The Hunger Games
by Suzanne Collins
Reader: Rachael Younkers
Rating: 10/10
Recommended for: Young Adults and Adults (ages 12 and up)
Recommended for: Young Adults and Adults (ages 12 and up)
Summary:
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 is forced to represent her district in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead 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. (From the Publisher)
The Hunger Games Official Book Trailer
Review:
In this riveting dystopia story of a fascist United States, rebellious districts are punished by the government with the annual Reaping. Each district provides a child at the Reaping to fight to the death against the other districts' children in the Hunger Games, based on the Greek myth of Theseus. The story's heroine, Catniss, already hardened by a lifetime of poaching to feed her family's gulag existence, bravely fights to survive the televised, violent, and sickly voyeuristic games. Carolyn McCormick gives a detailed and attentive narration. However, she may rely too much on the strength of the prose without providing the drama young adult listeners often enjoy. That said, the production is a compelling choice for teen and fantasy listeners. K.C. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine