The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

*****

 

"The Hunger Games" caught my attention from the very first page. It was fast moving and definitely kept my attention from beginning to end.

It is a very large exaggeration of our world in the future. The sad part of that is, much of what is in this book we already see in moderation all around us. - The styles, the attitudes, our lust for entertainment that keeps pushing the envelope. It's a world without a faith in God - and you can see that the faith in anyone or anything has been drained from the people by those in control. A controlled society with no morals and too many laws, - it gives a whole new idea of life under  "Big Brother."

When I first heard of the books, "The Hunger Games" being the first of a trilogy, I wasn't sure I would read them. They sounded like science fiction and I am NOT a science fiction fan. But after having them suggested to me by so many people I got a "sample" on my kindle - then immediately bought the first book to read. As I said - it hooked me from the beginning.

This book tells the story of the people of the nation of Panem (a post-apocalyptic North America)  - one of 12 districts under the rule of the wealthy Capital

As punishment for the districts' uprising attempt years earlier, the Capitol holds an annual televised event called The Hunger Games. - The games were created for entertainment - but also to remind everyone who is in control. Each district must draw the names of a boy and girl between the ages of 12 and 18. These 24 youths become contestants (called "tributes"), who must fight to the death in a vast arena created by the Capitol Gamemakers. The lone survivor returns home to wealth and fame. We follow District 12's tributes through the games. - These "games" reminded me of the stories I've read of deaths of early Christians in the Roman Colosseums.  Those were for entertainment and control also.

Remember "1984" by George Orwell?  "The Hunger Games" are the YA books equivalent.

This book was written for ages 13 and up. - That's readability age and not appropriateness. I know some 13 year olds that this would be an okay read, I know many more where it just wouldn't be appropriate. 

I read the book experiencing the horrid position these young people were put in. But I also read the book with a mother's eyes and again, I wonder - how does a society get so far away from what God intended. 

 "Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely."

Historian Lord Acton (1834-1902)