The Hunger Games (Hunger Games Trilogy, Book 1)

Firstly I'm probably the only person to never read The Hunger Games as soon as I heard it was amazing. I took my time getting to this book and I should have listened to everyone else and raced to it, but I'm stubborn! Pushing that aside the Hunger Games is uniquely constructed, and has an extraordinarily built world that's vividly detailed. The characters are remarkable, each with a surprising amount of depth, and easy-to-like or easy-to-hate personalities. From the beginning you'll have your mind made up on whose good and whose bad--that will change. The heroine Katniss Everdeen is flawed yet has a lot of strength and courage. Right off the bat I really admired her for stepping up to protect her little sister Prim from the Games by taking her place. Her bravery is impressive but aside from that she's also a wood's warrior; she can climb trees, has deadly accuracy with a bow, and can hunt like nobody's business. Then there's Peeta - the bread making boy from her district whose also chosen for the arena. He's the epitome of all that is good, kind-hearted, self-sacrificing, and loyal to no end. His stability and confidence is unbelievably charming. His relationship with Katniss is complicated and beautiful--you'll be rooting for them throughout the entire story!

I loved almost everything about The Hunger Games the only disappointment I had was that we rarely got to see much of Peeta as he and Katniss are often separated. Gale whom is Katniss' bestfriend from the district is mentioned frequently but we never really get to know him except through what we hear about him. Excluding those facts I enjoyed the camaraderie between the formed alliances, but was seriously devastated at the hopelessness of the situations all the characters find themselves in. Haymitch--Katniss and Peeta's mentor--is perhaps underrated but astronomically important in trying to help them succeed and stay alive. I feel that more credit is due to him as a past survivor of the Hunger Games, I loved that even though he's strange and irreparably damaged he gives them the tools necessary to have a good chance at beating the odds. He has such a darkly humorous outlook and it was refreshing of his character not to sugarcoat the very likelihood of death. I don't think many YA authors take such matters seriously enough and portrays important issues appropriately, but Suzanne Collins gets it and does it right. Those expecting romance will be satisfied and yet still want more. The Hunger Games is conceptually clever and extremely gripping. I was near tears during some of the scenes as they struck a chord inside that appeals to everyone's humanity. The world built and weaved into words is dark, seemingly despaired, and unjust but riveting nevertheless. The realness of it will chill your blood because the situations are pretty believable. Children and teens fight for their survival and are pitted against each other for the entertainment of the Capitol and the last one standing wins. It's beyond twisted, crosses many moral lines, but you won't be able to stop reading once you start. I'd strongly recommend for teens over the age of 14 due to violence, and human cruelty.

Located in the ruins of North America lies 12 districts in a nation called Panem with a government-like society dead center named, The Capitol. You have to follow each and every rule because if you don't punishment is swift and deadly. Every year The Capitol holds and celebrates the biggest event--the Hunger Games. Children and teens are randomly selected and forced to participate in a life or death battle arena where only one can emerge as the victor. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen isn't looking forward to the reaping process this year particularly since she's got numerous chances of being selected. She's both horrified and shocked when her younger, and only sister Prim is chosen as the contender. She does the only thing that can save her--she offers to take her place. With this almost guaranteed death sentence Katniss must make some of the most difficult decisions that goes against her morals to make it out alive--and may the odds be ever in her favor--or not.

The Hunger Games is wildly engaging and shockingly amusing. It's easy to lose track of time, minutes will turn into hours so beware of the addicting nature of this novel. It's a blend of science fiction, dystopia, with realistic conditions and futuristic-like advancements. If ever there was a trilogy worth reading it would be this one. It has a universal appeal, it can most definitely be enjoyed by both teens and adults. The Hunger Games is suspenseful, emotional, and a must-read. Collins has written a powerful story with authentic characters, and creates an unbelievably astonishing, and gritty world.

As I write this review there are now 1,756 reviews already posted; which is a lot of reviews when you think about it. I seriously doubt if I will be able to add one thing in my little effusion here that has not already been said but since it will soon be buried and will probably never be read by another human I suppose that will not matter much. Anyway....

I have to tell you that like many folks here I was absolutely hooked on the first page and went through torment when I had to put the thing down in order to eat several times and to sleep once. I cannot remember when a book captivated me so.

