The Hunger Games

In The Hunger Games author Suzanne Collins has created a fascinating dystopian world for her YA audience

Panem is an authoritarian society was the result of some unspecified horrible disaster during the Dark Days, resulting in the establishment of twelve districts under the rule of the government in the Capitol. Peacekeepers and a local government are instituted in each district, but the rulers in the Capitol have strict control over everything and everyone in each district.

Each district has its own specialty that benefits the Capitol, such as coal mining, agriculture, seafood, etc. Some districts provide the Capitol with energy or material goods and some provide the manpower to keep those in the Capitol in power. The people who live in the Capitol contribute little to their own sustenance and are concerned mainly with the latest fashions and amusements.

The Hunger Games are an annual tradition directed by the Capitol rulers, not only to amuse the citizens, but also to preserve control over the districts by demonstrating the Capitol's dominance. Each year, the twelve districts must send two representatives, a girl and a boy, to participate in the Hunger Games. The entire nation must watch as these 24 tributes battle each other to the death until only one is left as the victor.

Extra food and a few luxuries will be granted to the victor's district. The government has created the ultimate reality show, complete with technological challenges and constant monitoring of the movements of the participants. And each citizen is required to watch the Games until their conclusion, which may take hours or days,tillonly one survives cold hunger and vicious predators,the other young people.

The story is very well told,exciting and full of incident. Adults will notice the flatness of style, heavyhanded dotting of every ''i''. The first person narration can get a bit much,and it drags a little two thirds of the way through. But none of the target audience will notice.Its original setting (well,unless you are familiar with Battle Royale, roman games, or even the Running Man,echoes of all of them are here), thrills and spills, and the brave determined young heroine,surely being held up as a role model for young girls, will captivate and enthralled them. A fun YA read.