The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1) in ♥ Nothing Better Than Reading!! ♥

Jun 12, 2011 B.B. Shepherd rated it it was amazing

Shelves: yabc-dystopian-challenge-2013, yabc-tbr-challenge-2013, yabc-50-states-challenge

Yes, I'm extremely late to the party, I know, but I'm going to weigh in on this series anyway. I'll just go ahead and credit this book with fueling my new interest in young adult literature and I don't mean that in a genre sense. I've tried reading some of the traditionally published 'genre,' and have been severely underwhelmed to the point that I can't bear to waste time finishing them. Nothing had really impressed me since Harry Potter. But this book--indeed, as I'm finished with the final boo Yes, I'm extremely late to the party, I know, but I'm going to weigh in on this series anyway. I'll just go ahead and credit this book with fueling my new interest in young adult literature and I don't mean that in a genre sense. I've tried reading some of the traditionally published 'genre,' and have been severely underwhelmed to the point that I can't bear to waste time finishing them. Nothing had really impressed me since Harry Potter. But this book--indeed, as I'm finished with the final book I can say the whole series--is so well written, well paced, and with such strong characters, I want to read anything Suzanne Collins has written no matter the genre or target age group. It is also the first book I've read in first-person present tense that I thoroughly enjoyed. I generally don't care for it as it's seldom well-done, but as I said, the writing is so strong, it could be in any voice and I'd love it.

I doubt if many people are ignorant of the premise for the story: in a brutal future United States where the privileged few live extravagantly and wastefully in the "Capitol," the average citizen lives in one of twelve districts. Each district has it's specialty--mining, cattle, agriculture, etc.--but most barely scratch out an existence while the best of everything is sent to the Capitol. Why don't they rebel? Well, once upon a time there were thirteen districts. 13 rebelled and 13 no longer exists--at least as far as anyone knows. To commemorate the occasion and remind the districts of what can happen again, each district gives up one boy and one girl each year to the Hunger Games, a brutal arena free-for-all where only one winner can survive. Katniss Everdeen, something of a tough loner who would do anything for her sister, becomes the girl for District 12.

The Hunger Games is certainly brutal and violent but not over the top. Some parts were unpleasant but never so graphic as to make me want to skip parts (I have my limits for blood and guts). The violence is a part of the story and propels it forward. And yes, there is certainly a love story, but it never becomes too sentimental or steamy. It's a very clean read in that regard, which I liked. The motives for everything, including the love interest, is what I found the most appealing. ...more

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Apr 03, 2011 Shannon Glen rated it it was amazing

An absolutely great book...loved the whole series

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Dec 30, 2016 Alka rated it it was amazing

Shelves: own, prequel-sequel-series

The hunger games series has quite a few things going for it, a) i liked it both in book and movie form. b) all members of my family loved it so a complete value proposition c) it gave my girl a heroine who was both feminine and strong, the way I like my girl to be. d) it is based on an entirely novel premise so at no point it is predictable.

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