[BOOK REVIEW] The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

“DUA PULUH EMPAT PESERTA HANYA SATU YANG SELAMAT”

The Hunger Games written by Suzanne Collins, is children book or you can say it’s a young adult book (buku untuk abegos labilos) which I’m not include in it. But I found Myself drowning ‘coz the story ‘til it can brought to my dream. First time I read the synopsis, I wasn't so sure, but after page by page I surprised by it, the story is not just a story it’s a reflection of the real world, about government who take control a whole country. It’s thrill me, shock me, touch me, and it’s completely stir my nerve and my emotion.

North America has been destroyed, it replaced by a new country called Panem, with government located in Capitol which surrounding by 12 district, actually there was a 13 district. Because of rebellion district 13 demolished by government. So to remember the rebellion, government create a game once a year called “The Hunger Games”, every district have to send a boy and a girl with age range between 12-18 which choose by lottery and gather in one place to kill or to be kill, and the last one stand is the winner. The winner can have a extravagant life after it, but the worst thing is it showed in television, make it as a bet and enjoyed by people from capitol.

Katniss Everdeen, a 16 years old girl live in district 12, the poorest district in Panem. She live with her mother and her sister. She always take care of them after he father pass away. She doesn't have a steady job, she hunt outside district that surrounded by thorn wire. But she has to do it, ‘coz it’s the only thing she mastered, she able to use archer and she could made a trap for hunted animals. That day is the day when the participants of The Hunger Games choose by lottery. Fortunately her name wasn't mentioned, but it can be worse, they mention her sister name, the one she love so much. She immediately offer herself to replace her sister. And the hunger Games this year will be an unforgettable match ever.

The Hunger Games is first book from a trilogy, so the ending of this book is not really an ending, it's a transition to the next book (Catching Fire). Okay, let’s talk about the book contain, the plot is incredibly amazing, it contain a lot of thing that match with real life now day, so this book also contain social critics but it doesn’t seems judging, how could someone enjoy their life in capitol when people in district struggle just to stay alive, how could someone enjoy such a game like that and make a bet on them, it reflectivity that people now day change to an apathies personality , never gave “sedekah” or “zakat mal”. Back to story, this book not only thrill me, shock me but also touch me, the book contain romance also but it’s not the one thing that touch me most, but the one thing that touch me most is when her friend Rue(friend who remind her about her sister) passed away, and how she take care Rue’s body, it almost make me cry, truly. And about the main character, Katniss Everdeen, she’s extraordinary girl, tough, smart, never depend on someone else, and I like her when she fake her romance to attract sponsor, fake but effective. Not only the main character, all the character is well written and very strong character. And how the game detail written about future and the match ‘till now it can thrill me.

Over all this book highly recommended, even you not a teenage anymore, it still can attract you.

8,5/10