A great read, but be prepared to lose some sleep

Hunger Games (2008)
Collins, Suzanne
Fiction
   
     24 tributes to start, 1 winner. The Capitol which is surrounded by 12 Distracts holds an event once a year as punishment for rebellion against the Capitol in which during District 13 was destroyed. 1 boy and 1 girl from each district is chosen to participate in the Games, from the ages 12 to 18. They are put in an arena where they fight to the death until one person remains. Katniss Everdeen, a 16-year-old girl, from district 12 volunteers to take the place of her 12 year old sister, prim, in the 74th annual Hunger Games. Katniss and Peeta, the boy tribute from district 12, are then taken to the Capitol to watch previous Hunger Games and learn what they can in order to at least have a chance. They are then taken to the arena where they are all to wait 60 seconds until the gong rings and they can step off their disk, and the games begin.

     In the Hunger Games, Katniss is faced with self- preservation because she is forced to participate in the Games though it means killing other people. Also in the 12 Districts the Capitol controls everything, their jobs, how much they can eat (though they find ways around that) even their education. That shows a bit of what is going on in 3rd world countries such as poverty, and starvation. Also in other countries they have the type of government in which no one has much of a say and they are controlled over everything.

     Suzanne Collins writes in a more serious way on a more dark subject, though there are some romantic sense and even a couple witty jokes it is more of a mature read for the subject matter. Collins uses first-person present tense to tell the story about Katniss and all she does in her part of the Games. The style is not particularly different in anyway, a lot of authors do use this, but it does make it enjoyable to be able to read the story from an "inside view" of the Games.

     Audience wise, young adults would probably find this book the most interesting, but that does not mean that only they can read it, honestly it is a great read for adults too.  Though I would not suggest it for anyone really under the age of 12, because the topic and the violence that is present in this book is probably too much for a younger age. There is no harsh language in the Hunger Games or any terribly graphic sense either. This would be a great read for anyone who is willing to stay up all night reading.

     When I first hear about this book I refused to read it. I told myself I would never even conceder it. Then a friend of mine dropped this book off at my house as a present and I felt bad that I would not use the gift, so I decided to try it out. I was up for the next 24 hours reading it. I would recommend this book to anyone that loves action and suspense. Stephen King, in an Entertainment Weekly article describes the Hunger Games as "A violent, jarring, speed-rap of a novel that generates nearly constant suspense. . . . I couldn't stop reading it." And John Green in The New York Times Book Review says "Brilliantly plotted and perfectly paced." I am so glad I read this book, and I think anyone would enjoy it as well.