Book Review: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (2008)

The Hunger Games series and the Underground Chronicles, both of which
became international bestsellers, were written by American author and television writer
Suzanne Collins (born 1962). She claims that her introduction to Edgar Allan Poe
stories in high school sparked a deepening of her interest in fiction and writing. Her
father was a Vietnam War veteran who served in the American Air Force. He engaged in
early discussion of war with his kids to make sure they were aware of the horrors of
conflict.
The main character and author of the book is Katniss Everdeen. The Hunger
Games' narrator. She might be only 16 years old but is much older than her years would
indicate -primarily because of looking after her younger sister since a young age. She is
a powerful, brave, resilient, and strong woman. She's got accumulated a variety of
hunting and survival abilities, particularly with a bow, which are helpful in the arena of
combat.
In Chapter 1 of The Hunger Games, we are introduced to Katniss Everdeen, who
is the first-person narrator of the story. She wakes up in her family's house in District 12,
a poor and oppressed district in the nation of Panem. Her father died when she was 11
years old, and she lives with her mother and younger sister Prim. Katniss goes outside
of the fence that marks the boundary of District 12 to hunt illegally. She meets Gale, a
close friend, and they catch fish to trade for bread and salt, which is their means of
survival. On this day, it is the reaping for the Hunger Games, a yearly event in which
one boy and one girl are chosen from each district to compete in a battle to the death.
The reaping is treated like a festive event, but Katniss is horrified when Prim's name is
drawn as the female tribute for District 12. This sets up the main conflict of the story, as
Katniss volunteers to take her sister's place and compete in the Hunger Games herself.
Chapters 2-3: Katniss makes the decision to take her younger sister Prim's place
as the female tribute in the Hunger Games. Peeta Mellark is chosen as the male tribute
for District 12. Katniss remembers some past interactions with Peeta, where he showed
her kindness. Before leaving for the Hunger Games, Katniss says goodbye to her family
and friends. She is given a gold pin in the shape of a bird to wear as a symbol of hope
and good luck.
In Chapters 4-6, Katniss observes Peeta's kindness as he helps Haymitch, a past
winner of the Hunger Games who has turned to alcoholism. Haymitch is impressed with
the determination of Katniss and Peeta to survive, and he agrees to help them with their
training. Their stylist, Cinna, designs their costumes for the opening ceremony of the
Games as flames, which is a huge hit with the audience. While training for the Hunger
Games at the designated center, Katniss recognizes an "Avox" from her past, who is a
person that has been punished for rebelling against the Capitol and had their tongue
removed. She regrets not helping the Avox when she had the chance in the past.
Chapters 7-9: Katniss and Peeta train together for the Hunger Games. Peeta is a
skilled wrestler, while Katniss excels with the bow and arrow. They learn that they will be
competing against Career Tributes, who have been training for the Games their entire
lives. During training, Katniss impresses the judges by skewering an apple in a roasted
hog's mouth with an arrow, showcasing her skills and scoring high, which attracts
potential sponsors. Peeta then trains separately, and they both prepare for the televised
interviews, which are an important part of gaining sponsors and gaining the support of
the audience. The Avox, whom Katniss recognized from her past, helps her during this
process.
In Chapters 10-12, during the televised interviews before the Hunger Games,
Peeta reveals his love for Katniss, which initially angers her. However, she soon realizes
that it is part of a strategy to make her more desirable to potential sponsors. Once the
Hunger Games begin, Katniss tries to grab a bow but is unable to reach it. Instead, she
grabs a tarp for shelter. She also acquires an orange backpack when another boy is
killed. In the initial battle, 11 participants are killed. Katniss notices that Peeta has joined
forces with the Career Tributes, who are a group of highly trained and competitive
participants. They are hunting together in a group.
Chapters 13-15: During the Hunger Games, Katniss manages to escape a large
fire, but gets burnt on her leg and arm in the process. Seeking safety, she takes refuge
up a tree. The Career Tributes, including Cato, soon appear and try to climb the tree to
kill her. To defend herself, Katniss saws down a tracker jacker nest, which kills one of
her attackers and causes the rest to flee in confusion. However, the swarm of tracker
jackers also stings Katniss, causing her to hallucinate and pass out. When she wakes
up, she forms an alliance with a young girl named Rue, who helps her deal with her
stings and teaches her important survival skills.

