Blythe's Book 34: The Hunger Games

I wanted to post this last night, as a celebration of the third and final book in the series being released, but was just too lazy to write about it. And besides, I'd alread rushed out to get the third book, so I was busy reading it. In case you can't tell, I LOVE this series. If you haven't heard of it, that's probably because Suzanne Collins is an author of young adult fiction-- and, by the way, if you aren't reading any YA fiction, you're missing out on some of the best books on the market. The Hunger Games is about a young woman who lives in a kind of post-apocalyptic America called Panem. Panem is comprised of twelve impoverished districts and The Capitol-- a place of decadence and frivolity. At one point, the twelve districts rose against the Capitol, only to be beaten soundly. Ever since, the rulers of the Capitol have laid down the law so to speak... and as a reminder of who has the power, they devise a gladiator-like game that is held each year: The Hunger Game. Each district must send two tributes, one male and one female, who are between the ages (I think?) of 8 and 16. These tributes are then put into a high-tech arena where they must fight for their lives against man-made disasters, mutant animals, and one another. The last tribute standing wins. And the whole thing is televised, interviews are given beforehand, parades are held, etc. It's quite fun for the residents of the Capitol, and absolutely terrifying for the residents of the districts, who never know who will be chosen next. Wow. Way too much backstory, but it was necessary. Sorry. Anyway, this novel tells the story of Katniss, a young woman who is chosen as Distirct 12's tribute and who turns the Hunger Games on their head. Katniss is this great combination of gutsy, practical, and emotionally clueless. Katniss has been hunting and gathering to support her family since she was a child, and has more street sense than any other female heroine I know of. She's balanced out by her fellow tribute, Peeta who is caring and brave, but not nearly as equipped for survival. This series is immensely popular with teenagers, and at first I was surprised how many teenage boys are into it; typically they don't read novels where the main character is a [shudder] girl. However, Holly pointed out to me that Katniss' gender really isn't even obvious until well into the book (unless you read the jacket cover), and I think that may have a lot to do with its popularity with males. Now on to book 2...