Marshmallow reviews The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Today Marshmallow reviews The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, first published in 2008. Sprinkles has watched the movie version and is chatting with Marshmallow about the book.

Sprinkles: So Marshmallow, let us start with a brief overview. Can you tell us a bit about the plot of Hunger Games?

Marshmallow: The book is set in a dystopian future, in North America. There are twelve districts and a Capitol city that make up a country named Panem. Katniss Everdeen is the main character. She lives in District 12 with her mother and younger sister Prim. All the districts are very poor, or maybe, I should say, everyone is very poor, except for the people of the Capitol. Every year, the Capitol hosts the Hunger Games, which are a big spectacle. Two children are selected from each district, a boy and a girl, ages 12 to 18. And they are brought to the Capitol and are to fight to the death in these Hunger Games.

S: That sounds pretty vicious. Children fighting to the death.

M: Yeah. It is really vicious. Also because it is kind of as a revenge of sorts. The twelve districts rebelled against the Capitol a while ago, and so they are paying tribute for their betrayal.

S: That sounds terrible actually.

M. Well, I did say it was dystopian.

S: You did.

M: Anyways, so Katniss ends up being the girl representing her district in that year’s Games. Along with a boy named Peeta. The book is about their trip to the Capitol and their time during the Games. The Games are rough, violent, and sadistic. They are almost like the gladiator games in the Roman Colosseum. The audience is watching and keeping track of who is surviving and the children playing the game are creating alliances and such. However, since there is only supposed to be one winner, everyone is actually working against everyone else, and they are all trying to kill each other.

S: So some of this reminds me of the Triwizard Tournament from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling.

M: Yes, but actually I think it is more similar to the Purging Trials in Powerless by Lauren Roberts. They are both more vicious and are made to honor horrific events. The Triwizard Tournament is not supposed to be lethal even though it ends up being that way in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

S: I know this book made a huge splash when it came out and it and its sequels were made into movies. I have not read the books yet, and only watched the first movie so far. But I think the plot and the setting of the book are quite fascinating. You watched the first movie with me. Can you tell me a bit about how the book compares with the movie?

M: I read the book before watching the movie. So I had a pretty good idea what the plot would be. But even then, the suspense built in the movie was very deep, and I really liked the way Katniss Everdeen’s world was portrayed on screen. I think the film was very well done. Maybe we can put a link to the trailer for the movie here.

S: Sure. Here it is:

M: Great, thanks!

S: So were there any significant differences between the book and the movie you noticed?

M: I did not notice really, but the book is written in present tense and in first person, so of course they could not really depict that style. However, I think they did a really good job creating the world Katniss is living in, and I would recommend the movie to bunnies who enjoy the book.

S: But they should read the book first?

M: Well, you did not. So maybe it does not matter too much.

S: Hmm, this is a book blog, remember?

M: Well, then maybe I should say read the book first. But the movie is pretty good too.

S: Okay, then, maybe this is a good time to wrap up this review. What would you rate the book?

M: I’d rate it 100%. It is really good. But it might be a bit too mature for some younger bunnies. It is about a very grim topic, a violent world and terrible tragedy.

S: I see. What would you say to our readers as we wrap things up?

M: Stay tuned for more amazing reviews from the book bunnies!