I have always been scared to read the Hunger Games. Let me explain.
I watched the Hunger Games movies when I was 12, and being way too young and sensitive for that amount of violence and suspense, I was plagued with nightmares and a paranoia that followed me everywhere for months. I couldn’t go into our unfinished basement without feeling like a mutt was going to jump out and get me, and don’t even get me started on closing my eyes in the shower.
So I made a vow. I would NEVER watch the shows again, and swore off the books while I was at it.
I am now much older. And much braver. So I sat myself down in our unfinished, slightly creepy basement (where, unfortunately, our TV is located) and rewatched all the films. Four days later, I’ve had no nightmares, no paranoia, and I’ve even closed my eyes in the shower just to prove I could.
So, with my vow officially broken and my love for these films fully restored, I decided to read the books. And OMGosh, I LOVED them so, so, so much!!! I read the whole series in three days and had the biggest smile on my face the whole time.
So keep reading to get a short review for each of the three books in the Hunger Games series!
The Hunger Games
“Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favour.”
– Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games
Title: The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Length: 384 pages
Genres: Dystopian, YA, Fiction, Science fiction, Adventure/Thriller, Romance
My Rating: 4.5/5
My Age Rating: 13+
Content Notes: Graphic violence and gore, emotional themes, suspense/fear, alcoholism, abuse, PTSD, mild language
Synopsis:
Winning means fame and fortune. Losing means certain death. The Hunger Games have begun. . . .
In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.
Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister’s place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before – and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.
My Review:
Okay, let’s get started. This is the first book in my series, and I feel like the most iconic one as well.
This book introduces this world so well. The characters, the setting, and the challenges of this new story are written so beautifully that you easily catch on and never feel lost.
The writing style in this book is fantastic. It’s so easy to read, I absolutely blew through it. This book has a single POV, and the voice of the main character, Katniss, is one of my favourite POVs so far. She is spunky and strong willed. She isn’t perfect, in fact she is far from it, and she is constantly dealing with the act of doing the right thing even if it doesn’t benefit her.
This book deals with a lot of themes and life lessons. The moral dilemma of right and wrong is always at the center of it all, and it revolves around a world with extreme government corruption. I mean the point of the book is that she has been picked to go into a fight to the death that involves 12 children as punishment for past sins. So of course, this book is definitely one of the heavier books that I’ve read. It is full of graphic violence and gore and scenes that are full of suspense and fear. There are emotional themes like grief, abuse and PTSD. As well as a character who is an alcoholic and is drunk for most of the book. One thing I did really like about this book is how there is only kissing, nothing more, and only a small amount of mild language. Taking all of this into account I would suggest this book for 13 to 14+, it fully depends on how sensitive you are to the violence and unjust themes featured in this book.
Overall this book is an AMAZING start to this series. It introduces this amazing, complex, dystopian world that is full of characters you can’t help but fall in love with, heartbreaking and heartwarming scenes and a romance subplot that will get you squealing.
Catching Fire:
“You could live a hundred lifetimes and not deserve him, you know,” Haymitch says.”
– Suzanne Collins, Catching Fire
Title: Catching Fire
Author: Suzanne Collins
Length: 400 pages
Genres: Dystopian, YA, Fiction, Science fiction, Adventure/Thriller, Romance
My Rating: 4.5/5
My Age Rating: 13+
Content Notes: Graphic violence and gore, emotional themes, suspense/fear, alcoholism, abuse, PTSD, mild language, crude jokes
Synopsis:
Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.
My Review:
Time for the next book in the series.
I really loved this book. It was such an amazing second book in the series, and added so much more to the world and story.
The writing style in this book is very similar to the rest, it’s easy to read and has a single POV. I really like series because you can watch the main characters grow, and I really love how clearly this series showcases this. Not to mention how amazing the author writes this in this book. I feel like this book especially is the start of her character transformation. It is one of my favourite things as a reader to see things that the main character can’t, and this book especially has that.
