The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
My review
rating: 5 of 5 stars
You gotta love a good young adult dystopian science fiction novel, and this one’s a great example of the genre. I’d heard nothing but good things about it, and I was really impressed. I think it would have helped me a bit to know going into it that it’s the first book in a series–that would have changed my expectations on what an “ending” would have to consist of. Don’t get me wrong: the book functions very well as a stand alone novel. It’s just that there’s obviously room for more once you finish. For those of you who don’t know, the story focuses on Katniss, a girl in a post-nuclear society where America has devolved into one main Capitol, with 12 Districts that support it. The Capitol gets all the good stuff, the Districts are left with the dregs. And to make sure the Districts stay down–and to entertain the Capitol–the Capitol holds a yearly competition, forcing 24 children to enter an elaborate arena and fight to the death. So: take one part The Lottery, one part The Deadliest Game, add a good dose of Uglies, and you’re good to go. Fantastic read, and highly recommended.