Who's Hungry?

The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins, is a dystopian novel set in the future. In the frightening world, participants are selected to compete in the Hunger Games in which tributes but fight each other to the death until only one remains. Katniss Everdeen (girl) and Peeta Mellark (boy) are both selected to compete and Peeta reveals his unrequited love for Katniss. Since the Hunger Games are televised (an extremely interesting facet of the novel and its implications), this announcement stirs an emotional reaction from the audience as Katniss and Peeta progress into the games while others die off. Suddenly a rule change is made in which there can be two winners of the competition. The story progresses due to this pivotal rule change but to reveal anymore would be doing any new readers a disservice. 

There are, in my mind, two very interesting points of the novel which I believe will both interest male and female readers as well as encourage parents to either give the novel to their children or read it for themselves. First, the issue of gender is very interestingly portrayed and it appeals to both sexes of potential readers. Katniss is a female protagonist which attracts female readers. It is very rare for popular novels to have such strong feminine characters which readers can connect with. However, there is an interestingly twist to this femininity. Katniss is a strong, almost patriarchal, character who hunts with a fierce personality (typically seen as male characteristics). Not to mention that the competitive hunt-or-be-hunted part of the novel will surely attract the adventurous young male reader. In this way I believe that the novel has universal appeal. 

Second, the majority of dystopian literature takes place in a different time than the present but almost always refers itself back as a caveat for the present day. In this novel, the themes of extreme voyeurism, reality television exploitation and strong-armed governmental control are all present. While none of these are extreme in our present society, there are certainly hints today which the novel extrapolates into a awful future. This sort of warning, when presented to an audience, will cause discussion and reflection on the current state of affairs.

If there is one reason to read the novel, it is to open a dialogue of the sort of things which are explored. Thus, young adults (the future adults running America) can be conscious of these facts and possibly heed the warning which the novel presents.

Recommendation: This novel is an excellent read for both young adults and their parents to read together so that a healthy conversation which spans age limits can be encouraged. Pick up two copies for yourself and a young adult you have in mind.