Customer Reviews

The Hunger Games

5 star:		(86)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I thoroughly enjoyed this book - and the other two in the series as well. I read them all in about a week. This story will make an amazing movie! Really grabs your attention, the characters and setting are well developed.

Pros: tense, good pacing, compelling

Cons: heavy subject matter for younger teen target audience, but author does a great job with it

Ever since the Treaty of Treason following the Dark Days when the 13 districts rebelled against the capitol and lost, the remaining 12 districts have given 2 youths as tributes for the yearly Hunger Games.

This year, district 12 is sending Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. Along with their counterparts from the other districts, these two will fight to the death in the Gamemakers' arena, for the entertainment of those in the capitol.

The Hunger Games is a teen reimagining of Koushun Takami's Battle Royale. With some important changes. The Hunger Games takes place in a post-apocalyptic America. In The Hunger Games everyone understands the purpose of the games (in Battle Royale this is only revealed at the end, where it has a bigger psychological impact), and there's a LOT less violence. Battle Royale depended on the shock value of its extremely graphic content to get its point across. The Hunger Games does a surprisingly good job of keeping the violence to a minimum given the novel's plot. And what violence there is, is fairly tame. Still, this is a book which I'd recommend parents read first and judge if their child is mature enough to handle what happens, and then discuss the contents with them afterwards.

The novel is very fast paced and compelling. being a teen book it's also a very quick read. I can't wait to finish the series and see what happens.

I was walking around in the book store a few weeks ago when I saw this book and picked it up to read the back and a passerby stopped and told me how great the book was and that I needed to read it. Reading the back of the book, it reminded me of, "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding where a group of children are forced to survive except this one seems more horrific. I won't go into details on what the book is about since you can just read the summary but it extremely hard to put the book down since it was just amazing. The thrill you will get from reading this book will make you want more. I just got the other two so hopefully this whole series will be great!

Why are we so fascinated with doom and gloom scenarios. I guess we like to know how we would (will?) cope when the world as we know it can no longer sustain us - be it disease, weather, revolution,....what have you. THis series speaks to the courage and fortitude of humans, but doesn't pull punches about the cost of survival, and frequently death. Young people may find the deaths disturbing, but anyone who has read about the 1st or 2nd world wars, will recognize how cheaply life is held by many. Bought this for a 14 year old neighbour, and she's anxious for books 2 and 3 now.

Even though this is a book aimed at teens and young adults, as a retired person I found it a riveting, although "dark" book and found it hard to put down. The heroine is gutsy and sympathetic. It is book that appeals both to male and female readers.\Can't wait to read the two sequels.

Great book, I couldn't put it down. I do think her Underland Chronicles is the better work though.

I was a true skeptic when I picked up this book . . . I am completely converted now! From page one this book is a page turning, thrilling & tangible read. If you don't normally read Y.A. or fantasy, don't be deterred, I never felt like I was reading something outside my normal genre - which this completely is. I was concerned the romance aspect was going to dominate, but it really took a back seat to the thrilling "Games". What an imagination Ms. Collins has, I am thoroughly impressed. I would recommend it to any true Young Adult, mostly because there is a lot of romance-heavy/Twilight types out there, not that there is a problem with that, but this really gives those readers something fresh & new to read. Can't wait to read the next one.

I just couldn't resist the "Pulp Fiction" reference. However, "Hunger Games" is very much what might have happened if Suzanne Collins read or saw the largely pointless Japanese gorefest "Battle Royale" and wondered to herself, "What if that story made sense?" She succeeded whether or not she was familiar with BR. I can see the underlying logic behind "Hunger Games", how it started, why it continues. Of course it isn't just more rational than BR. It's also more human. Collins makes a good choice in making this a first person narrative and in coming up with an ending that means more than just "one more person survives than planned". I'd say it's very worth reading even if you aren't in the target demographic.

I won't give you a synopsis of the plot because it's already been done by others. What I will say is that this book is a page turner from beginning to end. Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. When I was forced to close it, the story and characters stayed on my mind until I could pick it up again. I think it would appeal to all ages, i'm 29 and loved it. I lent it to my mother who's in her 50's and to my cousin who's a teenager and they loved it just as much as I did.

This is truly an original piece of work. I loved this book and I could barely put it down. The main character is one that you can connect with. The writing style is enthralling and it is really a page turner. I recommend this book to anyone who's looking for a story they will never forget.