Hunger Games By Suzanne Collins

Summary

This novel follows Katniss Everdeen who volunteers to take her younger sister Primrose’s place in a violent televised fight to the death controlled by the capitol. Set in the ruin of North America Panem has a rich central city and 12 working class districts. The annual Hunger Games is when the capitol picks one boy and one girl to fight to the death until there is a victor. Alongside Katniss is Peeta the boy tribute selected from their district.

Characters

Katniss-

Katniss is 16 years old and has been a provider from her mother and sister since she was about 11 years old when her father passed away.

Peeta-

Peeta is the boy with the bread. He is from a bigger family with older brothers and worked in his parents bakery. Peeta is soft where Katniss is rough. He has been in love with her since the first day of school.

Primrose-

Primerose is Katniss’s younger sister. Prim gets chosen to enter the games and through this Katniss volunteers in place of her to enter the games so prim doesn’t have to.

Gale-

Gale is Katniss’ best friend. They met through hunting out in the woods outside of the district. The two of them are both providers for their families. Both having lost their fathers in the same mine explosion the two lean on each other and have become close over the years.

Haymitch-

Haymitch is a victor of the hunger games and the only living victor for district 12. When Peeta and Katniss are entered into the games he becomes mentor the the two and helps them to make it through their time in the capitol and on into the games.

Effie-

Effie is someone from the capitol who is selected to assist with the district 12 tributes. She plans and gets Peeta and Katniss through their time at the capitol as well.

President Snow-

President of Panam he is the leader of the country and instills the practice and participation of the hunger games into everyone in the capitol and still forces the districts to comply. He leads the propaganda of the games which is what keeps the districts in their place.

Review

Since this is a reread I was already familiar with the story but I still found myself at the edge of my seat in some moments. Re reading showed me that the structure and writing style is really so impactful to keeping the reader hook. Looking back at how we end each chapter we get conclusions but it leaves just enough for you to not want to put the book down and just continue. Being reminded of why I was so hooked on this book. I remember zooming though these books and thought I was amazing for reading so fast but it truly is the structure that makes it that you will stay up and continue the book.

This trilogy has been a favorite of mine for years. Like anyone does rereading something that resonated with you and a different time in your life might not hit or feel the same way but this one did. The topics are something I think is important for someone of a young age to know and have and idea of what governments like the Captiol looks like. Now as an adult I don’t feel as naive as I did the first time it truly felt like science fiction but now as an adult I can see how it has really shaped the way I view things.  The government of the capitol is what puts the games in places and throughout the whole novel its shared how this is something that is forced on the people in the country and that there’s no choice but to obey because fighting back could be worse than living with it. This cycle is what keeps people in the districts down. Its not until we see Katniss with everything in her fight back and some of this fighting back in unintentional. When she’s truly fighting for her life she does everything possible to keep herself alive and in doing so makes flips the games on its head.

Comparing the novel to the film I personally feel there is a lot of context that is not included to show the dynamic between Peeta and Katniss. Even Katniss thoughts throughout the game is something that plays a huge role in how everything happens and why she makes the decisions she does. It’s still great but looses part of what makes the story so great.