Fiction
Post-Apocalyptic (story takes place after the total destruction of North America as we know it)
Plot Summary
Book 1 in a series of three left me wishing the second book was already in paperback! Reminiscent of John Wyndham's The Chrysalids (English 10), it follows a young protagonist as she navigates her way in a North America that has been devastated to the point that attaining food and shelter are the primary concerns of most of its inhabitants except for a select few who have modern amenities far beyond what we experience here in 2010.
While adjusting to understanding the new configuration of North America may be challenging to some Communications 11 readers, once you have that figured out, the vocabulary and sentence structure is totally accessible and the suspenseful plot that explores human nature and relationships will make it hard for you to put it down at the end of silent reading!
The Hunger Games are an interesting futuristic mix of the historical Roman Coliseum and a modern day reality TV show.
What would you do to survive if the world as you know it no longer existed? What lengths would you go to? Anything? Even murder? Would you betray the ones you care about? I think about news clips of people looting stores and homes after devastating natural disasters. I understand looking for food or clothing, but flat screen tvs????? Really???
The idea of the powerful using violence and fear to keep the masses in line is not new, but it is still thought-provoking. The idea that some have a lot while others have nothing is also not new, but it is interesting to examine. Will humans always strive to have everything at the expense of others - even if it takes violence and torture to get there? Is it a survival instinct that we can't fight to hoard every resource we can get our hands on? Can we learn to be happy with enough to keep us warm, sheltered, fed? Why do we have such a hard time sharing with others? Is it important to share? I'm sad to say that I find myself always wanting more...a bigger house, a nicer car, more shoes. Why is that? I have a house and food and more nice shoes than I have time to wear...hmmm. Media? Advertising? Sometimes I even feel grumpy when I'm asked yet again to help out with a fundraiser in the school. In the end, I think I feel better trying to remind myself that sometimes bad things happen that are beyond our control that put us in a place where we may need help from others. It could happen to me.
Of course the other piece of this story that I found interesting was the comment being made on reality t.v.. Why is it so popular? How real is it? Why do we like to watch other people suffer? Are we just sick and twisted? I'm not sure...
8/10
Breath-taking, tantalizing, cliff-hanging
ReplyDeleteNon-fictional
This book is definitely by far the best book I've ever read. The way it it written and the whole story just makes it so hard to put it down. Every chapter just ends in a way that you will not want to put the book down, I just needed to know what happened next. The protagonist of this book, Katniss, has got to be one of the bravest characters I have ever encountered in a book. She was willing to risk her own life, and go up against 23 other people from ages 12-18, in order to keep her younger sister from having to. She is inspirational. This book is amazing, the only bad thing I can say about it is that the ending leaves you hanging. But, there's a second and a third book, therefore it's not so bad. I cannot wait to finish the second book!
5/5
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ReplyDeleteRiveting, Symbolic, Thrilling
ReplyDeleteFiction
I was very captivated by the gripping concepts in The Hunger Games: it is riveting, symbolic and thrilling. Throughout the book I felt a deep connection to the characters. In this book symbolism is very evident. There are four main themes discussed in the Hunger Games. These themes are hope, strength, trust and freedom.
One of the reoccurring themes throughout this book is hope. Hope is portrayed through fire and the silver parachutes. The protagonist “Katniss, the girl who was on fire", is a main symbol of hope. As her fire burns steadily throughout the book, hope remains. The silver parachutes are also a symbol of hope, as the tributes could not survive without them; hope is given to them through the parachutes.
Another theme within this novel is strength. Strength is portrayed through Katniss’ bow and arrow. Katniss grows up hunting, so with her bow and arrow in hand, her strength and confidence shines through. The bow and arrow is the main utility used for her survival, therefore acting as a symbol of strength for her and her allies.
One more important theme in this novel is trust and freedom. This is portrayed through the mockingjay bird. The familiarity of the mockingjay pin is recognized by the characters creating trustworthy and founding relationships. Birds are a common symbol of freedom signifying that they are not trapped and will be free which is ironic, as Katniss and the other tributes are being controlled.
Agreeing with all of the previous posts, this book is definitely captivating and for sure a page-turner. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Catching Fire!
My rating: 5/5
DeleteCaptivating, Intoxicating, Enticing.
ReplyDeleteNon-fictional
I must agree with the previous posts; I found it extremely difficult to put the book down. I felt like I was a part of it. I loved everything about it: the romance, the thrill, the anticipation, the list could go on. It had me turning page after page to find out what happened next.
