The Hunger Games

*****

5 Stars/5

Katniss lives in District 12, in Panem, ruled over by the Capitol. Each year 2 children from each of the 12 districts, between the ages of 12-18, one male, one female, are chosen to compete in the 74^th Hunger Games, where only one survives. This year, Prim, Katniss’s younger sister is chosen, and Katniss volunteers as Tribute in her place. She is determined to survive at any cost, the only problems being the other 23 tributes who wish to kill her, and Peeta, the other tribute from District 12, who saved her and her family’s lives when she was 11.

The Hunger Games is a brilliant book as it is an intriguing look at the future of how the reality TV we see today, may evolve. The pace of the book keeps you hooked until the very end, with you constantly wondering what the Capitol Game Makers are going to do next.

Katniss is a fascinating character. She has had to be surrogate mother to her sister, as their mother went into deep depression after their father died, and is different to most of District 12. Katniss is willing to break rules to help those she loves by hunting outside of the district, surviving off her wits and ability, and even trading illegally hunted game to the Peace-Keepers.

Haymitch is a well-written character, who shows how winning the Hunger Games can affect a person, and it is not until he sees Katniss’s spirit does he allow himself to get involved. I also liked the character of Cinna. Katniss seemed to respond to him as an older brother, with him giving her advice and looking out for her.

I would recommend Hunger Games to anyone who has watched the film, as the film is a brilliant interpretation of the book.