So I read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins for the first time in high school. Even though I had been a book geek long before that, I was still in the early stage of becoming a dystopian fantasy genre obsessed that year. Knowing that the famous series was available to borrow in my school library, I didn’t waste any time. I was amongst the earliest students whose name was written in the borrower list glued on the last page of the book.
This year, probably almost a decade later, I went to the cinema to watch The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes with my sister. Since the movie adaptation was really good, I was then motivated to read and reread all the books in the franchise. Luckily, The National Library of Indonesia has so many good collections. I went there last week, secured myself the first book in the trilogy for more or less a week, and the rest is history.
Following the story of a world where North America is nothing but the past, people are now living in the nation of Panem, in which lies the colorful Capitol, surrounded by twelve big districts. Each year, the Capitol requires every district to send a boy and a girl from the age range of twelve to eighteen. Chosen from either a public reaping or volunteering, every tribute will be paraded in a long show that will lead them to the annual Hunger Games, where they will fight each other for their lives.
During the 74th Hunger Games in District 12, for the first time in the district's history, sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen volunteers to be the girl tribute to take her sister’s place. Together with the reaped boy Peeta Mellark, both are brought to the Capitol to prepare themselves for the big game. Under the supervision of Haymitch, the past and only living winner of District 12, Katniss and Peeta are trying their best to fight for their lives—together at first, until the fact that there can only be one winner resurfaces and they have to make the decision of their life.
For me, there is no doubt that The Hunger Games has been the best rereading experience so far these past few years. It took me three days to call it a wrap—I was so quick, partly because I had forgotten many details in it, and the other because it was still as good as I had remembered. Slightly better, even.
I could easily detach my mind from the movie image of Katniss and Peeta because their voices in this book seemed to me so vivid. Every decision, shaped by the agency of anger and lack of power, made them feel so near and real, thus it was really easy to be captivated by the story. We haven't even talked about the plot yet. It was certainly a hell of a ride.
I used to include Peeta as one of my book boyfriends, and I can clearly remember why now. He was cute in a scary way, but also scary in sort of a cute way? I don't know. What I know is that I liked him so, so, so much. On the other hand, Katniss was even more badass than I could recall. Her short temper didn't lessen her value, but instead strengthened her nature and made her more human. She was cunning but awesome. I stood on what I had opined back then, that book-Katniss was more badass than on-screen Katniss.
I think there is no need for a conclusion—I have raved about this book a little bit too long—so I just want you to know that if you haven't read this book yet (which I'm sure is quite unlikely), you are totally missing out.
Actual rating: 5★
