The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1) in Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge

Sep 13, 2010 Cindy Bokma rated it really liked it

I had high expectations since everyone from my good friends to my own son LOVED this book! I read it quickly, it definitely kept my interest. I have to say I thought the whole premise was weird and creepy. I hated the fact that these kids are sent to battle it out and die, all on television. I dont like that death is treated so casually.

The book takes place in the future, after civilization has ended. I get a very strange vibe from the setting, as if everything is dark and scary and still and pe ...more

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Oct 11, 2010 Angie rated it it was amazing

Good grief. I found this one on a used book store shelf. I'd heard of it but knew nothing of it other than people raved and I had something like 60 weeks of waiting list time left to look forward to before I could get my hands on it. I asked the store clerk if he happened to have either of the other books in this series and he said "No way. Those go fast." So I counted myself lucky and bought it. And DEVOURED it. I had NO idea what it was even about so I dived in blind and loved every bit of it! ...more

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Sep 07, 2011 Jeff Scott rated it really liked it

Shelves: fiction, overdrive-library, audiobooks, science-fiction, bleak, post-apocalpytic, young-adult

Great Science Fiction tale that combines many of my favorite works in the genre. It takes part of The Lottery, The Running Man, Lord of the Flies, and even a little of the Island of Dr. Moreau and weaves the tale of a young girl struggling against overwhelming odds.

All that is left of the United States is the small country of Panam. Fires, riots, and ill-described disasters have decimated the world into this tiny space. All that is left is The Capitol and 12 districts. The oppression of The Cap Great Science Fiction tale that combines many of my favorite works in the genre. It takes part of The Lottery, The Running Man, Lord of the Flies, and even a little of the Island of Dr. Moreau and weaves the tale of a young girl struggling against overwhelming odds.

All that is left of the United States is the small country of Panam. Fires, riots, and ill-described disasters have decimated the world into this tiny space. All that is left is The Capitol and 12 districts. The oppression of The Capitol led the districts to rebel at some point. Once this rebellion is crushed, a punishment, known as the Hunger Games is created. Two children, 12-18, are selected by lottery every year to kill each other in battle on live television.

Katniss is a 15 year old girl, relied on by her family to be the breadwinner, she poaches in a forbidden forest to supplement her family’s meager ration of grain. Katniss has had to enter her name, like all children in the districts, into the lottery of the Hunger Games. Her younger sister Prim has had to enter her name for the first time. What happens at the lottery will change their lives and put Katniss to the ultimate test, to kill or be killed.

It’s difficult to write a review without spoilers. Generally, it’s a ripping good science fiction/adventure story, but I would have liked to have seen more character development. Katniss is a cold character. It’s no wonder as she doesn’t see a future for herself, but it doesn’t really come off so clearly in the story. She has as lot of internal dilemma, but in some cases the amount of time given to these thoughts far outweighs the moment. It doesn’t seem to add to the plot, or describe her more fully. It’s just a lot of text with no payoff.

Everything is geared towards the action in the Hunger Games. The plotting in the games is great, but I felt there was opportunities for development that stop short. There are some REALLY big shockers and heartbreaking losses, but there doesn’t seem to be any reaction. As a reader, it seemed to affect me more than Katniss. There is a lot of emotion in the scene in the description, but none from the character. I think that may have been the point of the character, as is better revealed in the end, but it takes a long time to get there. I felt if there was more of what happened in the end between Katniss and Peeta was littered in the book a bit more, her character would have been a bit stronger. It’s supposed to be a mixed-up 15 year old fighting for her life in an already awkward age so it makes sense. The result is just a bit mixed.
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Dec 21, 2010 Kristin Brandt rated it it was amazing

Fantastic book that I could not put down. I had looked at the book a couple of times when I was in the store, but kept putting it back. Then two women in my book club recommended it and we decided to read it. So glad I decided to read it. After I read this one I ran out and bought the second and third books in the series.

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Jan 11, 2012 Cheryl rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Somewhat gruesome - but not easily forgettable - engrossing read - a book you will want to read through in one sitting

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Jun 14, 2011 Cindy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: audio

Unputdownable. I put off reading this book for a while because everyone was reading it and I hate being one of those band-wagon readers. But once I finally decided to read it I was kicking myself for waiting for so long. I finished reading in the middle of the night and the next day I immediately went to the store and bought Catching Fire! I would have bought Mockingjay too but it wasn't published yet. ...more

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Jan 13, 2012 Cindy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Unputdownable. I put off reading this book for a while because everyone was reading it and I hate being one of those band-wagon readers. But once I finally decided to read it I was kicking myself for waiting for so long. I finished reading in the middle of the night and the next day I immediately went to the store and bought Catching Fire! I would have bought Mockingjay too but it wasn't published yet. ...more

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Sep 25, 2010 Gayle rated it it was amazing

UPDATE on 02/11/2011....read this TWICE now! =)
The first of three......I loved it so much I picked up the second book the very same day I finished this one. Quick read, page-turning action, and LOVED the characters.

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