Suzanne Collins has crafted one of the most celebrated dystopian series with The Hunger Games. This iconic young adult trilogy follows the gripping story of Katniss Everdeen, a teenage heroine navigating a high-stakes world. Adding depth to the universe, a prequel set 64 years before the events of the original trilogy provides further insight into this captivating storyline.
The Hunger Games universe is a dystopia set in Panem, a North American country consisting of the wealthy Capitol and 13 districts in varying states of poverty. Every year, two children, one boy and one girl, from the first 12 districts are selected via lottery to participate in a compulsory televised subjugation, disguised as a battle royale death match called “The Hunger Games”, a spectacle of brutality and survival orchestrated by the powerful to maintain their grip on the weak.
I’m one of those readers who discovered the feature film adaptations before venturing into the novels. Diving into the book series was an experience I looked forward to, and I’m happy to say it exceeded my expectations. Now, with the release of Sunrise on the Reaping just around the corner in March 2025, my anticipation is higher than ever.
The Hunger Games
Suzanne Collins‘ The Hunger Games launches one of the most renowned dystopian series of all time. With a gripping plot and brilliantly developed characters, the novel captivated me from the very first page.
In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, “The Hunger Games,” a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed.
The Hunger Games delivers a gripping, well-constructed narrative filled with compelling yet flawed characters. It’s fascinating how Collins crafts a young adult story that has us rooting for a teenage girl as she navigates an arena where survival demands taking the lives of others. While not a particularly profound read, the novel achieves an ideal balance of pacing, action, and plot. It’s no surprise that The Hunger Games has risen to become one of the most iconic dystopian novels of all time.
The Hunger Games is available at bookstores everywhere from Scholastic Press. The audiobook, narrated by the fantastic Tatiana Maslany, is available at Libro.fm!
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins is a fantastic sequel in the dystopian series that takes the suspense and intensity to thrilling new heights. It skillfully expands the already unsettling storyline, pulling me in even deeper as a fan of The Hunger Games.
Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just earned for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules, and now there are rumors of rebellion in the districts. Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is a fantastic book with a continually amazing plot, vivid characters, and an immersive setting. While Katniss occasionally comes across as a bit clueless about the events unraveling around her, it hardly detracts from the overall story. Catching Fire doesn’t carry quite the same punch as the first novel, but the climactic finale makes the entire journey well worth it. The twist in this book is both anticipated and surprising—a testament to Collins’ storytelling ability and her talent for weaving us deeply into the story.
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is available at bookstores everywhere from Scholastic Press. The audiobook, narrated by the fantastic Tatiana Maslany, is available at Libro.fm!
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, the concluding installment of Suzanne Collins‘ epic trilogy, delivers a satisfying finale that encapsulates the heart of this dystopian series. Packed with gripping action and deeply layered characters, Collins’ conclusion leaves us with a sense of closure and satisfaction in the most climactic way.
“My name is Katniss Everdeen. Why am I not dead? I should be dead.”Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding.District 13 has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Capitol. Though she’s long been a part of the revolution, Katniss hasn’t known it. Now it seems that everyone has had a hand in the carefully laid plans but her.The success of the rebellion hinges on Katniss’s willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. She must become the rebels’ Mockingjay – no matter what the cost.
The final installment of The Hunger Games series delivers a satisfying conclusion, offering plenty of action and compelling, well-crafted characters. Katniss comes across as softer, more reflective, and more emotionally open compared to the previous two books, showcasing her growth and evolution. While Mockingjay provides an entertaining and action-packed end to the dystopian saga, it doesn’t quite reach the heights of the earlier novels. I enjoyed it overall, but the narrative can feel overly heavy, which dampened the experience for me at times.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay is available at bookstores everywhere from Scholastic Press. The audiobook, narrated by the fantastic Tatiana Maslany, is available at Libro.fm!
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
The first prequel to The Hunger Games series, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes–now we know will be followed by a second—takes us back long before Katniss Everdeen’s time. The story introduces us to an eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow as he prepares to mentor during the 10th Hunger Games.
It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the tenth annual Hunger Games. In the Capitol, eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow is preparing for his one shot at glory as a mentor in the Games. The once-mighty house of Snow has fallen on hard times, its fate hanging on the slender chance that Coriolanus will be able to outcharm, outwit, and outmaneuver his fellow students to mentor the winning tribute.
The odds are against him. He’s been given the humiliating assignment of mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low. Their fates are now completely intertwined — every choice Coriolanus makes could lead to favor or failure, triumph or ruin. Inside the arena, it will be a fight to the death. Outside the arena, Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute… and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive no matter what it takes.
Suzanne Collins provides a wonderful deep dive into Coriolanus Snow’s backstory in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, the antagonist we all love to hate from The Hunger Games trilogy. The story takes a deliberate and slower pace compared to the action-packed original series, which I found quite refreshing. The plot unfolds thoughtfully, with expertly crafted high-stakes moments. Collins fantastically writes from the perspective of a known villain, making readers empathize with Snow’s situation, even if they don’t necessarily like him.
The final chapters and the epilogue fell short for me. They felt rushed, and the climax lacked the impact I was hoping for, which left the ending feeling underwhelming. That said, the concluding moments didn’t detract significantly from the overall experience. The book remains a fascinating and worthwhile addition to The Hunger Games universe–I still found it better than Mockingjay. I am looking forward to Sunrise on the Reaping.
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is available at bookstores everywhere from Scholastic Press. The audiobook, narrated by Santino Fontana, is available at Libro.fm!
