The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Brief 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 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.

Positive Content:

Katniss is a protector of her family, taking care of her younger sister and even taking her sister’s spot in the deadly Hunger Games.  During the Games, instead of trying to find a powerful ally, she chooses to bond with a twelve-year-old girl who reminds her of her sister. She never hesitates to step in or stand up for someone.

Although the premise of the book is about teens killing each other, Katniss does not quickly join the killing spree.  During the battle, she focuses more on protecting herself than attacking others.  The time does come where she has to kill to survive – but it’s not something she does easily.  Later in the story, she kills an opponent out of pity before he dies a painful death.

Possible Objectionable Content:

The main storyline is about teens killing one another, which leads to lots of on-page violence.  Wounds are described, but not to a disgusting and gory extent.  Also, the violence is not seen as good – it mainly makes the readers pity the tributes and understand how evil the Capitol really is.

Overall, the book is fairly clean.

Conclusion:

The Hunger Games is an exciting, fast-paced book that has captivated millions of readers.  I picked the book up at the bookstore because of all the good things I'd heard, and devoured it in a day.  Katniss is truly a good role model for young girls compared to some of the others.  Sure, she isn't necessarily likeable at times...but inside, she's a good person.  She volunteers for the Games in order to save her sister's life, and would do anything to save the ones she loves.
However, it's not to be forgotten that the premise of this book is about teens killing other teens.  Even though it's not glorified, it's still an important plot line that cannot be overlooked. 

Rating: 9/10

Recommended age: 12+
Genre: Dystopian/Action
Part of a series?: The Hunger Games, book one