One of my favorite characters in this series is Peeta. I love him so much in the first book but in this book he really transforms and you can see how much he wants to protect her and how much he loves her, even though she doesn’t show it back. His character is so amazing, he is sweet and cares so deeply. He loves with all his heart, which could be a flaw, but he makes it the best thing about him. I honestly think if every man was more like Peeta, lots of problems would be solved.
He is the latest addition to my long list of book boyfriends.
These books aren’t technically romance books, but the romance subplot is AMAZING!!! I was squealing and kicking my feet when these amazing lines came out of nowhere and just made me so happy. It is such an amazing addition to these books, the fact that weaved into the intense plot there is a sweet romance blossoming!
As for content, this book is pretty similar to the last. There is only kissing, along with a few crude jokes when it comes to romance, and no strong language.
There is lots of graphic violence and gore, along with emotional themes like the rest of the series. Along with the continuing themes of grief, PTSD, and substance abuse.
So once again, I would say this book is perfect for 13 to 14+.
As far as second books go, this was an amazing one. I never lost interest and I blew through it in a day. It was the perfect story to expand the universe of the hunger games and get you that much closer to the characters.
Mockingjay:
“Well, don’t expect us to be too impressed. We just saw Finnick Odair in his underwear.”
― Suzanne Collins, Mockingjay
Title: Mockingjay
Author: Suzanne Collins
Length: 400 pages
Genres: Dystopian, YA, Fiction, Science fiction, Adventure/Thriller, Romance
My Rating: 4.5/5
My Age Rating: 13+
Content Notes: Graphic violence and gore, emotional themes, suspense/fear, alcoholism and drug addiction, abuse and torture, PTSD, mild language, crude jokes, talk of sexual exploration and prostitution
Synopsis:
Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. Gale has escaped. Katniss’s family is safe. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol. District 13 really does exist. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding.
It is by design that Katniss was rescued from the arena in the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell, and it is by design that she has long been part of the revolution without knowing it. District 13 has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Capitol. Everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plans—except Katniss.
The success of the rebellion hinges on Katniss’s willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. She must become the rebels’ Mockingjay—no matter what the personal cost.
My Review:
This is the last book in the main series, and if I had to choose I would say that this book is my favorite.
The writing style like the others is easy to read and even though this book is definitely the most intense it never dragged on.
One of the reasons I liked this book the best is because of the romance factor. It is probably the most romantic book of the three. Not to mention that even though there is a love triangle thing going on in each of the three books, this one definitely takes it to another level.
But, the real reason, the biggest reason, why this is my favorite book in the series, is because of the ending!!! I swear, this is one of the best book endings I have ever read, it is so sweet and wraps everything up so perfectly. I’m smiling uncontrollably just thinking of it. I honestly would read this series again and again just to read the ending!
I have to say that this book is the most mature of the bunch. Each book has heavy themes but it’s amped up a bit in this one. Like the others, this book is relatively clean, with no strong language and only kissing. The only thing is there is a long conversation about how a character is sexually exploited and while it doesn’t go into great detail about anything, it is still there and it was a bit uncomfortable to read. A lot of the story also revolves around themes of torture and violence. Like the other books this book has a lot of graphic violence and gore and there were definitely parts of this book that had me shivering. And of course this book has lots of emotional themes, such as grief, substance abuse, and emotional trauma. Overall I would say that this book would be better suited for 14 year olds, but I know many 13 year olds who have read this book as well, so as long as you are okay with the violence level and intense themes it should be okay.
This book was an amazing end to the series, and it wrapped up the story in such an amazing way. It was my favourite book of the series and even though it was full of heartbreaking moments, it still had the perfect amount of humour, life lessons and sweet romance that leaves you warm and bubbly long after the last page.
Happy Reading,
Ava
Click this Link if you want this high stake, dystopian series
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