I put off reading The Hunger Games series as I was worried it would be too violent for my taste. However, I finally plunged in, and was quite captivated with the story and the characters. And yes, the violence, especially in the third book, was quite horrific at times.

But overall I enjoyed the books. The writing was quite fluid, and I am captivated by post-apocalyptic scenarios. Especially how governments seem to evolve into ever more controlling and cruel organizations.

The story revolves around the main character Katniss, a young girl caught in a society where hunger is a daily threat and breaking the rules is imperative for survival. No matter what decisions she makes, she seems to pile more and more guilt onto her psyche, until she can barely cope. Yet, when she finally has a chance to avenge the wrongs she has endured, she becomes strangely uninterested in vengeance.

There is also a "love" triangle, as Katniss is forced to re-evaluate her relationship to her long-time hunting companion, while dealing with her growing attraction to an adversary in the Hunger Games.