I am late to the game on reading The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. It's first in a trilogy and the movie is being filmed with Jennifer Lawrence (awesome young actress) cast as Katniss. As a YA (young adult) book, it was not on my radar. However, as a movie fan, it caught my eye and I wanted to read it prior to the movie.Well, I am hooked and shall be looking for parts 2 and 3 at Half Price Books. (Is that heresy? I'm a poor struggling writer. I did pay sale price at Amazon for this book). Set in the future, the United States is now arranged in Districts and District 12 is extremely poor coal mining country. Every year, two kids are chosen from each district to participate in "games" that lead to death. At a certain age, names are entered into the drawing and for each year plus for extra food points taken, each name can be listed multiple times.
However, this particular year for District 12, it's the first time for Prim, a child. Her sister, Katniss quickly volunteers in her place. Good move. This enterprising young lady can hunt, is athletic, and ultimately is a player. The other pick is Peeta, the baker's son, who claims to have loved Katniss since grade school. Words, actions, and the heat of the moment - wow, talk about tension.
So many twists and turns to The Hunger Games. The dystopian society proves interesting. Katniss is a heroine for the ages. Suzanne Collins' writing is clean and crisp. She creates a memorable world and characters. Her pacing is amazing and I'm hooked. With crisp dialogue and stunning visuals, the film will pack a punch.
I can see how this became so popular with younger readers and I'm happy to recommend this book for teens and adults alike. It's tight, clean, and exciting. The Hunger Games is only the beginning. Read it to find out who lives and dies, and what happens next.
