The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Wow! This book had me sitting on the edge of my seat. The setting is a futuristic dystopian society in North America. You have the sense that something has gone terribly wrong. The book is told in first person as a sort of memoir by Katniss Everdeen girl tribute from District 12 to the 74th Hunger Games.

The Hunger Games were started in the nation of Panem as a reminder to the districts to never rise against the Capitol again. In fact, there used to be 13 districts, but the capitol obliterated District 13. Now every year each district must send two tributes, a boy and girl, to the hunger games. The hunger games are not merely a game they are a battle to the death that is televised across the nation. Every citizen must watch, including the families of the tributes. These games reminded me of our reality shows on TV now and made me think of the gladiator games in Ancient Rome. Like the gladiator games the hunger games are horrific. However, the violence isn't any worse than what is currently shown on TV. Plus, to boost ratings the Gamemakers will contrive to make the games more interesting by creating extra obstacles, like feast days. These days promise food and items the competitors will need and want, but are designed in a way to bring the tributes in close proximity, so that they can pick each other off.

I can hardly wait to read the recently released sequel Catching Fire. Suzanne Collins is also the writer of the Overlander Series. I am thinking that I need to pick up one of these to read. She is a great writer.