YA Review: "Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins (rated 5 stars)

The Hunger Games

by Suzanne Collins

What would happen if North American became a desolate wasteland? What if the Capitol truly was in charge of and controlled every thing – food, media, energy, life, death?
Susanne Collins delves into the “what ifs” of a world controlled by “The Capitol.”
The country is divided into 12 Districts. Each District is in charge of one industry, for example, District 11 focuses on agriculture, District 1 on luxuries and District 12 on coal. While the people in the outer districts live in poverty, the Capitol thrives. In addition to supplying the Capitol with everything it needs to be comfortable, the outer Districts must also take part in a game called the Hunger Games. Children (a boy and girl) from each district must take part to die for the amusement of the Capitol and the horror of the Districts.
In order to protect her younger sister from the Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take her place. Katniss is a fighter. She is a hunter. And she is a survivor.
She makes a promise to Prim, her sister, that she will win. Katniss must play the game the way the Capitol wants her to. But will she end up losing her self in the spectacle? Can she kill another human being? Can she beat the Capitol at its own game?
This is one of my favorite books for my 2009 list. It made the top lists for everyone in 2008 and I now know why. It is fast-paced. The characters are strong. The action is intense and sometimes brutal but there are also moments that allow the reader to catch their breath. It is vivid and exciting. Definitely a book you cannot put down. My only gripe with this is that it is made to be a series and it ends so that you have to read the next book.
I am missing stand-alone reads. Why does everything need to be a series? and sometimes I wonder, why does everyone strive to have their books made into a movie? But aside from that it is a fantastic read.

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