I started the book Friday night and finished it Sunday afternoon and I wasn't reading it on a constant basis. This is not a complex book. It is not unenjoyable either, which I admit is not the highest of praise. If I could sum it up, I'd say it was "1984 meets Sweet Valley High". Like 1984, it's the story of people living under an oppressive government that they're not out to overthrow, but they're just trying to survive and find a little happiness for themselves. Like Sweet Valley High, well, I don't know since I never read any of them, but if I were to guess they'd be pull of lots of teen angst over relationships and who likes whom and so on.

From the start, the book reads like a TV or movie script, probably because of Collins' background in TV writing and because it's written in 3 acts. At first, I was aggravated at Katniss for being so clueless that she couldn't see what I saw the first time her co-protagonist was introduced, then I wondered if Collins' did it intentionally in order to give the reader an (inflated) sense of omniscience. Or was it because the heroine needed a tragic flaw in order to humanize her? I did find myself liking this anti-hero in any case and the character of Katniss herself is 2 of the 3 stars I give the book. She comes across as fully formed and fleshed out, as opposed to most of the supporting cast who seemed rather flat.

I was often annoyed at Collins' use of the first person present for the narrative. Is Katniss narrating the story in her head as she experiences it? It felt even stranger when the narrator was actually using the past tense to present an event in the past. I was also annoyed at Collins' cop-out with the "rule change" in the Game, which removed the real difficult moral choice facing the characters. It would make an amazing character study in how they choose. But even with the way Collins' resolved it, one the rule change was introduced it watered down that eventual moment completely. I had no doubt of how it would end.

As for the plot itself, it was of course derivative of the 1980s movie "The Running Man" (and my film geek friends mention another one as well called "Battle Royal"). Not to mention the very obvious connections to the Roman Empire, with the names ("Claudius", "Cato") and gladiatorial combat. I guess what I never got past is that it's essentially about adults using children killing children as a form of entertainment. It's so viscerally wrong, I'm not sure if it's ever sufficiently portrayed as being that wrong. I mean if it were adults being thrown into the situation, it would be wrong, but that it's children is just so much more horrifically worse. I have a hard time believing the Districts wouldn't rather be destroyed than allow such barbarity against the children continue.

What is good about the book is the action sequences. Collins gives us very good set pieces and action elements that draw the reader in from one moment to the next, wondering

I will read the second book in the series and probably the third, but I don't know if my estimation of the series will rise above this. It's interesting and enjoyable as an action novel. I don't think it qualifies as teen fiction.