Hunger Games, Catching Fire :: Suzanne Collins

Title: Hunger Games, Catching Fire

Author: Suzanne Collins

Read: Palo Alto, CA; NYC

Format: Hardcover

On an impromptu Barnes & Noble binge, I finally picked up Hunger Games. It had been appearing at the top of my recommendations for awhile, but I'd been ignoring it because of the whole dystopia thing (I'm not so into that stuff). But friends I trust and e-tail algorithms (that I also trust) endorsed it, so I thought, why not? Smart gamble!

Because I think everyone should read these books, I won't give away too much. Basically, America (now Panem), in the not-so-distant future, is divided into 13 districts and ruled by a cruel Capital. After a failed uprising, the Capital demands that each district sacrifice a pair of teenagers, or 'tributes', to participate in the annual Hunger Games. Mandatory viewing for all citizens, the games are an intricately designed fight to the death. These novels, the first two of a trilogy, focus on District 12's tribute Katniss Everdeen as she fights her way through the games.

Told in first person, the reader sees the world through Katniss's eyes and you vividly experience her fears and motivations. Through her, we learn about the despair in the districts and the excesses of the Capital. And as she is plunged into them, the spectacle of the games plays like a train wreck: horrifying, violent, disturbing, and exciting to watch unfold.

When the end of Hunger Games came too quickly, I was glad I could quickly get my hands on the sequel (I thought it was even better than the first). And when Catching Fire came to an end, I couldn't believe I'd have to wait until August for the final installment. Ugh.

Hunger Games:

An amazing new world, 5 out of 5 stars

Catching Fire:

Somehow, even better, 5 out of 5 stars