from bad to worse when she is forced to participate in The Hunger Games, a bloody spectacle of survival and combat where one winner will earn wealth and security for their family, while the rest perish on live television.
Additional Information
The Hunger Games
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10.0 | |
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10.0 (2) |
Added by Terry
April 11, 2010 
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0
Book Info
| Author | Suzanne Collins |
| Illustrator | - No Illustrator |
| Publisher | Scholastic, 2008 |
| Genres | Action / Adventure / Sports • Fantasy / Make Believe |
| Age Range | 6th through 9th • High School |
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Mamma Bookworm review
Very Impressed
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins was a fantastic teen book. A rating of a 10 is pretty high for me, and some adults may not agree - but I think knowing that this book is written for teens gives it the edge to push it up there. It might not be an adult read 10, maybe more like a solid 8, but for a kids book it was excellent. Katniss is a 16 year old girl who has to fight to the death against 23 other kids in a competition set up by the government. They have no choice but to enter and everyone is at risk. It's a way to force their districts (sort of like states) to compete against each other, whether they want to or not. Only children 12 to 18 are allowed to be chosen, adding to the horrifying brutality of the games. Lots of the negative reviews I have seen about this book were quick to point out that the idea of humans hunting each other for sport is not a new idea, and they would be right. I can think of at least three other very similar stories right off the top of my head. But I think that the execution of the characters, the back stories, and the incorporation of romance and action was a great way to attract girls and boys equally. Also there were aspects of the competition that I hadn't seen in other stories that I thought were more realistic than most - like how sponsors and viewers could pool their resources to help the players when they needed it. It reminded me of the way that the new reality series talent shows these days ask you to call in and vote. I could see how some parents could be upset about the level of graphic violence. While it doesn't go into too much detail about the wounds, it definitely doesn't just write them off either. I found it to be a pretty realistic depiction of what it would be like to have someone stab you in the leg, or the reality of having to kill someone in hand to hand combat. I did find one review by a mom that I found confusing: "The world is depressing enough without letting my kids read books like this." I couldn't disagree more. Of course this story is an over the top example of a society gone wrong - but I think it's very important to show kids (especially young teens) how far things can get out of hand if people don't speak up. The evening news and the internet usually just report the facts, but not the feelings of oppressed and abused people out in the world. Without empathy for our fellow man, how can we possibly have a responsible, caring society? I think stories like these help teens look at the other side of the coin for people who might have things worse, or better, than they do. |
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Reviewed by Mamma B
July 16, 2010 #1 Reviewer View all my reviews Report this review |
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User reviews
Average user rating from: 2 user(s)
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A Definite Page Turner
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0 of 0 people found the following review helpful
I had a few girlfriends recommend "The Hunger Games" to me but when they told me the gist of the story, it didn't seem like something I would be interested in. But I was finally talked into reading it and I was finished with it in 3 days! I absolutely loved it. I think the book offered a unique story, action/adventure, and even a little romance. I would definitely recommend for teenagers and adults (male and female).
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Gripping Story for Older Kids
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0 of 0 people found the following review helpful
I thought this was an incredible book that to be honest would be an excellent read for adults as well as teens. There are some pretty grown up concepts in this book such as oppression, poverty, exploitation, and violence. It's all handled well with all of the protagonist having a solid moral compass, but it would only be suitable for mature readers who have already discussed these topics with adults. The book's heroine Katniss is a very strong and independent female with solid values. There is a lot of action, but plenty of thought provoking content as well. The violence is realistic and not glamorized, but it is a story about a battle to the death in a wilderness arena of about 2 dozen teens with only hand weapons. It's the first of a planned series of 3 books that will likely be fairly successful.
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