The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins

There have been two literary bandwagons that I could have jumped on this year.  The most recent, from what I've heard, actually involves a lot of jumping on in the story.  But Lady Chatterley's Lover filled my quota for the year on that sort of book.  So I chose the bandwagon from earlier in the year and started reading a book by Suzanne Collins.

The Hunger Games probably needs little introduction.  It is set in an America of the future, where the landscape is carved into Districts and the Capitol rules all.  To remind the Districts of a failed rebellion years before, each area must send two teenagers to compete in the annual Hunger Games - a 'winner takes all' fight to the death.

The idea of the Hunger Games themselves seems scarily realistic to me.  Looking at the way that reality TV is heading it's not too hard a leap to think that if one society got a true grip over another then this sort of thing could happen.  As I say, scary.

But more interesting is the set up of the society itself.  A lot of the Districts don't get much mention, just those from which the main contenders appear.  The Districts that have the worst poverty seem to be those that contribute the most to society.  Again, the echoes seem scarily real and not too far fetched.  I was completely swept in by the world that was created.

It doesn't take a genius to notice that I read this pretty quickly.  Less than 24 hours from start to finish, and that time included sleep, work and eating.  One factor was definitely the world drawing me in, but that alone wouldn't be enough.  The book was written for teenagers, which I find gives the author more freedom to write about what they want rather than what they thing people want to read.

It also allows for a real display of emotions.  Strangely, given the situation and storyline, one of the main words I would use to describe Katniss is 'innocent'.  And the same goes to Peeta too, although perhaps less surprisingly in his case.  The fact that the characters are allowed to be innocent and just, well, human makes it far easier to be absorbed in their lives.

In case you hadn't worked it out by now, yes I would very much recommend that you read this book.  I am currently regretting only borrowing the first one from my sister, and wondering how quickly I can get my hands on the other two.  Note that I haven't seen the film and so can't compare it to that.  But it would have to be a pretty amazing film to come close to the feelings of being inside someone's head that first-person writing gives.  So give it a go, it's not like it will take long to read!