The Hunger Games: Suzanne Collins

This is book 1 in the trilogy. Around when the movie came out a few of us at work decided that we really did have to read the trilogy, so one of us went and got the first book and I have just now ordered the rest of the books. I gave actually ordered all of them now. Just Friday was I able to get the first from my coworker, after two others. On to the review now.

The United States is now, made of up districts, each with their specialty and each controlled by rulers in the Capital. In order to remind the districts of the control they have each year the Capital draws the a name of one boy and girl from each of the districts and forces them into an arena for a fight to the death.

Katniss has supported her family since her Father died a few years ago. In order to do that she has learned to be mentally strong and to hunt or forage so she can keep food on the table. Now, she must use all of her knowledge to stay alive in the arena. In the arena is Peeta, also from District 12, like Katniss and they have a history together that neither of them can forget. But, are unsure on how to let that effect them in the games. Then there is other Tributes from the other Districts to deal with too, and though she is suppose to kill them and Katniess isn't sure how she feels about that.

As you can tell from the fact that I got the book on Friday and finished it today I couldn't put it down. It is a YA book and truthfully I am not sure what age it is for and am not really sure that it is something I would have been allowed to read as a youth. But, I think there are great themes in the plot that I hope parents would talk to their children about as they read it. There are themes that are just scratched here in the first book in the trilogy and I look forward to seeing how they are dealt with in the next book. Mostly the political stuff, it is presented but needs expanded on.

This book concentrates on the arena and what happens there with the characters developing who they are and making choices in how the arena effects them. Hard decisions are made by all of the characters and seeing how they deal with the decisions adds to the dimensions of the plot.

I would recommend this book to others, giving it 4 stars, but when it comes to YA, I would suggest the parents read it first and be prepared to talk about things especially if the kid is under 15.