The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Title: The Hunger Games 
Author: Suzanne Collins 
Type: Audiobook 
Narrator: Carolyn McCormick 
Genre: Fantasy 
Series: Yes, Book 1 of the Trilogy 
Copyright: 2008 
Publisher: Scholastic Audio Books; Unabridged edition 
Rating: 4 out of 5


Summary: From GoodReads

Could you survive on your own, in the wild, with everyone 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.

If she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

Feelings:
I really enjoyed listening to this book. As it was in first person and that isn't my favorite I actually think listening to the book was better than reading it for me. The story was intriguing and engaging. I liked the political aspects of the book as well. While I'm not sure where the logic for the Hunger Games came from, lets stop rebellion by having 24 teenagers kill each other, I am willing to go with it because it fits with what Katniss thinks of Panem's Capital. I personally think the Hunger Games might actually be a reason to rebel against the Capital. But if you are really scared I guess you just might go with it thinking it won't be my kid so it is alright.

Katniss does a lot of growing in the book and it is interesting to see her change as the Hunger Games progress. In the arena she has to make hard decisions about trust and being alone or forming alliances and even though she knows the rules of the game she finds herself wanting to be with others rather than alone. Normally only knowing what Katniss knows would bother me and I would find the first person narrative to limiting for this kind of book. Strangely it works in this case and increases the tension and suspense of the book.

This book is more than just a book about survival it is also a book with a political warning. As we don't know how North America was destroyed and Panem create it is hard to say if there is anything more than just a warning about the way the Capital treats the people in the districts. I would recommend this audiobook to both the young adult audience and older audiences.