The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins

Why am I so stubborn??! When a book or book series gets overly popular, I have this tendency to refuse to read it. I don’t really know why I do this. I guess I just like to be the last one to jump on the bandwagon. (Confession: I still haven’t read the entire Harry Potter series!) Usually, as soon as I get wind that a movie adaptation of a book I do actually plan to read one day is coming out, I make a conscious effort to finally read that book. (Confession #2: When at all possible, I will always read the book before seeing the movie. Confession #3: I haven’t seen any of the Harry Potter movies either.) 

It’s probably also important to note that working in a bookstore and having not read The Hunger Games made me feel a little left out amongst my co-workers. It’s also really hard to convince someone to buy the book just because you’ve heard it’s “really, really good.” So I finally did it; I read The Hunger Games. In less than a day. It truly was that captivating. 

The Hunger Games is a set in a post apocalyptic North America. The world as we know it today is no longer, all that remains is the nation of Panem, a wealthy Capitol, surrounded by twelve outlying districts. In order for the Capitol to keep the districts in line and discourage rebellions, each year, every boy and every girl ages 12-18 are entered into a lottery known as The Reaping. One boy and one girl are randomly chosen from each district to compete in the annual Hunger Games, a nationally televised event. Here, 24 contestants fight to the death. There can only be one survivor, one winner.  Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen’s 12 year old sister’s name is drawn for the 74^th Hunger Games. Without missing a beat, Kat volunteers herself in her sister’s place. From the moment Prim’s name was called, my heart was racing and I still get goose bumps when I think about it.

I was immediately pulled in from chapter one of this book. I was enraptured by this dystopian world and found the preparation of the tributes leading up to the actual games fascinating and intense. And it was such a pleasure to read a young adult novel that had a strong and resilient female as the main character. I am so glad I waited until I had a day off where I could read the entire book in one sitting.

I am so pumped, albeit quite nervous, to see this book come alive in the theatre!