In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.
Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before-- and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. but if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.
Loved
- The writing. So I hadn't read this trilogy since it came out, and I had forgotten how gripping the writing is in these stories. Suzanne Collins grabs her readers and will not us let go- I dare you to try setting these books down. The plot happens at break-neck speed, but the writing is clear and easy to follow, so we don't get lost. It about killed me to put this down on my lunch break, and I already knew what would happen since it was a re-read!
- Katniss. As I said, it had been 13-14 years since I had read this series until this last reread, and I thought I remembered Katniss being personality-less and annoying (like Bella from Twilight). But I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Katniss does indeed have a personality, and actually a sense of humor. She is fierce and strong, but also has a sarcastic dryness that perfectly complemented her brutal circumstances.
- Peeta. So I may be going through an identity crisis here. I have always identified as an ardent Gale adorer, but I LOVED Peeta this time around! I loved getting to know him all over again after years of not reading this. Peeta is just good- pure motives, unassuming, and kind. As a pre-teen I used to think that was lame, but I realized this time reading it that his kindness and goodness really make him the best character in the whole series, and that goodness goes a long way. I couldn't get enough of him in this book.
- The world. This world is so fascinating because it's so sick. The idea of the Hunger Games is evil and despicable. However, because the world is so awful, every act of kindness and humanity by one of the characters is that much more beautiful and meaningful against the cruel backdrop of the Capitol. I loved the small acts of kindness that are actually acts of rebellion since the Capitol basically forbids any compassion and goodness. This world really makes us readers stop and think about the nature of humanity and what lines we would cross were we in these situations.
Didn't Love
- I just completely devoured every page of this book and licked up the crumbs afterward, even though I already knew everything that would happen. My only beef with it is the ending where things get weird with Peeta, but that was inevitable so I'm not even mad about it :)
Content
Content
- Language:
- A few uses of "damn" and "hell."
- Sexual content:
- A few kisses, most of them staged in order to save their own lives. Some of the kisses involve real feeling. Hardly anything is described since they're, you know, starving and trying to not get murdered every second.
- Violence:
- Obviously there is a LOT of violence in this story. However, the most disturbing element of the story is not the blood itself, but the fact that children are being pitched against each other to kill each other.
- Lots of killing with spears, arrows, knives, and even getting smashed in the head with a rock. Some blood described, but mostly the emotion of the character at watching the deaths.
- Lots of talk of killing and murder due to characters figuring out strategies.
- One very disturbing scene where mutant dogs attack the tributes- but the dogs are made with the eyes of the tributes who have already died. The dogs kill one tribute in a very gruesome and gory death that lasts all night. He is described as a "hunk of meat" after the dogs eat him.
- Mentions of people getting blown apart in mine explosions and a former tribute getting blown up in the games- she had to be "scraped up" after getting blown up.
- Many mentions of former Games and gruesome and disturbing deaths that happened in past games.
- Some characters have been tortured and had their tongues cut out.
- One character watches her brother die with a spear through his chest for running away.
- Mention of a boy with an intellectual disability getting killed for stealing a pair of glasses.
- Other themes:
- As I said before, the violence itself is obviously disturbing, but the most gut-twisting element of this story is the fact that children are forced to kill each other for someone else's entertainment. This is evil and terrible, and it brings out the worst in many people. However, there are moments when characters show each other unexpected acts of kindness and humanity that are very moving in contrast to the bloodthirst of the Capitol. The point of this book is to show the evil of the Capitol and set up the rest of the series for the rebellion that will happen.
- A few uses of "damn" and "hell."
- A few kisses, most of them staged in order to save their own lives. Some of the kisses involve real feeling. Hardly anything is described since they're, you know, starving and trying to not get murdered every second.
- Obviously there is a LOT of violence in this story. However, the most disturbing element of the story is not the blood itself, but the fact that children are being pitched against each other to kill each other.
- Lots of killing with spears, arrows, knives, and even getting smashed in the head with a rock. Some blood described, but mostly the emotion of the character at watching the deaths.
- Lots of talk of killing and murder due to characters figuring out strategies.
- One very disturbing scene where mutant dogs attack the tributes- but the dogs are made with the eyes of the tributes who have already died. The dogs kill one tribute in a very gruesome and gory death that lasts all night. He is described as a "hunk of meat" after the dogs eat him.
- Mentions of people getting blown apart in mine explosions and a former tribute getting blown up in the games- she had to be "scraped up" after getting blown up.
- Many mentions of former Games and gruesome and disturbing deaths that happened in past games.
- Some characters have been tortured and had their tongues cut out.
- One character watches her brother die with a spear through his chest for running away.
- Mention of a boy with an intellectual disability getting killed for stealing a pair of glasses.
- As I said before, the violence itself is obviously disturbing, but the most gut-twisting element of this story is the fact that children are forced to kill each other for someone else's entertainment. This is evil and terrible, and it brings out the worst in many people. However, there are moments when characters show each other unexpected acts of kindness and humanity that are very moving in contrast to the bloodthirst of the Capitol. The point of this book is to show the evil of the Capitol and set up the rest of the series for the rebellion that will happen.
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