The plot has been given a pretty well going over here so I will not dwell on that much. The story, as told through the words of a young girl, takes place in a future totalitarian society; America, after things have gone horribly wrong. There is a place called the Capitol which pretty well runs everything and the country has been broken up into twelve districts (There is a thirteenth district but in this book it has been supposedly completely obliterated.) Because these districts had, 75 years ago rebelled against the Capital, they are required to give up two of the children each year, a boy and a girl. These kids are taken to an arena and forced to fight to the death until only one is left. The people in each of these districts are treated like slaves and for the most part are simply starved or worked to death in the end.

That in brief, is the essence of the story.

Is this somewhat brutal? You bet it is. Is this somewhat horrifying? Most certainly. Is the story plot realistic? Unfortunately, yes it is...quite believable. And this is why so many are reading this work and the two books that follow in this series. The author has done her job. Most of us are horrified and most of us do see the brutality in the situation and most of us deplore it. To be quite frank, I would quite worry about someone who was not horrified and a bit disturbed.

I have some random thoughts about this book:

The writing is good. We are not talking high literature here, and thank goodness for that. We are talking about a well written story that, after reading the many reviews here and on other sites, holds the readers interest page after page. Excellent plot, excellent dialog, lots of action, very fine character development...it is all here. Maybe it is not to everyone's taste, but it most certainly satisfies the reading needs of a lot of folks...both young and old.

The premise of this story is certainly not new. Right off the top of my head I think of the old story "The Lottery," and a more recent novel by Stephen King, "The Long Walk." Both are similar but this idea is no worse the wear for being used again and I really think this author got it better than King did with his shot at it.

Designating this work as a YA book is really a bit inaccurate as the age group who will enjoy this thing has a very wide range and in many ways the book is more suited for the adult reader than the pre-teen. I personally would have no problem with a younger child reading this thing, but each child is so different that this would be a hard call to make. I do have a great problem with those folks who seem to want to ban this work from school libraries...that is one of the silliest things I have ever heard of. Folks who want this have no clue as to what their children are reading right now. I recently read three YA books by different authors. In those three books there were vivid descriptions of vampires sucking the blood out of the necks of virgins, (and a goodly number of non-virgins), blatant and casual recreational drug use, sex, group sex (a cool thing to do, by the way), gang rape (no big deal), infidelity, murder, robbery....oh where to stop? I can assure you that none of these subjects were addressed in this book. No folks, our libraries are no longer filled with Little House in the Big Woods' books...it is more like Little Meth House in the Big Woods'...truth be told.

The concept of having a drawing to decide which child (ages 12 through 18) be sent off to fight to the death is upsetting to be sure. On the other hand, does anyone here remember a thing called The Draft? We have been sending children, and make no mistake, an 18 year old is still something of a child, off to fight and die in wars since the beginning of so called civilization. This concept of not putting children in harms way has never held much water. During most of our previous wars we had children, young men, as young as 15 fighting and dying in them.

The author has done a very nice job with the violent scenes. They are well done, not gratuitous in the least bit, are an important part of the story and not overly graphic when compared to a lot of books that are on our shelves today.

Taste in books is wide ranging. This book will not be for everyone. I personally found in one of the better reads I have had over the past ten years are so and am already on the third volume of this series and dread that it will soon be over.

Don Blankenship The Ozarks

REASON FOR BOOK CHOICE

I am an aggressive reader now, for sure, but I didn't used to be. As such I found out about Hunger Games via a trailer on Apple.com. It looked intriguing and the main character had a lean and angry feel to her that I hadn't seen in a while. I like kick ass female heroines and the story seemed to tick all my desirability boxes.

Then a few reviewers said the movie wasn't as great as it could be, so I passed and decided to wait for the DVD release. However, a couple of weeks ago I was trawling for a good book and I thought: Hunger Games, why not? I'm currently writing my own YA book and I thought that I should be pragmatic and check out the competition. I didn't expect it to be good, I certainly expect it to be great. It was just the new Twilight that I had to read because the world demanded it.

COVER

The cover for the Kindle version I purchased is the movie tie-in edition. I'm not sure what to think of that. I know that keeping your marketing material the same is a good idea, but would it be such an ask to have a unique Kindle cover that really takes advantage of its grey scale processing? We're not talking a single independent writer here, this is a professional squad. Surely they could design something that grabs you straight off from the get go.

The cover itself is fine. It's Katniss' mockingbird on fire and I already knew it looked great in print at the local bookshop. In greyscale, however, not so much. All the vividness and contrast has been drained out of the picture; therefore, even though it's in super high definition, it doesn't grab me on the Kindle.

It's also strange that the cover suffers from the 'blank space' issue a lot of books have around its left and right sides. I went off at Alan Parr last week about and I haven't changed my opinion. This is really lazy work and whoever put the book together for the Kindle should be spoken to about it. Yes, they would have to modify the file but it would be worth it.

BOOK LAYOUT

Even though the book still starts right into the novel (please, can we not do that?), I found it had all the essentials: TOC, chapter headings, acknowledgments and a really great way of promoting the next book. Unfortunately, I'm not a huge fan of the way the TOC had been laid out and although I understand it's not the Kindle version creator's fault (because he / she was staying true to the source material) it really reeks of sloppiness.

I can comprehend that fans of the novel would want it changed as little as possible from one version to another, but I'm not sure they would complain about aesthetic changes like chapter headings. I say this because the TOC chapter listings are 1, 2, 3 and so on. It works when you create a printed book because you can make those numbers really large but as TOC headings, it looks like an eighth grader put the table of contents together. Surely they could have changed them to One, Two, Three and kept the spirit of the book.

One thing I love about the layout is their marketing. At the very end of the novel is a picture promoting the new novel: Catching Fire, and it's great. It let's you know that the other book is available, what it's called and it's not trying to force you to read anymore. I'm already thinking for picking it up in the Christmas period (or when I have holidays) to add to my list of reading material.

STORY

The story is pretty well known by now: Katniss has voluntarily put herself forward to compete in the Hunger Games so that she can save her sister from a likely death. This games are a survival tournament between the 12 different districts that is held in the Capitol and features participants from the ages of 13 (?) to 18.

The main story: survival, is added to with the possibility of romance, audience manipulation and defiance against an oppressive regime. I loved it. I really loved it. The story arc is tightly wound and just goes up and up in its tension as the book progresses.

I found Suzanne Collins totally ruthless as an author (for this kind of book she needs to be) and that was overwhelmingly refreshing for me as a reader. No-one is spared. Friendships are made because of the need to survive and then characters are dispatched as if the Hunger Games was happening in reality right now. There's no sentimentality in this book or inauthentic moments and that's what makes the story work because it feels as if you're right there every step of the way with Katniss and the other competitors.

Also, the book ends. The Hunger Games end and that makes it a compelling (and fulfilling) read.

CHARACTERS

It's been a long time since I've read characters who I've cared about so deeply. I love Katniss and her strength, her confusion, her struggle with humanity versus survival. It's powerful, it's evocative and it made my heart jump more than once. She's a character that hasn't just turned up with a bow because that's what the author wants, she's a character who grew to use a bow because of her fierce determination to survive. I feel that things are going to go badly for her in the next two novels but you can't help but hope she makes it somehow.

There's a great mentor in Haymitch who I hope will be fleshed out more in the second book, a complex and volatile love interest in Peeta, an uncertain ally in Cinna and a fascinating interviewer in Caesar. I think what I loved about all these characters was the fact that they arrive as real people. They have histories, secrets and their own goals Suzanne hasn't told us about yet. Nothing feels deliberately hidden in the book but you can feel it lurking beneath the surface and just waiting to explode.

I think Cinna was probably my favourite outside of Katniss and I'm looking forward to seeing if he gets more space in the next novel.

WRITING

Wow. This is incredibly written. The end of the book says that Suzanne Collins explores the effects of war in her novels and you can feel that. She writes with a purpose and drive that I did not feel in Twilight or Switched. Everything feels stripped back, every word feels as if it should belong on the page and there's no fancy literary games to be played with the author. I felt as if Katniss was speaking to me directly all the way through.

It's written in the first person perspective and in the present tense. I think the narrator is a little unreliable (she's only 18) but has a unique and strong voice that you can hear in each sentence on the page. After reading the big ones: Switched and Twilight, I'm pretty comfortable saying this is in a whole different league. There was nothing wrong with Stephanie Meyer or Amanda Hocking's writing ability in those books, but they were not at this level. Not this gripping, not with this strength of tone and force behind each word. It was like being kicked in the teeth and then pulled behind a chariot for three thousand metres.

CONCLUSION

Is it worth five dollars? Yes. Hell yes.

I can't tell you how much of a relief it was for me to read Hunger Games. I really struggled through the last two books and thought that maybe I had lost my ability to enjoy well written novels because I was writing more myself. I wasn't. The last two books just weren't that good.

