A review by kyarabereading
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

dark emotional funny reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I have been a fan of The Hunger Games series since they came out, but I never got around to reading it until now. I finally got around to doing so, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading book #1 of the series. I am definitely not the target audience for this book, being that I'm in my 20s and this book is catered towards people much younger than me, though I am not saying that you can't enjoy this read if you're older. I clearly did, but the storytelling wasn't as strong as I thought it would be. For one, the pacing was a little awkward at times. Also, Collins' writing style, though I appreciate its simplicity, was uninteresting at times. But where Collins' writing is less creative, less imaginative, she makes up for it with her intriguing world-building and captivating characterization. I loved learning so much about the world + history of Panem and everyone in it. I was almost glad the movies didn't reveal so much from the book, because it gave me something to look forward to. I knew there was still so much to learn, and it made it impossible to put the book down. I also loved seeing the ways the characters interacted with one another, and though none of them were as fleshed out as Katniss, they all seemed very real. Their reactions, decisions, dialogue, and struggles all seemed very real to me. I also loved seeing the way they all grew and developed throughout the story, especially Katniss.

Most impressive, in my opinion, was Collins' ability to write about issues we have seen in human history and current events in such an interesting light. The book dives deeper into the politics and history of Panem, and it is very critical of government, of celebrity, of nepotism, of capitalism, of the 1%, of anything that oppresses the citizens of this nation. It is a reflection of the world we know today, and it is very interesting comparing the sorts of events, issues, thoughts, etc. in this book to what we see in our history books and on TV. I think it made the book that much more impactful to me, because I have seen these things in real life. Collins also reflects the very real struggles of everyday citizens, of how this oppression can impact people's lives. We see how trauma can affect people. We see the choices people make to survive. We see what people have to do to help people they care about. We see what people in power are willing to do to stay in power. And it all felt so incredibly real, to the point that all you can do is sit and be angry at the world because you know it is real. You've seen it and you've felt it and you know Collins didn't just come up with these issues. They already existed - she just moved them decades into the future. But Collins doesn't just show us all the brutality and pain for nothing. It is there to remind us to open our eyes to these issues and to realize that we are more powerful than we know. Book #1 of The Hunger Games shows us that change starts off small but is so impactful, that it's dangerous but so worth it. It reminds me that our voices matter and that if we fight for it, we can make change happen. 

I could go on and on, but I will finish by saying that I really enjoyed reading this book and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series! 
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