Summary

Panem is a country with 13 districts; the 13th one was destroyed earlier. Now the remaining 12 have a competition every year wherein they send 2 12 to 18-year-olds – one boy and one girl – to the competition called the hunger games. The games are broadcast throughout the country. The aim is only to survive till the end.
It is very similar to reality TV shows; the glamour and grit are the same. The entertainment value is much higher because teenagers die for real here. This year for the 74th Hunger Games, District 12 selects two candidates Peeta Mellark and Primrose Everdeen. Only Prim’s elder sister, 18-year old Katniss, decides to volunteer in place of her sister.
Thus begin the Hunger Games – 24 participants, one victor, and one survivor. Or not. This time around, the game is about to change its rules for the aggressive and furious Katniss.

My Review

I am going to be honest, here. This was my first YA dystopian Fantasy read after Harry Potter. And I wasn’t disappointed. I kept hearing about this record-breaking series for years and kept wondering, would I like it? And like it I did. For the most essential quality, the book has – YOU CANNOT STOP READING IT. You have to know what happens next. Before I knew it I was at the end of the 436-page long novel.

The story takes time to get to know. I wouldn’t call it an easy read, but it’s not difficult either. You need to pay attention, though. The world-building is immaculate. Hunger stricken coal district, the opening ceremony, the landscapes in the arena, the plush train that took you to Capitol- everything was correctly described. Sometimes the story walks into the past, like how Gale and Katniss met, but it is effortless without being too descriptive, just the perfect mix. I hung on to every word of the author’s writing, thinking I might miss something crucial. It was captivating.

You’ll love all the characters, especially Peeta and Katniss. The little bit of chemistry between Peeta and Katniss was delightful. So was the uncanny connection between Kat and her mentor Haymitch.
You cannot help but feel bad for the plight of the unprivileged districts and feel resentment towards the privileged people of district one. In Maslow’s Hierarchy, Hunger is depicted as a basic need. And this book perfectly portrays the extent to which a human can go to fulfill this basic need. The games equalize everyone to the same level and teach us some valuable life lessons.

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I am now going to read the remaining two books in the series. And will review the entire series towards the end of this month. But for now I recommend this brilliant novel to YA Fantasy Lovers. You might love it or hate it, but you’ll never stop reading it. Promise.

The Movie of this Book was released in 2012. I have attached the trailer at the end of this post. 

“May the odds be ever in your favor.”

Happy Reading!!