Hunger Games grabbed me from the first page and held me until its bittersweet end. I started it at ten o'clock at night and finished the novel the next morning. It's about 80,000 words but it didn't feel like it. It felt so much smaller than the other two novels I had just read. I loved Hunger Games and it made me believe that there was some more Young Adult fiction out there for me.

You don't need to like YA to enjoy Hunger Games, you don't need to like vampires, love torn women or any of the tropes of the genre. This is fiction at its finest with an immediacy that would have made George Orwell proud.

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Summarizing my thoughts on the Hunger Games is probably one of the most difficult things I've ever had to do, simply because I've never felt such an emotional connection to any piece of fiction before and I highly doubt my written review will be doing it justice.

North America has been completely eradicated and reborn as Panem, a bleak and twisted shadow of the nations it once comprised. Under the totalitarian regime of the Capitol, citizens are segregated into one of twelve districts, making equality and personal freedom a thing of the past. To further exude their absolute authority over the masses, the Capitol holds a spectacle of blood every year known as the Hunger Games. Every year, one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve to eighteen are picked randomly from each district to become tributes. They're then sent to the Capitol to be placed in a massive outdoor arena to fight to the death for the entertainment of all of Panem, and for the glory and benefit of the victor's district. For the denizens of District 12, poverty and the struggle for survival is their entire existence, no one understands this more than sixteen year old Katniss Everdeen. Ever since the tragic passing of her father, Katniss has tasked herself with the duty of supporting her mother and younger sister Prim. She does this by hunting on the forbidden grounds beyond District 12, and by trading her kills for other necessities. All of this changes when Prim is chosen against all odds to become a tribute for the Hunger Games. To save her sister, Katniss voluntarily becomes the tribute in her place. From there, she's whisked off to the Capitol alongside her fellow tribute and childhood acquaintance, Peeta. To survive the Hunger Games, it will take every ounce of skill, instinct, and intellect she can muster.

Suzanne Collins has a very distinct style that I've never quite seen realized before in fiction writing. Apart from her superb skill at world-building and strong characterization, it's her ability to emotionally connect the reader to the protagonist in the story. She understands how human beings naturally tend to sympathize with and form emotional attachments with people who are in a great deal of emotional trauma or physical pain. It's this intangible emotional bond with Katniss that Collins uses to effectively, and at times maliciously, pull you into her dreadful dystopia. I actually found reading the first few chapters of the Hunger Games to be difficult, not because it was bad god forbid, but because I found it to be emotionally disturbing. It's done so sadistically well that reading the Hunger Games becomes less of a desire and more of a necessity, you need to find out what happens next.

Of course this emotional connection wouldn't be possible if the protagonist wasn't likable, fortunately that couldn't be farther from the truth. Katniss as a whole essentially personifies every character trait that teen novelists almost always try to avoid. She isn't some frail flower who requires a man to define herself as an individual. Nor is she bogged down to the now very cliché snarky heroine persona that we've seen a thousand times before. Yet she still manages to have a delightfully subtle sense of humor to prevent the book from becoming completely morose in its tone. But her greatest trait that I admire is her indomitable spirit. Even when suffering through a series of physical and psychological horrors induced upon her by the Capitol, she never loses her fire.

Upon being dropped into the arena, the book drastically shifts in direction. No longer focusing on the contrived spectacle of the games and instead on the games itself. Gone are the pretty dresses, make-up, and gourmet dinners. It's a gritty, primal, and relentless struggle for survival. Collins really knows how to make a very fast paced narrative and it truly shows here. It also works in Collin's favor that Katniss isn't characterized as a cliche Hollywood bad-ass. We know she has the ingenuity, instincts, and skill-set to stand a chance at winning but she doesn't possess the mentality of a killer. This makes the notion of her becoming the victor not so far-fetched. But at the same time she always feel vulnerable thus adding precious tension and drawing us ever more into the urgent narrative that Collins so expertly weaves.

