'The Hunger Games' by Suzanne Collins

"May the odds be ever in your favour!" These are words of Effie Trinket, a member of the Capitol whose job it is to draw the names of one boy and one girl from every of the 12 districts of Panem to fight to the death in the Hunger Games. This book is going to be one that defines a generation. The first novel, that has just been adapted into a film that earned 214.25 million dollars in it's opening weekend alone, is the inception of a franchise that will earn millions to due to it's appeal to young adults. It's message and storyline is one that contains a fantastic message and encourages the youth of our society to think.

The Hunger Games is an annual event in Panem. It is punishment for the 13 districts for rebelling against the Capitol. In the process District 13 was destroyed. As a result, a tribute ages twelve to eighteen is chosen from each district, a boy and a girl. Katniss volunteers when her younger sister, Prim is reaped, and the fangirl favourite, Peeta, is reaped as the male tribute.

The Hunger Games is brutal. Not witholding the violence, Collins creates a gory world, only adding verisimilitude to the world. The lead protagonist, Katniss, is perhaps one of the strongest female characters I have come across in literature. She is brave and can fight for herself. In contrast, we have Peeta who can... well... bake and paint himself. In teen novels such as Twilight where we have females like Bella moping around, Katniss is reassuring to me as she doesn't rely on men and is fiercely loyal to her family.

The most resonating concept in the book is the message on government control. I almost used this book as a related text to 1984! It condemns governments which oppress the people of a nation in any way. The length they are going to to suppress the people of the districts in the books is demonstrated through the Games but also through the slum like conditions of district 12. The book is intellectually stimulating, allowing our youth to question the nature of totalitarian regimes.

This book is amazing. I finished the series in five days. It's messages on totalitarian governments and questioning authority through rebellion in the appeal of the series and at the end of the day it allows us to gain a deeper knowledge through the violent state of the Games.

- Cassie

Read this if you enjoyed: 1984 (Orwelle), Tomorrow, When the War Began (Marsden), Divergent (Roth)