Book Review: The Hunger Games

by Niko Sayu, age 12

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is a dystopian sci–fi novel set in the ruins of North America, hundreds of years in the future, in a fictional country called Panem. It follows two main characters, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, as they compete in the nationally televised “Hunger Games” to fight to the death against 24 total “tributes” across Panem’s 12 districts.

The Hunger Games began 74 years before the story is set, as a punishment for the districts’ revolt against the Capital, and as a reminder never to rebel. There were originally 13 districts, but the Capital destroyed the 13th and established the games because of the war.

The story begins in District 12 with the main character, Katniss Everdeen. District 12 is located in current day Appalachia, and provides Panem’s wealthy capital with coal. Katniss and Peeta are chosen as District 12’s tributes and sent to the Capitol to compete in the 74th annual Hunger Games. On interview night with the tributes, Peeta confesses his love for Katniss, an action that alters the course of the book.

After this, Katniss and Peeta enter the arena, and Katniss is introduced to the main antagonists, the career tributes, who spend their lives training and then volunteer for the Hunger Games. As the games continue they present many challenges to Katniss, but throughout the book she begins suspecting that there may be an overarching antagonist outside the hunger games themselves, being the Capitol. This theme continually evolves through the entire series, and plays a role in making the reader think more actively about the bigger picture.

This is a suspenseful young adult novel I would recommend for kids and teens 11+ looking for a fast-paced, action-focused book.