In Chapters 16-18, Katniss, and Rue plan to raid the supplies of the Career
Tributes. Rue teaches Katniss a mocking jay call to communicate with each other. They
successfully destroy the supplies, but in the process, Cato kills a recruit from District 3
in anger. Later, Katniss hears the mocking jay call, but it's too late as Rue is killed by a
boy from District 1. Katniss quickly takes revenge by killing the boy. The rules of the
game are then changed, allowing recruits from the same district to both wins.

Chapter 19-21: After finding the injured Peeta, Katniss helps nurse him back to
health, but his leg becomes infected. The announcer informs the tributes that they can
each obtain something they need at a "feast," which happens to include Peeta's
remedy. Despite the danger, Katniss decides to go to the feast and risk her life to
retrieve it for Peeta. While there, she is almost killed by a girl from District 3, but is
ultimately rescued by Thresh, the fellow tribute from Rue's district.
In Chapters 22-24, Katniss wakes up and sees that Peeta is feeling much better.
As they spend time together, she starts to develop real feelings for him. Thresh, the
other tribute from Rue's district, dies. Foxface from District 5 also dies, apparently from
eating poisonous berries. Katniss and Peeta keep the berries with them, hoping to use
them against Cato, their only remaining opponent. They discover that the Gamemakers
have dried up the water sources to force them to come together with Cato. Suddenly,
Cato runs past them, being chased by something.
 Chapters 25-27: Katniss and Peeta are chased by wolf-like creatures known as
muttations, and they narrowly escape. However, Cato catches Peeta in a headlock.
Katniss shoots Cato off the side, but he is attacked and mutilated by the muttations.
Katniss eventually puts him out of his misery by shooting him with an arrow. The
announcer tries to reverse the rule change until Katniss and Peeta threaten to kill
themselves. In the end, they are declared the winners of the Hunger Games, but their
actions anger the Capitol. Despite this, they both recover and return to District 12.
Theme: The theme of the first book in The Hunger Games Trilogy, "The Hunger
Games," is primarily focused on survival, power, and oppression. It explores the idea of
a government controlling its citizens through fear and violence, and the effects of that
control on the individual and society as a whole. The book also delves into themes of
sacrifice, loyalty, and the power of love and hope in the face of overwhelming odds.
Behavior of the Main Character: In the first book of The Hunger Games Trilogy,
Katniss Everdeen is portrayed as a determined, resourceful, and resilient character. She
is driven by a strong desire to survive and protect those she cares about. Throughout
the book, Katniss is constantly strategizing and adapting to the challenges she faces in
the Hunger Games arena. She uses her skills, including her proficiency with a bow and
arrow, to outsmart and outmaneuver her opponents.
However, Katniss can also be emotionally guarded and distant, a result of her
difficult past and the trauma she has experienced. She struggles with forming close
relationships and trusting others, but she also demonstrates compassion and empathy
towards those she cares about, such as her ally Rue. Overall, Katniss' behavior in the
first book is shaped by her experiences as a survivor and her desire to overcome the
challenges she faces in the Hunger Games.
Genre: The genre of the first book in The Hunger Games Trilogy is young adult
dystopian fiction. Young adult dystopian fiction is a genre of literature that typically
features a dystopian society or world that is often characterized by oppressive
governments, restricted personal freedoms, and a lack of individuality. These stories are
often targeted towards young adults, and usually explore themes related to identity,
survival, rebellion, and societal injustice.