The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Or "This Book Gave Me Some Ideas About How We Should Structure Next Year's Fifty Books Club..."

Reading The Hunger Games, I was blissfully back to my ten-year-old self, my head under the covers, flashlight in hand, reading late into the night long after I was supposed to go to bed. It was engaging to the point of being addictive, and stirred up a genuine, passionate love of reading that I haven't felt in ages. My eyes couldn't read fast enough to satisfy my curiosity for what came next. You know that feeling? Being in third or fourth grade and being so engrossed in a story that you couldn't stop thinking about it, and couldn't wait until the next moment when you could grab hold of your book again? It happens so rarely to me these days. The Hunger Games was such a wonderful reminder.

The story takes place in Panem, a post-apocalyptic America, where our heroine sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen is left to fend for her family after her father is killed in a coal mining accident. This task is none to easy with the overwhelming restrictions the Capitol has put on District 12; even food is strictly regulated, and most of the residents are starving to death. We learn that, years ago, there was rebellion against the Capitol, in which the then-thirteen Districts fought back against their oppressive government. As you might have guessed, the Capitol won this rebellion, destroyed District 13 as a symbol of its power, and devised a horrible punishment to remind its subjects never to rebel again. Every year, two children from each district are chosen to compete in the Hunger Games, a televised Battle Royale in which the twenty four teens fight are forced to each other to the death. When Katniss's younger sister Prim is selected for the Games, Katniss volunteers to go in her place. And I'm going to leave it at that, because this book is genuinely such fun to read I would hate to spoil it.

Here's the thing. I didn't just love The Hunger Games. I also appreciated it. Collins does not shy away from the difficult subjects, even though this book is intended for younger readers. The language is sophisticated, the plot is emotionally challenging and thought-provoking, the characters are people you genuinely care about from start to finish. Collins examines the effects of war and violence on young people coming of age, our culture's sick obsession with watching others destroy themselves, the dangers of oppression - heavy themes handled with grace and a respect for the maturity and thoughtfulness of its young readers.

Oh, and it's really funny, too. I realize nothing about the plot or characters I've described seems like this would even remotely be the case, but it's true. It is full of warmth, tenderness and humor.

All I can say is THANK THE HEAVENS this is the first book in a trilogy, because I am certainly not ready to be done with the world of The Hunger Games.