November 3, 2009
Tags:
Horror, Adventure, Ages 10-15
In the country of Panem is a capital surrounded by 12, once 13, districts. Many years ago, the districts rebelled against the capital, but were hopelessly outmatched. As punishment, the Hunger Games were formed. Gruesome games where tributes have a tiny chance of survival. It is a fight to the death, where the only way to survive is to win. For the other 23 contestants to die.
PRESENT DAY
It is reaping day, the day when the names are drawn for the 24 tributes going to the Hunger Games. There will be 2, a boy and a girl, from each district. As you get older, your name gets put in more and more times. From 12-the first year of eligibility- you are entered once into the pot of names from your district, to 18- the last year you could be sent to the games- when you are entered 7 times. That is, unless you are in a family that needs food. The kind of family that Katniss Everdeen lives in.
If you are in a family like that, you can have your name entered extra times, so you can get an extra ration of grain and oil. You can enter your name as many times as you want, and for each extra time you enter your name, you get another ration. Katniss, who is now 16, has entered her name 3 extra times each year, and since entries are accumulated, her name is entered twenty times, and her sister, now 12, is only entered once. As the time for the reaping comes and the name for the girls is drawn, Katniss prays that it will not be her. And it isn't. It is her sister.
Katniss volunteers to take her sister's place, and she is sent of to the Capitol to participate in the games. But she holds a special tie to the boy tribute from district 12.
Katniss does well, but can she survive a double-crossing from the gamemakers?
Suzanne Collins writes a book that will be loved by every person who reads it. She keeps you at the edge of your seat, and has surprises waiting around every corner. THE HUNGER GAMES is likely to become a favorite book of anyone who reads it. It sure is mine.
RATING: Off the scale. Somewhere around a 200 out of 5.
Note: After reading THE HUNGER GAMES, read CATCHING FIRE, book two in the series.
