A review by emily_m_green
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

 I read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins a long time ago, but reread it as it is one of the books students could choose to read as part of a unit on dystopian fiction. The unit dovetails into learning about the hero’s journey and writing a personal narrative of their own hero’s journey. . 

As the TedTalk we watched on the hero’s journey points out, Hunger Games very closely follows the progression of the hero’s journey. Katniss volunteers as tribute, which correlates with the “call to adventure” and then she is whisked away to the capital, leaving District 12 behind and travels to the new world of the Capital. She has her ultimate crisis, but I won’t spoil it for anyone who has not yet read the book. 

The first time I read The Hunger Games, it sucked me right in and I read the rest of the books in quick succession. I saw the first movie, but don’t remember it so well, but I think I liked it, though not as much as the book. I have not seen any of the other movies. The book is a fast read, exciting, with lots of action, and it is difficult not to love Katniss, who is tough and good with the bow and arrow, but can be very caring when she wants to be. Finishing the book the second time around, I did feel an urge to reread the rest of the books, though, I am not rereading them right now, due to the new TBR stack I have for the classes I’m teaching. 

Would I teach this book? Well, yes, I would, and I am. It’s good to have this book as a choice, as it is quite violent, and for middle school readers, some of them are sensitive to the content and are not prepared for it. However, for those who do read it, there are great conversations about a government who would use children in this way, about the choices that Katniss has to make, and also about comparisons between Haymitch and Effie, among other topics. It is a fun book to teach.