# 22 The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games

Suzanne Collins

the Hunger Games is set in a dystopian future North America, a nation called Panem, which is comprised of The Capitol and 12 subordinate districts who flought a bloody war of independence against The Capitol and who have been under the tight, cruel control of The Capitol ever since.

One way that The Capitol reminds the district of its control over the districts is by The Hunger Games, which take place annually.

The district residents aged 12 - 18 must all put their names into a drawing. Two names from each district are chosen - a boy and a girl. Those chosen are called tributes. All 24 tributes will fight each other to death, until only one tribute, the winner, is living. This is The Hunger Games, and every moment is televised live across Panem.

This year Katniss Everdeen is District 12's female tribute, after she volutneers to take the place of her younger sisterm whose name was drawn.

The course of the games is naturally intense and fast-paced. I won't say more about the actual games for fear of spoilers.

This book was the most gripping I've read in a long while. It was hard to put down.


Collins did an outstanding job of making the reader care for the characters, and of making such a story believable.

This is defintely the best YA novel I've read in a few years!