I thought that everything was portrayed perfectly. I could picture in my head what the characters were wearing, eating, seeing, hearing, etc. I felt like I was standing right beside Katniss (the protagonist) throughout the entire book. I admire how Katniss sacrificed herself in behalf of her sister's safety. I thought that that was a very admirable thing for her to do. I find that this book is perfect for any young person to read, whether 14 or 24, it captures your attention from the minute you start reading.
I look forward to finishing the series. My felicitations to the author for creating such a realistic world. I thoroughly look forward to finishing the next two books in the series.
5/5
Shocking, Alluring, Enthralling.
ReplyDeleteFiction
Plot Summary
The Hunger Games is the first book of a trilogy written by Suzanne Collins. It is a captivating story in which a teenage girl, withheld from simple rights, such as having food and water, is thrown into a world of starvation, betrayal and cold-blooded murder. As she enters this new place, it becomes apparent that finding food is the least of her worries.
I spent countless hours at a time reading this book. It has a peculiar writing style to get used to, however, you can see how this certain style suits the book as the plot unfolds. As a reader you can't help but make many connections with the protagonist and her accomplices throughout the entire book.
The power portrayed by the Capitol is immense. They show each of the districts that they can destroy them with the press of a button or a flick of their finger. The population is helpless, as rebellion is strongly supervised and prohibited. Katniss, the protagonist, shows throught the book that she is determined not to let the Capitol use her as a puppet and without even meaning to, creates strong bonds that threaten the very structure of the Capitol.
I can't wait to read the rest of the trilogy! Suzanne Collins is a genuinely genuis author with original ideas that shock you to the bone. I sincerely hope these themes reoccur is the next books. I can truthfully say this was the best book I have ever read.
10/10
Provocative, Thrilling. Suspenseful
ReplyDeleteThroughout this book I was amazed by the amount of suspense and the amount of perplexity in this novel.The many twists and turns of this novel kept me on the edge of my seat. Suzanne Collins knows how to captivate an audience of all ages, thus making it a joy to read for everyone. This book shows how harsh the world can be and how strong we have to be to survive.
From the moment I picked up the book to the time I put it down I felt I was in the book. This novel made my heart miss a beat at some moments and other times pure elation. You can't help but cheer for Katniss(protagonist) as she overcomes the many obstacles to reach the honor of winning the Games.
The author does a dazzling job at portraying how life can be in some third-world countries. The Capitol controls the districts and in doing so, makes life miserable on the citizens of the districts. I can't wait to read the next book and hope it keeps the same theme. This book was a joy to read and hope you all feel the same way I did. Happy reading.
10/10
Thrilling, Suspenseful, and Captivating.
ReplyDeleteI starting reading and couldn't put the book down! I'm already on the third book in the trilogy and it gets even better! I strongly recommend this book for people who enjoy fiction.
The Hunger Games starts off with a tragic event of Katniss Everdeen, the protagonist, going to compete in the games. She becomes the girl on fire which in the beginning is a good thing but later on she becomes more than a tribute, she becomes a symbol. As she competes in the arena against twenty three other people, one being from her district. She shows bravery, compassion, and loyalty. But her bravery eventually gets her into trouble with the Capitol. Overal
it was one of the best books I ever read. I loved how to author captures the reader in the realistic world, the book is so descriptive and captivating for any age group.
Overall The Hunger Games was an amazing read, my only problem was that the ending was a cliffhanger but if you have the second book, Catching Fire, you can pick up from right where you left off.
5/5
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ReplyDeleteExhilarating,Gripping,Fast-paced
ReplyDeleteFiction
When I first got my hands on the first book of a series; The Hunger Games; I couldn’t put it done because it was so thrilling, brilliant and suspenseful. Everything about this book was so well down. Suzanne Collins is probably one of if not my favorite authors now. When I finished this book I wanted to continue reading the other books of the series and I want to see what she has in store for me and many others. I can’t wait to be dazzled by them.
This book has a lot of deep and through-provoking stuff in it. It kept me reading it. The Hunger Games was very flowing with information and kept you on track for the whole book. Every loose end was tied up somewhere in the book. Katniss, the protagonist of the book, had to have a lot of hope and courage because she encountered a lot of things in the book and nearly lost her life in a lot of these events. My overall thought of this book was that it was really interesting and thought-provoking, it always kept me on track and wanting to read more. I recommend for everyone to read this. It is one of my favorite novels of all-time.
5/5