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The Hunger Games (August 2012)
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I'll go to buy it today.
Mod
You and I are left now. do inform me when you start. I need a company :)
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You and I are left now. do inform me when you start. I need a company :)"
Sometime after the 14th? My exams are on :/
They are incredibly fast paced; I think I read all 3 in about a week last year. I'm sure you will all enjoy them very much!
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I'll post the review in a few days.
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Original Review
Panem rose up in the ashes of the place that was once called North America. After a serious of natural disasters, what remained was Panem, a shining Capitol with thirteen districts, which brought peace and prosperity for its citizens. However, when the Dark Days came, the thirteen districts rose against the Capitol, twelve of them were defeated, while the thirteenth obliterated. The Treaty of Treason gave them new laws to guarantee them peace. But that was not all. To remind them of the uprising and the crushing of the districts by the Capitol, the yearly Hunger Games were initiated.
The rules were simple. In punishment of the uprising, each district had to sacrifice two tributes, one boy and one girl, between the age of 12 and 18, for the Games. The twenty-four tributes were trapped inside an arena where they had to fight each other. The survivor wins the game, and his/her district is showered with gifts. By showing them the killing of their children, the Capitol asserted how the districts were at their mercy and had no chance of surviving another rebellion. It is both a time of repentance and a time of thanks.
The stated purpose of this contest is to remind them and their families of the rebellion against the Capital that had been lost many years before. The real purpose of the contest is for the entertainment of the people of the Capital.
The narrator, Katniss Everdeen, lives in the Seam in District Twelve, the worst off of all the districts. They specialise in mining, and that is what took her father's life. She lives with her mother and younger sister, Primrose. After her father's death in a mine, her mother slipped into depression and Katniss was to arrange for all the supplies and food. This is the reason why she would go to the forbidden are, beyond the fence, to hunt. This is where she met Gale Hawthorne, who later became her hunting partner, and then a friend.
At the time of reaping, the names of tributes are drawn by lottery. When Katniss's younger sister's name is drawn out, she volunteers for the Games so that her sister would be safe. The male tribute from the District is Peeta Mellark, the baker's son.
With her superior hunting skills and fiery temper, Katniss quickly becomes a favorite of the Games and of the people. As the story unfolds we are able to watch Katniss grow emotionally as she learns of friendship, heartache, loss, and possible love. Katniss is young and confused as to what she wants and needs. She is a very likeable character, and it is hard to watch her struggle to find her way.
You see the things from the perspectives of one of the tributes. It's easy to like the main character since she is caring and resourceful.
The part I disliked the most was the beauty pageant-like atmosphere at the Capitol before the starting of the Games. I also didn't find the whole cheesy romance thing fitting in the scene. I feel Ms. Collins tried to show a love triangle of sorts, maybe it is so in the net two books.
Because of the aforementioned reasons, the book gets 4 out of 5 stars from me. I liked the book, on the whole, and I think it has been written nicely.
I look forward to read the next two books, but I'm not too eager. Maybe it's the classics that are pulling me towards them.
Thanks for sharing!