The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1) in Are You A Hunger Games Fanatic?

Jan 21, 2011 Airiz rated it it was amazing

Shelves: dystopian, science-fiction, young-adult, my-favorites, butt-kicking-heroines

Get a few fragments of Battle Royale and some from Survivor, weave them together, throw in a storyline that will keep you at the edge of your seat, add three-dimensional characters, a dash of drama, suspense, romance—and voila! You just have one awe-inspiring YA novel in your hand: The Hunger Games.
The Hunger Games is the story of Katniss Everdeen, a sixteen-year-old girl living with her mother and little sister in the 12th district of Panem, the remains of what used to be the North America. The Get a few fragments of Battle Royale and some from Survivor, weave them together, throw in a storyline that will keep you at the edge of your seat, add three-dimensional characters, a dash of drama, suspense, romance—and voila! You just have one awe-inspiring YA novel in your hand: The Hunger Games.
The Hunger Games is the story of Katniss Everdeen, a sixteen-year-old girl living with her mother and little sister in the 12th district of Panem, the remains of what used to be the North America. There was a rebellion a long time ago waged by the districts against the Capitol, but it did not become successful. The surrender terms require each district to send a boy and a girl tribute to a televised event called “the Hunger Games”, where all participants should kill one another until there is one survivor left. Katniss took the place of her younger sister in the games, and on she goes to the arena, fighting for survival not only for herself but also for the people she loves the most.
One thing about The Hunger Games: it lives up to all the hype.

I’ve never been this engrossed to a dystopian young adult novel before. I always make it a point to be really careful before jumping to a certain bandwagon because I don’t want to be disappointed—I ask people who I trust to have sound judgment when it comes to literature, I read blurbs and reviews, listen to discussions about the book. I’m more than glad I gave The Hunger Games a try.

What I really liked about this story is that I did not catch myself yawning in ennui while reading the parts that do not have much action in them. Sure, the book is chock-full with a lot of suspenseful moments, but there are some rooms in the book that are definitely left uncharted by the author to let the characters grow, in a way that is never boring in the eyes of the reader.

With that said, I can say that the book’s also teeming with characters that are sure to leave some kind of dent in your heart. I really admire how Collins molded the main characters: Katniss is this cynical but utterly determined girl, possessing a rather amusing case of candor and foibles. Peeta—Katniss’ co-tribute in the Games—is a kind, charismatic but a tad reticent young boy. I find it droll how Katniss seems to be so naïve about Peeta’s not-so-secret feelings for her; the readers will easily figure out that Peeta is not faking it. I have to admit it’s an endearing trait of our heroine, one that distinguishes her more from cliché protagonists of novels like this. I may even say it gives more depth to her role—anyone out there who heard how Katniss formulate her introspections will understand this.

As for relationship development, it is excellent. Collins takes her time building all the little bridges to create the connection, the relationship…it tags along the rhythm of the story’s pace. There’s nothing too cloying or sappy, just enough to make a reader unconsciously raise a hand to push against his heart. It is intricately structured, much more of a foundation for something bigger. I’ll wait for Catching Fire and Mockingjay to confirm that.

Also, I thought Collins did a good job in shaping thel reality behind the televised event, because, well, that’s what happens in real life. Romance does sell to huge audiences, that’s why there are so many “fake loveteams” in almost every reality show nowadays. Katniss, being the wise skeptic that she is, “plays along” with what she thinks is Peeta’s strategy to get more sponsors. My heart goes to Peeta. Poor boy.

Anyway, I loved this story to bits. ...more

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Jul 15, 2011 Leila rated it it was amazing

Thoughts right after I finished the first book, The Hunger Games: Okay finished the first book in The Hunger Games, loved it! But the chapters were set up in such a way that they didn't break off during light moments, but tense moments, which made it that much harder to put down. Come to find out the first book ends that way too, trying to convince myself to wait to start number two tomorrow so I might actually get some sleep : )

The dream I had the night I finished the first book The Hunger Game Thoughts right after I finished the first book, The Hunger Games: Okay finished the first book in The Hunger Games, loved it! But the chapters were set up in such a way that they didn't break off during light moments, but tense moments, which made it that much harder to put down. Come to find out the first book ends that way too, trying to convince myself to wait to start number two tomorrow so I might actually get some sleep : )

