The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (Second Review!)

The top part of this review, the rating, and the quotes haven't been changed at all. I didn't reread it at all. Wrote this review for Banned Book Week from my memory of what happened in the novel. The review is completely different.

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The Hunger Games (Hunger Games, #1)

By Suzanne Collins

Publisher: Scholastic Press, 2008

374 pages, hardcover

Date Finished: 25/6/2010

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Futuristic, Action, Coming of Age

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love.
~from goodreads.com~

~First Line: "When I wake, the other side of the bed is cold."
~Last Line: "I take his hand, holding on tightly, preparing for the cameras, and dreading the moment when I will finally have to let go."

Review: First - Why in the world is this book being challenged to be banned? Yes, the gore, etc. sometimes might not be suitable for younger kids, but it really isn't that bad!

I had heard a lot of things about this book before I started reading it. It was the latest series, and I was tired of being left behind. I'm really glad I bought it!

The main character, Katniss, lives in a post-apocalyptic America, hunts illegally, and takes her sister's place in the infamous Hunger Games. No way is she risking Prim's life when it could be saved. Katniss's world gets both better and worse from there.

The Hunger Games is definitely a gory, battle-filled event. Nobody wants to die. The plot in this book was pretty awesome. It was something I'd never heard of before. I like how Suzanne Collins had each district specializing in something different. Each was significant, which showed in the people they sent to the Games.

The characters were unquestionably fabulous! I liked all of them. I really can't just pick one. Peeta and Katniss are definitely the first two, though. It was so easy for Peeta to speak to people; everyone was always charmed by him. I'm sure he saved Katniss more than we can all realize. But that's probably more in Catching Fire. . .

Katniss was a really good character as well. She knew what she wanted; she was gonna get it as soon as she could, any way she could. Her constant objectiveness to the Capitol always makes me want to laugh at the way she chooses to show it. Like the shooting of the arrow into the apple in the pig's mouth. Although that was in Catching Fire, too, lol :).

This book . . . WOW. I can't say anything other than that. You really are missing out if you haven't read this yet. Not to mention the movie coming out in 5 months! WHY on bloody EARTH is this book being challenged to be banned!?

I have Catching Fire, obviously, and have Mockingjay, but still haven't read the latter. Let's all hope that I do very soon! As in before the movie comes out!

Zakiya LadyWings recommends this novel to everyone. Read it, love it, and go see the movie next year. Still can't believe The Hunger Games was challenged.

Plot Rating: 5
Character Rating: 5
Cover Rating: 4
GoodReads Rating: 5

Overall rating:
and three-fourths :)

Quotes from the Book:

"Just then, Haymitch staggers into the compartment. 'I miss supper?' he says in a slurred voice. Then he vomits all over the expensive carpet and falls in the mess."

"One time my mother told me that I always eat like I'll never see food again. And I said, 'I won't unless I bring it home.' That shut her up."