In a nutshell, the book takes place in the future where North America has been decimated by something (the book alludes to a combination of war and natural disaster, but doesn't get to specific.) Out of this, a new country, Panem is formed. Panem consists of the Capital and 13 districts. A rebellion against the Capital breaks out, District 13 is destroyed and the Capital becomes your typical highly oppressive ruling city that bestows little or no freedom on its people. And then, just to be dicks, they like to remind the 12 districts of whose in charge by each year selecting two children to come to the Capital and compete in the Hunger Games, in which the 24 children compete to the death in a televised event.
This is, to me, beyond fucked up, which is one of the reasons why I enjoyed reading it so much. I kept wondering how we got to this point as a society. Yes, its fiction, but I still want to know why it happened!
Possibly to keep the reader guessing about some of the grander aspects of this society, the book is told from the first person perspective of Katniss Everdeen, a 16-year-old girl who volunteers to go to the Hunger Games so her sister, who was selected, does not have to. I'm guessing whatever Katniss knows about the history of Panem and North America she knows from school, and given that this is an especially cruel dystopian society, that information is probably skewed majorly. So, even if she said "this is what happened" (she does not) one would have to take it with a grain of salt.
I don't read young adult books often, but I can see the appeal of this story, especially with teenage girls. Katniss is a character who takes care of herself, is determined to live by her rules (even at home, she breaks the rules of the country by hunting game to provide for her family), but at the same time finds that she has conflicting emotions about the male tribute from her district Peeta. Peeta is very much in love with Katniss, though she spends most of the book either oblivious to this or trying to deny that its happening. The denial is brought upon by two things: one, Peeta is from a higher social class (at least as much as he can be given the dynamics of the society in which they live) and two, according to the rules she may have to eventually kill him if she's to win. We don't get Peeta's perspective on this, which is unfortunate, because I think he could have some pretty awesome insight as to how the Games work and how he feels about Katniss.
The book details a lot about how those emotions come into play, and I can see how younger girls might relate to Katniss. At least, as much as one can relate to someone whose playing in a nationally televised death match. But, the characters are good, with the minor characters serving as a good reminder as to how hard life is outside of the Capital or how warped of a view those who live inside of it have on the rest of society (most of the characters from the Capital are a support team for Katniss, serving to make her look fashionable and good for the media before, during, and after the Hunger Games).
I'll read the second book in the series soon. It was a nice easy read, especially compared to the books in the "A Song of Ice and Fire" Series (Game of Thrones). And if you don't think that there are some posts to come from those books planned, you're mistaken.