The dream I had the night I finished the first book The Hunger Games: (I had a dream after I read the first book and when I woke up I just had to write about it so here you go!)One of the bad things about not getting enough sleep on a consistent basis is dreamless sleep, which has been how my nights have fared the past week or so. However, last night after finishing book one of The Hunger Games I begin to drift into sleep with the romantic moments in the book deep in thought as if I might influence a similar sentiment of dreams to will over me for the night to come. Stirring this morning with my husband’s alarm clock pulling him from his slumbers at 5:30 AM I realize that the book did get into my head, but instead of the romantic moments I had hoped for it’s the hunting of fellow humans and the mutated animals that weave their way into thoughts of my personal life. What I end up with is a chase, as me and Shane, loves as we were in our teenage years, run from a pursuer who is hell bent to have me as his, delusional with a twisted sort of love he thinks he feels for me. The pursuer is not necessarily ever thought of as physically threatening, as he was always seen as an outcast at school, knowing this knowledge in my dream as if we have been class mates for years. Moreover, it isn’t his physical abilities that have us running from him it is now his insanity that brings fear as he hollers after us with his belief that we were always meant to be together. Not to mention the giant fish with razor sharp teeth, I mean some of them must have been the size of a smart car. While most remained in their aquatic tanks, one has mutated in such a way that stalking me though out my dream was no hardship to him as he flowed me in an ever so clam but persistent manner floating through the air, at moments only feet away. So I guess that is what I get, I read a book called The Hunger Games, finishing it right before bed, trying to will my first dream in days into the romantic images left behind from the novel. And then I end up with a twisted combination of my relationship with my husband as teenagers, an obsessed delusional adolescent lover, and a taunting mutated fish hunting us through shopping centers and dark alley ways. I am not sure if it is my mind that is twisted, or if it’s the twisted books I am reading, probably both, but now I think I have a fear of fish that I have never felt so strongly about, and I tell this to Shane as he gets up from the bed off to get ready for work. I can hear him snickering at his not-fully-awake wife as she says she hates fish.

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Oct 17, 2013 ◄○♦☻♦○►[faith.in.God]◘♪♪ rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites-xd

i think this book is incomparable with the movie. i was lucky i got to watch the movie first and then read the book. otherwise i would have been really mad. Reading the 2nd book first, it was really nothing to enjoy about. but when i read the third book, it was awesome. At last, reading the first book, I was unstoppable. I can't even put the book down. I'd carry the book everywhere even when I know there won't be the time for it. even at my tuitions, I'd carry it around.
Watching the movie first ...more

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Nov 21, 2009 Marsha rated it liked it

Since all my students were reading this one, I felt I had to see what all the fuss was about. After getting over the author's multiple misuse of "I" and "me" and subject-verb disagreement and sentence fragments for no apparent reason (and that from a proponent of "Grammar B"), I was able to enjoy the story despite its contrived plot. I will read its sequel because that's what I'm supposed to do, right?! ...more

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May 28, 2011 Ian rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

It was an amazing book that had very good character. It also had a mode that made me want to keep reading. I even bought it to keep and read again and again!

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Apr 30, 2011 "Weird? Who me? Ya i know!" "So i guess you'll have to deal" rated it it was amazing

this book! and all the hunger games r the my fav books!!!!!!!

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Mar 16, 2010 Ella rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

Book review: This book was AMAZING I loved every bit of it. I love how Collins puts the romance into such a dystopian place.

Movie Review: *****
Very good. I thought that they did very well with the movie. There were a few things I would have liked to be changed, like the fact the Katniss found the pin at the Hob, but I know that Suzanne Collins didn't what it to be exact.
I think all of you will love the movie. ...more

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Aug 20, 2012 Sarah rated it it was amazing

Shelves: re-read

Wow. That book was amazing! Even though I'd already seen the film, there were still some surprises in there and I literally couldn't put the book down. Not one chapter bored me, not one part of the book dragged on. Suzanne Collins managed to keep me gripped throughout the entire book. Now I'm just debating whether or not I should wait for the second film to come out before I read the second book! 5*. ...more

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