The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Published in 2008. 374 pages.


Midway through 2009, I'd heard such good things about The Hunger Games that I recommended it to my "book lunch girls" without actually having read it myself. I think we all loved it, as did both of my teenage daughters. Later in the year, I picked The Hunger Games for my book club too. Again, it was a hit - even with those that had been skeptical.

I've since read the sequel Catching Fire - which won 2009 Goodreads Choice Awards for both Favorite Book and Young Adult Series - and I'm eagerly awaiting the third book in the trilogy.

There were three topics of discussion that I raised with my book club:

• What did you think about the characters of the book? Were they believable? Who were your favorites? Are you "Team Peeta" or "Team Gale"?
• What does The Hunger Games imply about present society's obsession with "reality games"? And is there other social commentary in the novel we should consider?
• What does The Hunger Games teach about the impact of choice, about right and wrong? Specifically, what did you think about some of Katniss's choices during the games?

If perchance you haven't yet read The Hunger Games, by all means, do it now!

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