Most people will without a doubt compare this novel to other books with similar plots like The Running Man and Battle Royale. But I personally like to compare this book to George Orwell's 1984, a book that also imagined a futuristic totalitarian dystopia. He succeeded in fully realizing his horrific vision of the future, but in my opinion it fell short due to the completely flat characters and boring plot. Never once did I ever feel like a part of his world, nor did I cringe at the thought of Big Brother's gaze shadowing my every move. I was an observer, not an inhabitant and thus the shock-value that was intended was lessened in its affect. The Hunger Game's dystopian future is much more immersive due to the aforementioned emotional connection the reader shares with Katniss, something I feel 1984 could never hope to achieve. It makes the ludicrous premise of the actual Hunger Games much more believable, and thus more despicable.

There is also a romance sub-plot involving Katniss and Peeta. I had apprehension to this at first due to romances in teen novels portraying completely forced relationships between characters. Yet the Hunger Games not only avoids this pitfall, it actually manages to satire this stereotype in my eyes. In an interesting ploy, Peeta stages a romance with Katniss in the hopes of gaining the populace's favor in the Hunger Games. They've literally used the Capitol's regime of totalitarianism to deceive the masses and gain their favor. It's literally a contrived romance, yet at the same time this causes Katniss to ponder how much of it is truly deception, and if there's any sense of honesty to their relationship. But more importantly, if she can truly trust the boy who she is supposed to kill to survive. It's a very welcome change of pace from the typical love-struck schoolchildren succumbing to sheer sexual desire instead of a strong character-driven relationship. It's emotionally endearing unlike the typical cringe-worthy schlock written for the target teenage demographic.

This is the first book that I've ever read out of hundreds that will truly stay in your thoughts and pull on your conscience. It's the exceptionally paced narrative, believable world-building in conjunction with such wonderfully realized characters that'll invest you in Katniss's painful tale. Like I said at the beginning, I've never read any book in my life that upon completion has had such an emotional effect on me, and I'm sure my words aren't doing it justice. I'll just finish this by saying Suzanne Collins has created a book that has left me entranced long after I'd reached the final page. It will truly consume you.

I began this book with a certain amount of trepidation. It's certainly very popular, not just among the target audience, but with older readers, too...and I've found that I tend not to enjoy the hyped up novels very much. However, after a brief stint working in a bookstore and selling these books like hotcakes, I wanted to give them a go and see what they were all about. Do I think "The Hunger Games" is as good as it's hyped up to be? Ehhh...no. But it's an entertaining read nonetheless. Spoilers follow.

Seventy-four years after brutal war, the United States is divided into 12 districts headed by the capital city of Panem. As punishment for the war, every district must submit two tributes, one boy and one girl, to take part in the annual Hunger Games, a fight-to-the-death competition that is broadcasted for all to view, with the winner's district being rewarded with extra food until the next Games rolls around. Katniss is a sixteen year-old girl from District 12, the region that provides the Capital's coal. She lives in poverty with her distant mother and her younger sister, Primrose. The family's breadwinner since her father died in a mining accident, Katniss spends most of her time illegally hunting for food to trade and consumption and is often the only thing that keeps her family alive. During the reaping, her sister's name is pulled to be District 12's female tribute. Knowing Primrose doesn't have a chance at surviving, Katniss volunteers to go instead with the understanding that she also likely won't return. Paired with the kind yet determined Peeta as her fellow tribute and their cynical mentor Haymitch, Katniss is whisked off to the Capital, where she faces untold horrors and almost certain death in the seventy-fourth Hunger Games.

This is an exciting premise, to be sure. Unfortunately, I'm going to start this review with one of my main complaints with the story. While the concept is interesting and exciting, it doesn't hold up particularly well to scrutiny. The population can be split into two groups when it comes to the Hunger Games: those who are entertained by the carnage and drama and those who just passively accept it. I'd be willing to buy that if we were talking about adults being forced to fight...but we aren't. These are kids, some as young as 12, being pitted against one another. I find it very difficult to believe that there hasn't been some pushback from the population. Today, we see parents go to great lengths to protect their children, particularly in war torn countries where kids are often pressed into service as soldiers or forced into servitude. These parents know they face certain death, yet their willing to do what needs to be done to find and protect their children. Collins tries to explain away the passive attitude toward the games by saying that the population is too beaten down to care or object. Really? There hasn't been anyone, a single family or even a lone parent, that has tried to make a stand? It simply isn't believable when taken at more than face value.

