Welcome to the first post of my fall ’22 book passion blog! I read a book forever ago whose main character would read the first line of the first page, and last line of the last page of a book before she decided to read it, so i’m doing the same for you guys! The first line of books almost always grab attention , and the last usually leave you speechless, so by including these in my posts, i’ll hopefully leave you wanting to read the book, looking forward to find out what happens between the two scenes.

With that said, I present my first official review, on none other than the classic of all classics (in my humble opinion), “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins. (fun fact, I had a brain fart during my AP Lit exam and couldn’t think of a single book to write about other than this one, so I feel it’s only fitting it starts us off)

Synopsis– Set in the future post-apocalyptic dystopian nation of Panem, ‘The Hunger Games’ opens with the narration of 16 year old Katniss Everdeen, living in one of the 12 “districts”, all  kept desperately poor in order for The Capital, home to wealthy citizens and the president, to maintain control.

Part of this control comes in the form of The Capitol’s production of a yearly “Hunger Games”, a lottery that chooses one male and one female ages 12-18 from each of the 12 districts to compete to the death as a form of entertainment, with the winner earning a lifetime of fame and riches.

When her 12 year old sister Prim gets chosen for the Hunger Games on reaping day, Katniss volunteers to go in her place, and thus ends up competing to the death with fellow district 12 resident Peeta. Unaware of it at the start, he ends up transforming into one of the best assets she could have asked for in the arena, and ultimately becomes the person who saves her in more ways than one.

We follow the growth of Katniss as she navigates the games as an underdog, who has not adopted the ruthless nature like many other tributes, but instead kills regretfully in order to survive.

This story displays the way violence destroys, and how Katniss’ humanity gets put to the test, and in the end, she does so much more than simply survive.

First Line– “When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold.”

Last Line–  “I take his hand, holding on tightly, preparing for the cameras, and dreading the moment when I will finally have to let go.”

My Favorite Quote- “You don’t forget the face of the person who was your last hope.”

Rating– 10/10 This book touches on so much more than just one genre. It has a depth that i’m not quite sure I appreciated at first, written in such a way that grabs onto both the younger readers that maybe don’t quite understand the layers to it but can appreciate the story, and more experienced readers that can analyze it on a deeper level. Suzanne Collins creates a narration that transports readers to Panem, and leaves us wondering how far off this society she has created truly differs from America’s future.