A while back I said I would do a quick review on the Hunger Games Trilogy. For me – that means telling you what I liked about it, giving you maybe enough to go on to make a decision about reading them if you’re looking for an enjoyable fiction escape in the near future.
My friend Adam told me about them this summer. I downloaded the first free when Amazon put it up free for Kindle for a time. Then over the Christmas break I read it along with the other two in the trilogy.
I’ve described it as a cross between Survivor, Gladiator, and the old Schwarzenegger movie “The Running Man.” It’s a post apocalyptic scenario, but the central figure is a 16/17 year old girl who chooses to offer herself up for a yearly gladiatorial games in place of her sister who was chosen. The second and third books deal with the implications of the first book for their society as a whole – namely a revolution.
What I liked – it’s a good story first and foremost and keeps you engaged. There’s a lot of Roman allusions and references throughout, including the whole concept of the spectacle of a gladiatorial games to maintain control of society. As an ancient history major in college among other things, I enjoyed those connection points immensely.
There is some teen angst, but it’s that bad and it’s not the primary driving force of the narrative. There’s enough of the romance angle to add a good dimension to the story, but not enough to make you want to puke as in other popular young adult fiction series’ out there right now (read: Twilight).
But they are a great escape and are written in a way that I think appeal to men and women. Sometimes it’s just good to read fun books from time to time. Books like this help me from not taking myself too seriously all the time.
If you’re looking for a good and entertaining read, this probably won’t disappoint. The first one is definitely worth reading on it’s own even if you don’t want to commit to all 3 right away.
There – I continue to champion the young adult fiction genre as my escape from all the non-fiction and theology and leadership content I am always reading. Enjoy 
