Once in a while there is a story published that is so well written and meaningful that it takes the world by storm. One that even those people who dislike reading need to read it. A story that if not read would leave you missing out on a wonderful experience about humanity. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is one of those books.

The Hunger Games is the first in a trilogy of young adult novels set in a dystopian America. There are 12 districts and a capital. The capital has total control over the districts, and keeps them divided. Each year, two children from every district are chosen to fight to the death in the Hunger Games. The story follows Katniss Everdeen, a 16 year old girl who volunteered to fight to save her sister.

“Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor.”

One of the problems plaguing the young adult genre is poor or dull writing. However, the Hunger Games does not fall under this problem, in fact the writing in this story is quite engaging. Once you pick up this book, you will be hard pressed to put it down. Collins creates a sense of intrigue in her writing, starting on the first page of the book. She keeps the audience wanting to learn more about this world and the characters in it. Collins also designs the last sentence of each chapter to keep the reader interested and coming back for more. 

In addition to engaging writing, the characters in this book are also well written. The characters are 3 dimensional and experience change throughout the course of the book. Katniss has multiple parts to her personality, some good and some bad. At first, she really only cares about herself and her family. They come first, and she does not want to increase the circle of people she cares about. She would rather work alone during the games than work with the other boy chosen from her district, Peeta Melark. But throughout the book, she learns not only to work with Peeta, she learns that unifying is what brings people power.

Lastly, but certainly not least, the themes of the book are relevant to today. The book talks about entertainment, poverty, unity, oppression, and survival. Entertainment is sometimes taken too far because of people who are willing to cause harm to others for some views. Poverty is still a problem even in America, and affects so many people. Oppression is a constant fight, with those in power constantly wanting to take more. But, perhaps the most hopeful message of this book is that unity can bring major change. That standing united, anyone can change the course of history. The stark contrast between the hopeless environment and how unity gave the characters power leaves quite the impression on readers.

The Hunger Games did not get as popular as it did for no reason. It is a good book that has become a staple of modern pop culture, and is definitely worth reading