books 2011 // # 27 - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Title: The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins (* 1963)
Publication Date: 2008.
Genre: Young adult. Post-apocalyptic. Horror. Fantasy.
Series: The Hunger Games book #01.
Page Count: 374.
Summary: In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.
Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before--and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love. [Source].
Review in 5 words or less: Great concept with some heavy influences by the classics (especially ancient Rome) | the female lead, Katniss, kicks some serious behind | amazing pacing | unrealistic but definitely a page-turner | addictive
Personal Rating: ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ ◊ of 5.
Review:
When I first heard about this book I imagined a couple of people sitting around and being filmed while a post-apocalyptic world watches them starve.
Thank goodness The Hunger Games offers something different. We still get our setting in post-apocalyptic America, in the country of Panem. This is where I got my first laugh. A country called "bread" (Panis = Latin for bread. Don't ask me which case exactly "panem" is, because I happily forgot most of my school-Latin)?
Either way, it turns out the name isn't that bad. For one thing, bread becomes something of a leading symbol (especially in connection with the character Peeta, the boy with the bread). Next to that, I can't help but make the connection to "panem et circenses" - "bread and games" (literally: Bread and circuses, but usually referring to games, namely the gladiator games). That would be exactly what the ancient Romans offered the people to keep them calm and quiet and - most importantly - to keep them from getting thoughts of rebellion. Rather fitting, isn't it? And indeed, the Hunger Games are rather reminiscent of the gladiator games, broadcasted all over the country which turns the world Collins created into some wild mixture between ancient Rome and Running Man by Stephen King (info @ wikipedia) - just with teenagers and mutated monsters. Sounds crazy? Definitely, but due to the characterization and the outstanding pacing it works really well.
Going back to classic themes for a moment, two more things stand out to me:
1) further parallels to Rome, represented i.e. by the names of people like Cato, Flavius, Octavia etc.
2) Atlantis. Remember how Plato described it as having a central city surrounded in circles by its districts? (info here @ wikipedia) I believe we have yet another reference here.
In my opinion, the big strength of the book are the creativity and the pacing. Despite the fact that the book offers something of everything (action, suspense, romance, horror, introspective moments and OMG! Teenage angst!) it's the break-neck pacing that this makes the book so good. So what if it's completely unrealistic? The Hunger Games is well-written escapism at its best.
Finally, on a personal note, I love the way how Katniss is a real heroine. She's a girl who kicks ass - no damsel in distress. And Peeta, the male lead, is strong and mature enough (and sure enough of his masculinity) to let her do her thing. Wonderful.
Plus, the characters are described as ordinary human beings, not excessively beautiful. There are no violet eyes, creamy skins of other things of that sort. Katniss is hairy and dark and personally, I imagine her with darker skin. Way to break through the stereotypes. Good move.
Links: official website, @ wikipedia
Other books I've read by this author: ---.