That aside, "The Hunger Games" is an exciting read. The beginning is a little slow, but the pace really picks up once Katniss leaves District 12. Collins deserves a big pat on the back for pacing this so well. It's difficult to find a good stopping point; hard to quit reading when you just want to know what happens next. The story flows well from element to the next and it never feels forced, stilted, or, worse, boring. A lot of the YA novels I've read lately have had incredibly bloated middle portions that slowed the pace of the overall book to a crawl - thankfully, that's not the case at all here. It's also worth mentioning that nothing feels unnecessary. The action is placed where it needs to be and never feels gratuitous, and the more relaxed sequences (even in the beginning) are never seem longer than they need to be and always serve a purpose. It's riveting, it's hard to put down - it's a well-plotted and well-paced story that never bores or strays from its plot.

The plot also deserves recognition because it's damn good. One of my major complaints with books that I've read recently is how predictable they are, especially in the Young Adult genre. "The Hunger Games" is far from predictable; the twists are unexpected and genuinely surprising, and not in a nonsensical way. As I mentioned above, implausibility aside, the premise is engaging and, for the most part, different. I don't think it's a surprise to anyone that Katniss survives, what with there being two more books being told in the first person point of view. How she gets there, though, is quite a journey, full of surprises and twists, some good, some terrible. I was also pleased to see that the dystopian aspect was executed well. I've always loved "1984" and "Brave New World," and wondered how a Young Adult novel would portray the horrors and hardships of a dystopian society. Collins doesn't pull any punches with what is shown. It isn't as gritty as it could be, but we see enough to be bothered, enough to hate the people in charge of this world, and enough to make us think.

Writing-wise, "The Hunger Games" won't be winning any awards for prose in the near future, but the style used is successful for the type of story told. Collins' writing is borderline minimalistic at times, which actually ends up being a good thing. The book isn't padded out with fluff and the story is never lost in a sea of description. Rather, we get enough to understand the setting and what's going on, which gives us a book that gets right to the point and doesn't mire itself in unnecessary prose. This is a story that's meant to move quickly and keep the reader constantly turning the page, not spend pages explaining a room or the history of a particular region. There's no info-dumping here; enough background is provided to make sense, and it's incorporated into the story to not bog down the pace. Some reviewers have complained about the use of fragments, and while that's sometimes a bit of a writing peeve for me, it somehow works in this book to provide excitement and sometimes suspense between pages and, in some cases, even paragraphs. While perhaps not the most complex or technically perfect prose, the writing used in "The Hunger Games" more than serves its purpose: telling the story in a satisfying manner.

On a side note, Rue's death is easily one of the saddest things I've read in a while. To give a little background on myself, I don't like children and really dislike it when authors try to use kids to tug at readers' heartstrings. So the overall premise of the novel wasn't quite as abhorred to me as I'm sure it is to some readers. But, damn, did this little girl's demise kick me hard in the gut. I had to stop what I was doing to cry...and I'm not a terribly emotional reader. It happens so quickly that even if you know it's coming, you don't want to believe it. I expected a lot of death with such a bloody competition and a lot of attempts to make the reader tear up, but Rue's manages to be touching in a very unique way, as does Katniss' moment of defiance to honour her young friend.

Like most Young Adult novels, this one has a love triangle. Unlike many YA books, it doesn't dominate the story. That's not to say I enjoyed the romance, simply because I almost never enjoy romance, but at least the romantic elements were a little different than what we usually see. The relationship between Katniss and Peeta is initially created and played up strictly as a source for televised drama, and Katniss and Gale only have a vague flicker of romance between them with a long friendship that cements their bond. Though Katniss begins to realize she has feelings for both boys at various points in the novel, it never takes over the plot (though it - or at least the act that Katniss and Peeta are putting on - does play a significant role in at least one event). It's also worth noting that both romance options are likable. It's far too typical that the protagonist has to choose between a supernatural bad boy and her loyal best friend, but here she has two decent guys with their individual flaws and attributes. At least in this book, I never saw one as being an obviously better option than the other. Not surprisingly, she doesn't make a decision at the end of the novel, but that's ok since her romantic struggles weren't the focal point of the book.

