The Hunger Games…feeding its readers a steady diet of violence, romance, and hardships.

                The namesake of The Hunger Games comes from an annual tradition, brought about by the government of Panem after they brutally put down a revolt by the citizens in its outlying districts 74 years ago.  The Hunger Games pits one male and one female teenager from each district, 24 in total, against each other in a battle of survival.  This, to show those districts that "The Capitol" is in charge.  The Capitol gets the best while the other districts get the rest.

                Why is this book so popular? Well, there are many relatable elements.  This is a Dystopian coming of age novel, where a 16 year old teenage girl faces a series of trials and tribulations and survives but sees others she cares about get injured and die, sometimes grotesquely.  A Dystopian novel which takes place in what's an alternate reality of America, where a small overprivileged majority rule over an underprivileged minority that is trampled underfoot.  Doesn't that sound like today's society?  Our lady protagonist is named Katniss Everdeen, the daughter of a late coal miner.  Our male protagonist is Peeta Mellark, the well-built young son of a baker.  Girls will swoon over the star-crossed teenage lovers and the strapping young lads.  Boys will swoon over that adventurous girl Katniss that's into guy things.   Be careful though, or she'll shoot you in the eye with her silver bow.   Yes, they'll also be into the weapons and violence.  Lastly, this includes a classic socioeconomic good versus evil struggle.  In other words, something for everyone. 

                As for my personal thoughts on this book, let's get down to it.  Before I read this book, I instinctively thought of this series as a reboot of Twilight, only without a pregnant vampire and werewolves.  But it's not.  When I read The Hunger Games, I'm not infuriated by thoughts of Rob Pattinson, a modern-day Casper the Ghost with fangs and an emo attitude.  I'm intrigued by a female protagonist who uses a combination of ingenuity, dexterity, and wit to outsmart her foes, which includes The Capitol; she's MacGyver with a braid.  I'm intrigued by the violence of the games, which relies on sheer brutality as much as it relies on the survival skills of the "Tributes".  Lastly, I'm intrigued by the technology at the disposal of The Capitol, controlling the climate controlled Hunger Games arena which is replete with weather controls, fireballs, and mutated wasps and dogs, just to name a few things.  Oh, and hoverplanes to pick up the dead tributes.  Nice touch. 

                I will say that I willingly read this book AND watched the movie, without a girlfriend forcing me to, either.   This book resonates in so many sectors of society that you can't help but pick it up and read… 

~Jason A. Wright~