The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1) in YA and Beyond

Jul 02, 2011 aimee (aimeecanread) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: heart-stopping, favorites, love-triangles, favorite-male-leads, intense, own-paperback, i-will-die-on-this-hill

2023 December 23: Still so good.

2023 December 21: I can't believe it has been TWELVE years since I first read this! But I'm FINALLY re-reading this to cure my insane Hunger Games brainrot since I saw the Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes movie last month.

2012 March 23: Saw the movie! Once again, the ending made me tear up like crazy.

2011 July 4: First read! Definitely 5 stars for this. ...more

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Jun 15, 2011 Sarah rated it it was amazing

This book is fantastic and captivating. It is one of those books that, while unable to put down, I didn't want to finish. I knew that once it was finished I could never go back to not having read it. I found myself slowing down at the end, making excuses to put it down and walk away. However, five minutes later I would throw myself back into The Hunger Games world. It was like trying to make a favorite dessert last.
Fortunately, I was able to run out, when I did finish, and pick up Catching Fire ...more

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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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Jun 22, 2011 Mana rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, science-fiction-dystopia, books-i-never-wanna-forget

it was an amazing book. it kept you on edge and had everything a teen reader can ask for. a dystopian themed book is what is in the rave now days and i wish it didnt jus stop at the third book mockingjay. this was a book tha i cant see anyone criticizing

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