I'm going to have to rave for a moment about how much I liked Katniss' character concept. She stands out so much from other YA protagonists I've read simply because she doesn't have a lot of the common traits. She isn't a special snowflake with unique powers that is somehow destined to save the world; she doesn't have an inferiority complex that makes her see herself as ugly while everyone else is fawning over her beauty; she doesn't see people strictly for how attractive they are; she isn't a damsel in distress...instead, she's a tough girl hardened by a rough life that has supplied her with a few key useful skills. She's a survivor, first and foremost, and has the abilities necessary to do whatever needs to be done to ensure that her family doesn't starve to death. Her archery skills quickly set her apart from the other tributes, and she's good, but only because her family relies on her to hunt for food. Better yet, she's confident in what she can do...she knows she's good and uses that to her advantage. It's hugely refreshing to read about a character that doesn't simper endlessly about how useless she feels. In the few moments where Katniss feels useless, it's because there's really nothing she can do, not because she's mired in her own self doubt. She can be cold and even caustic, but not to the point of it being annoying...in fact, it's actually portrayed as something of a fault in her character. This is a protagonist to root for, not to pity. You want her to succeed, not because you feel sorry for her or know that the fate of the world is resting on her shoulders, but because she pulls herself up and strives to survive. Well done, Collins, Katniss is one Hell of a good character as far as her design goes.

This makes it all the more tragic that she's a terrible narrator. As a character, I like Katniss quite a bit, but as the story's point of view character, she's incredibly dull. There's nothing particularly unique about her point of view, now interesting bias or flavour to how she sees things. She tells everything in a straightforward manner exactly as it is, and we never really get to get inside her head. The book likely would have been better if written from the third person point of view simply because Katniss is too boring to completely carry the story. It's also problematic that she doesn't really grow as a character. She starts as a life-hardened teenager that's been forced to grow up too fast and as a result holds some disdain for the government...and ends in pretty much the same way. I found myself wishing that she had been from District 1 or 2, someone raised to love the Capital only to be forced to realize how terrible it is after being thrown into the arena. With her beginnings being what they are, there's no room for her to really grow.

I was also disappointed that she never had to make any tough decisions regarding killing other tributes in the arena. It could have been a huge moment for Katniss, being forced to murder someone who, like her, is there for no reason other than chance. Instead, every death that Katniss witnesses or is somehow a part of is set up as chance (Fox-Face), is a mercy killing (Cato), or the victim has been made so unlikable that you don't really care that they've died (Glimmer). Others die around her, but she isn't in any way responsible for it, which absolves her of any guilt she may feel. I wanted to see Katniss struggle with these tough decisions and live with her choices. Instead, Katniss never really faces any moral dilemmas like you'd expect, and her kills are set up like mercy killings or coincidences, which is incredibly disappointing in a book that has the premise of teens being forced to kill their peers for sport.

The other characters vary in their portrayal. Katniss' family is also pretty dull. Primrose is almost sickeningly innocent and sweet. Yes, it helps us see why Katniss feels the need to protect her at all costs, but it doesn't seem terribly realistic given their life of extreme poverty and the plight of those around them. Katniss' mother is distant and uncaring, which essentially takes her out of the picture, as Katniss hates her for shutting down after Katniss' father died. It's almost too convenient as a way to take both of Katniss' parents out of the picture. Gale is more interesting since he seems to want to take a more active role in defying the government, but holds himself back because he has to support his family. Peeta initially seems too nice, but his little speech to Katniss about wanting to die on his own terms shows that there's more to him than just being a nice guy. We don't get to fully know Rue since she dies so quickly, but what we did see was satisfying. Haymitch holds a lot of promise when he isn't drunk, and I hope we get to learn more about him in the next couple books. Most of the other characters fare similarly: they have a lot of potential, but we don't see enough of them to really figure them out.

Despite my complaints, I really enjoyed "The Hunger Games." The premise is interesting and somewhat unique in the genre, even if it doesn't hold up well under scrutiny. The pacing is great and the writing style is very functional for the type of story, making the book an enjoyable reading experience. The dystopian elements are executed well and there are some truly emotional moments in the novel. There is a love triangle, which may initially make some (including me!) groan, but it manages a different take on what is typically seen, as most of the romance is fabricated to create drama for the media. What's better is that both of Katniss' choices of romantic partners are good, interesting characters with their own issues. Katniss is a refreshing, competent character with confidence in her abilities - a real treat with so many YA protagonists suffering from inferiority complexes while possessing superhuman abilities. However, despite her great character design, she's an incredibly boring point of view character that never really grows despite what she faces in the Hunger Games. Many of the other characters vary with Katniss' family being rather dull and most of the other characters showing promise. I have my complaints, but I'll still give it 4 stars. It was highly entertaining and kept me turning the pages for hours. Perhaps more importantly, it stands out in the Young Adult genre for many reasons, all of them positive.