The Hunger Games(Novel) -review

 The Hunger Games  trilogy written by Suzannne Collins is of Adventure/Action genre.I took 9 days(2-4 hours per day) to finish all three novels and here is my take on the first novel.
The plot of The Hunger Games is a straight forward plot but with a strong message.It takes place in a nation called as Panem which consists of 13 districts and a Capitol.While the people of the capitol controls the thirteen districts, the thirteen districts are only used to produce Capitol respective needs.For instance District 12 produces coal,11 is agriculture,1 is stone and etc.The Hunger Games is carried out annually to remember  the rebellion of the thirteen districts 74 years ago against the Capitol as a punishment.The Capitol won against the rebellion and District 13 had been destroyed while the other remaining 12 is subjected to under their harsh control.

Katniss hunting in the woods

So back to the Hunger Games,as a punishment to the remaining districts,each districts need to send a boy and girl(called tributes) from the age12-18 to compete in the arena where only one will survive and is televised live throughout the nation as though a form of entertainment  for the capitol citizens.
The story begins on the day of the reaping of the 74th Hunger Games in the District 12 where it is the poorest district and least populated.Katniss Everdeen the protagonist,is the leader of her family now after a mine explosion killed her father.Her mother had fallen into depression,so in order to to support her mom and her sister Primrose(who she loves the most),she would hunt and sell the animals in the hob(black market) in exchange of grains,oils and other necessities.It is illegal to leave the district but Katniss would always sneak into the wood and hunt for the sake of her family.

Cinna ,Haymitch and Peeta

Effie Trinket and Katniss on the reaping day.

On the day of the reaping ,Primrose's name is pulled out as the tribute.In order to save a her young sister ,Katniss volunteered as tribute and promises her sister she would do everything she could to win and eventually return back to them.On the stage she realised that the male tribute is Peeta Mellark,a rich baker's son who once gave bread(hope) for Katniss to live when she was starving and nearly to doe.
Both Katniss and Peeta are brought to the Capitol  and treated,pampered as celebrities but both of them realise they were nothing but an piece of entertainment to the Capitol.Here they both meet their drunken mentor,Haymitch(which will be played by Woody Harrelson in the film adaptation) the only champion from District 12 for the past 73 years.Will Katniss survive the Hunger Games and  return  back to  her mother and sister or will she kill the boy with the bread who gave her hope to live is the rest of the story.However at the ending of The Hunger Games you realise it had expand into something more than survival in the Hunger Games and life debts.SPOILER  ALERT- rebellion,Katniss and Peeta's actions in the Hunger games unknowingly provokes rebellion as they both refuse to go along with the capitol rules.

Peeta injured in the arena

Katniss being brought to the arena



On the characters in the novel,my four favourite characters:

Katniss Everdeen-One of the bold female characters in  young adult genre.She has all the heroic qualities yet have the human feel to her.She is tough, brave and have a sheer determination and doesn't gives up easily .She also had some imperfect qualities  like stubborn and short tempered  which makes her easy to relate by anyone.She is the type of role model you want your sister or daughter to follow .

Peeta-the boy with the bread.I loved that the author never try to make him suddenly powerful or heroic just for the sake of the romance subplot.He is a rich boy,brought up in the rich section of the district,so unlike Katniss or Gale  he  doesn't  have ability to hunt or kill.However, he  is good in handling the most powerful and dangerous weapon God made,the  tongue(words).

Effie Trinket-After watching the trailer,I thought Effie is the antagonist of the story .I was thinking she is almost like Dolores Umbridge  but when I start reading ,she is one of the character that makes me smile whenever she appears on the page.No one could hate Effie!

Rue-the black girl from District 11.One of the youngest tribute which reminds how cruel the Capitol can be ,making a twelve year girl against other elder tributes.Spoiler Alert-her death scene is heart breaking,cant wait to see it onscreen

P.S.I didn't add Haymitch as I only start to like him after Catching Fire and Mockingjay.

Like Stephen King said, The Hunger Games is definitely addictive. The plot of the novel never seem to lose its pace and the twists in the novel comes at a unexpected time.My first concern before reading the novel is  that it will be like the  novel where the girl couldn't chose between the wolf or the vampire but I was wrong. I can guarantee you  The Hunger Games is nothing like Twilight.It is absolutely different and it doesn't only appeals to girls only but boys too.The romance is just a subplot and is integrated well into the plot(a method for Peeta and Katniss to get sponsors as the star-crossed lovers with no happy ending).And when we get to the actual Hunger Games,the reader feels like one of the capitol audience watching the game.The novel also raises awareness among the young readers about politics that how  the government can misuse it power and its chain effect on the citizens.I love all the actions in the arena, the firewall and the mutts(mutated animals)
In conclusion, I would say read it before watching the movie which will be released on the 23/03/12 .The cast consisting Jennifer Lawrence ,Josh Hutcherson and Woody Harelson looks promising.Trust me it will be a great experience no matter what gender or age you're  in.I'm into fantasy genre and yet I enjoyed every bit of it.
And finally Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A-