Review: The Hunger Games Series

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Date Released: October 01, 2008
Published by: Scholastic
Pages:  Hardcover, 374 pages
Young Adult
Overall:

Could you survive on your own, in the wild, with every one out to make sure you don't live to see the morning?

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, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, 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 will weigh survival against humanity and life against love.
Synopsis via Goodreads

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Date Released: September 01, 2009
Published by: Scholastic
Pages:  Hardcover, 391 pages

Young Adult

Overall:

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. 
Synopsis via Goodreads

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Date Released: August 24, 2010
Published by: Scholastic
Pages:  Hardcover, 390 pages

Young Adult

Overall:

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.
Synopsis via Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Suzanne Collins brings us into a world many of us could never imagine or begin to relate to.  In this world humans are divided into districts with specialties that the government, Capitol, thrive off of along with the fear of those who live within.

A symbolic Mocking Jay is a recurring theme in this series but it's not until the third installment that the symbol really defines its meaning.

Strength.  Courage.  Selflessness. Those are a few themes you'll find recurring in this series all of which forced me to form bonds with the characters and feel their emotions.

I found the main character Kitniss at times very hard to relate to but something about her was so real it seemed near impossible to not understand her.  She was strong, courageous and, whether she'd admit to it or not, compassionate.

Each character in the story, whether primary, secondary, or third tier, had a definite personality or trait that didn't let them blend into the crowd.  Suzanne Collins didn't spare any detail when painting the characters one-by-one making it easy for me to see each character like they were standing in front of me whether defined by their personality or their appearance- or both.

Peeta and Gale, while complete opposites, shared traits that were both admirable and maddening.  Both with their own personal relationships with Katnis, their own obvious (to me) feelings for Katnis, and their need to protect Katnis added a great amount of anxiety to this trilogy as well as built an awesome base for a three book long love triangle.

The plot of the trilogy ran fluidly throughout the three books tying up all of the ends which were opened early on in the story.  I found the thoughts added depth to the plot making it thorough and as if I were there in the story having been a character who knew each person, their past and how their minds worked.

I felt a pang of unease given to me by the end of Mockingjay, the final installment, while most ends were tied up I can't help but wish more care would have been taken in tying up the loose ends of the deep and life altering relationships.  For the amount of love and loyalty that passed through some of these characters I felt slightly short changed especially where the love triangle of Katnis, Gale and Peeta were concerned.

Overall, I found this series esquisite and unique.  I have never read a world like this one and I am very glad that I did.

Cover: 
Characters: 
Plot: 
Overall: