The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - review

  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share via Email

Having been referred to as 'the next Harry Potter' and 'the next Twilight', The Hunger Games certainly had a lot to live up to and I can assure you that it did not disappoint. However, this book is not about wizards or vampires, just regular human beings living in what used to be North America, now called Panem, which is divided up into 12 districts and the Capitol.

Each year, the Capitol broadcasts a reality TV show to remind the residents of the districts of the Dark Days. The show forces twenty four children, two from each district, to compete against the other districts in the terrifying spectacle commonly known as The Hunger Games. The catch: the winner is the last one alive. If you think reality TV is bad enough these days, be glad you don't have to watch children fight to the death each year!

Katniss and Peeta are the tributes chosen to compete in the Hunger Games for District 12 and the story that ensues is told from Katniss's point of view. It's often hard to find books with characters that you can relate to, especially if the book is as imaginative as this one and yet Katniss and Peeta have such real emotions that at times I often felt that if I turned on the television, I would see the Hunger Games occurring right before my very eyes.

Even with such a surreal plot, it was real enough for me not to keep thinking to myself 'this could never happen' and instead I was thinking, 'what if this did happen?' It's easy to fall into the world of the Hunger Games and the struggle is getting out after all the excitement contained in this book.

It's not just the enthralling plot that makes this one of my favourite books but also Katniss' realness. There's a lot for her to deal with, in keeping herself alive, struggling with her feelings for Peeta and wondering if she has it in her to kill the other tributes who get in her way. She doesn't want to kill anyone but she doesn't want to die either. The book ends with a spectacular twist, and I can guarantee that you'll get so attached to Katniss and Peeta, you won't want either of them to die in order for the Games to finish.

For me, this is definitely one of the best young adult books I've ever read. I thoroughly recommend this book, as it's too good to miss and with a movie version coming out next year, you won't want to miss the book of the year!

Want to tell the world about a book you've read? Join the site and send us your review!

{{topLeft}}

{{bottomLeft}}

{{topRight}}

{{bottomRight}}

{{heading}}

  • Children's books
  • Children and teenagers
  • Suzanne Collins
  • Hunger Games
  • Dystopian fiction (children and teens)
  • children's user reviews
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share on WhatsApp
  • Share on Messenger

{{#isVideo}} {{/isVideo}}{{#isGallery}} {{/isGallery}}{{#isAudio}} {{/isAudio}} {{#isComment}} {{/isComment}} {{headline}}

  • {{ title }}
  • Sign in / Register

Switch edition

  • {{ displayName }}

The Hunger Games

By suzanne collins.

'The Hunger Games' by Suzanne Collins captures the dangers of totalitarian regimes through the eyes of the protagonist, Katniss Everdeen.

About the Book

Neesha Thunga K

Article written by Neesha Thunga K

B.A. in English Literature, and M.A. in English Language and Literature.

It has a strong female protagonist who acts as the catalyst for several events in the book. The main characters are well-drawn out and the world-building is excellent. The tone of the novel reflects its gruesome contents , making The Hunger Games one of the best Young Adult novels released in recent times.

Terrors of a Totalitarian Regime

The minute we start reading The Hunger Games , it becomes clear that we are no longer dealing with the world as we know it today. We enter the post-apocalyptic nation of Panem where the autocratic President Snow has taken control, and there is no freedom anymore – merely the illusion of it remains.

This is revealed to us at the beginning when we are introduced to the history of Panem by the Mayor of District 12 during the reaping . A great amount of world-building occurs here, as we are provided information regarding the 13 districts , their rebellion, their punishment, and subsequently, the birth of the Hunger Games.

Throughout The Hunger Games , we are shown the callous nature of those at The Capitol who care for nothing other than their luxury and comfort – and of course, the suffering of those at the districts . Watching the tributes fight amongst themselves to the death every single year is what they live for, and what provides flavor and excitement in their superficial and heartless lives. 

President Snow appears benevolent but is actually ruthless. He will stop at nothing to maintain control. Everything he does is aimed at expressing dominance, to remind the people in the districts that the Capitol always wins. Most people in the districts have either accepted their fate or have resigned themselves to a life of misery. Those in the wealthier districts have deluded themselves into thinking that they are the Capitol’s favorite, which gives cause for tension throughout the novel. 

All of this showcases a totalitarian regime, but one of the major drawbacks of the novel is the fact that it does not go into detail. It is written in a matter-of-fact and superficial manner which does not quite capture the gravity of the content. Nevertheless, it achieves the kind of world-building that is required for the readers to understand the plot, and sets the foundation for the sequels well.

The Spark Lit by Katniss Everdeen

The entire story is narrated by the 16-year-old protagonist, Katniss Everdeen . As such, the novel is in the first-person point of view – something which allows us to experience the horrors of the Hunger Games first-hand.

We are privy only to those things that are related to Katniss, and as a teenager who has had to take on the role of primary provider early in life, there is not much on her mind other than keeping her family alive.

As such, the novel is more about Katniss and her thoughts, feelings, and actions per se than it is about the Hunger Games themselves. We understand the Games from her unique perspective – one that is disgusted by the Capitol and laced with sarcasm and irony. 

However, this is not how others in the novel treat the Hunger Games. For instance, the Career tributes have made it their life’s mission to excel at the hideous Games concocted by the Capitol, while those at the Capitol itself revel in the mass killings that take place.

On the contrary, Katniss’s fury at the injustice of the Games grows steadily (and subconsciously) until it ends with her “trick” with the berries. Although Katniss’s only hope behind consuming the berries was to be left alive with Peeta, the very fact that she thought of killing herself is a mark of her awareness, as well as her subtle forms of rebellion.

Katniss undergoes a remarkable change in the short period it takes to complete the Hunger Games, and she transforms from someone who cares only about her family to someone who is deeply affected by the injustice of the Capitol. There is even a point when she thinks of the death of a tribute as “murder.” She reflects on the word the minute it crosses her mind, ultimately concluding that it is a fitting word to use in the situation.

Katniss has a fire within her that is longing to burst forth. Coincidentally, she becomes the “Girl on Fire” with the help of Cinna ’s creations but the references to fire do not stop there. Katniss seems to spark a fire that spreads throughout the nation of Panem with everything she does. The spark she ignites provides an unpleasant jolt to the people of the Capitol, while it acts as a beacon of hope to those in the districts. Soon, Katniss becomes the person who everyone in Panem admires and looks up to, whether she wants them to or not.

Supporting Characters

The plot of The Hunger Games is brilliantly set forth and moves at a breathtakingly quick speed. This is more than enough to sustain the reader’s interest till the end. However, the novel is a little lacking in terms of characters. No character other than Katniss is fully developed, other than through the thoughts and feelings that Katniss has about them.

You might think that her relationships are better explained but this is not the case either. We do not really know much about her relationships with her sister, Prim, who is the very reason for all of the events in the novel. We know that Katniss loves Prim and would sacrifice almost everything for her, including herself, but we do not fully understand why.

Similarly, the other characters in the novel are not provided space for their own development. This is the case for Peeta Mellark , Katniss’s co-tribute and love interest as well as President Snow, the main antagonist of the novel.

All of this could be attributed to the fact that The Hunger Games caters to a younger audience, i.e., young adults, but the novel is still missing some crucial character development.

The Final Pages of The Hunger Games

The concluding pages of the novel credit Suzanne Collins’ ability to hook the reader in. She introduces several twists in the novel, with the final one taking everyone by surprise. The reader is taken on a rollercoaster, where they are given hope (much like the characters themselves) that both Katniss and Peeta would survive, and subsequently given to despair as that hope is snatched away by the Gamemakers .

Ultimately, however, Katniss and Peeta end up surviving, and they come back home. The concluding pages also set the foundation for the sequel, which is based on the Capitol’s fury at Katniss’s rebellion. Lastly, we are left with the love triangle between Katniss, Peeta, and Gale, which takes shape in the next novel, Catching Fire .

Thus, the last pages of the novel act as a spark, much like Katniss herself, for the trilogy of The Hunger Games as a whole.

Did they kill Cinna?

Cinna remains alive by the end of The Hunger Games book 1. However, due to his transgressions in Book 2, where he creates a deceptive Mockingjay outfit for Katniss, he is tortured and killed.

Is Cinna in love with Katniss?

No, Cinna is not in love with Katniss. As her stylist, it is Cinna’s job to make Katniss look appealing to the public. He sees Katniss naked many times, but he looks at her body only professionally (to assess the outfits she needs to wear) and never romantically.

Who is Haymitch to Katniss?

Haymitch is Katniss’s mentor in the 74th and 75th Hunger Games . He is an alcoholic who drowns his sorrows in drink, but comes to care for Katniss very deeply. He tries his best to keep Katniss alive both times she’s in the arena .

Did Katniss ever love Gale?

Katniss does love Gale, but only as a friend. Though Gale confesses that he loves her, Katniss never viewed him as a romantic partner. She is closer to him than anyone else because of their hunting and poaching days, until she forms a bond with Peeta.

The Hunger Games Review: A True Young Adult Dystopian Fiction

  • Writing Style
  • Lasting Effect on the Reader

The Hunger Games review

The Hunger Games is a highly memorable young adult dystopian fiction. It is one of a kind and deals with several important themes that are relevant even in our world. The plot and pace of the novel are praiseworthy. It is commendable in terms of world-building and leaves an impression on the reader in an unsettling and uncanny manner. However, character development is weak and superficial.

  • Incredible plot and setting
  • Relevant despite being unsettling
  • Good world-building
  • Provides an immersive experience through the use of a first-person point of view
  • Characters other than the protagonist are not well-developed
  • Lazy writing at times
  • Falls prey to the clichéd love triangle

Neesha Thunga K

About Neesha Thunga K

Neesha, born to a family of avid readers, has devoted several years to teaching English and writing for various organizations, making an impact on the literary community.

Discover literature and connect with others just like yourself!

Start the Conversation. Join the Chat.

There was a problem reporting this post.

Block Member?

Please confirm you want to block this member.

You will no longer be able to:

  • See blocked member's posts
  • Mention this member in posts
  • Invite this member to groups

Please allow a few minutes for this process to complete.

  • Disclosure and Privacy Policy
  • GDPR – Request personal data
  • Book Review Policy
  • Author Interviews
  • C. J. Tudor
  • Carole P. Roman
  • Chris Carter
  • J. D. Barker
  • James Patterson
  • Jean Harrod
  • John Grisham
  • M. J. Arlidge
  • M.W. Craven
  • Marko Kitti
  • Michael Phillip Cash
  • Ransom Riggs
  • Richard Montanari
  • Sharon Bolton
  • Shaun Baines
  • Stephen King
  • Stephen Leather
  • Biographies & Memoirs
  • Children’s Books
  • Christmas Themed Books
  • Cosy Mystery
  • Educational
  • Non-fiction
  • Sci-Fi / Fantasy
  • Supernatural
  • YA Fiction (Young Adult)
  • Competitions

What\'s Good to Read

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins Review

The Hunger Games Trilogy Book #1

Hunger Games

There are some truly excellent dystopian fiction novels that a lot of us may have read, whether for pleasure or at school, such as George Orwell’s 1984, A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess, Lord of the Flies by William Golding, The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood or even The Stand by Stephen King. Now there is another to add to that list – The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.

I have watched The Hunger Games film and loved it but have never read the book, and I was missing out. The Hunger Games is a much better book than it is a film, and I thought the film was great.

The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins, is a sci-fi, dystopian fantasy novel for the YA (Young Adult) market, first published in 2008 and the first in a trilogy. It is a story of oppression, uprising, war, violence and poverty blended with love and celebrity influence. A story where 24 children have to fight to the death.

The story is set in the future in the post-apocalyptic nation of Panem, which is the remains of what was once the country that we called North America. Panem is controlled by The Capitol, an advanced city that dominates the twelve districts that it exerts complete and total authority over. There used to be thirteen districts, but District 13 was destroyed after a failed uprising, firstly to quell the uprising and secondly as a punishment and warning to the other districts. Born from this was The Hunger Games, an annual event to celebrate the crushing of the rebellion.

Each year, one boy and one girl, known as Tributes, between the ages of 12 and 18 years old from each district are selected through a lottery to play The Hunger Games, a reality show where the 24 “contestants” must survive and fight each other to the death leaving only one winner. A game designed to punish the districts with the massacre of 23 of their children every year, whilst entertaining the people of The Capitol.

The story is told through Katniss Everdeen, a sixteen-year-old girl, from District 12 – a coal-rich region that was once Appalachia.

Welcome to the 74 th Hunger Games.

It is the annual Hunger Games lottery, known as The Reaping. All the names of the eligible children from the district are placed into a hat, and they can have their name in more than once. The district has assembled (they have to) for the selection of the boy and girl that will be chosen to compete and fight to the death. In District 12, a poor coal mining district, the boy and girl are selected, Peeta Mellark is the male tribute whilst Primrose Everdeen, who is only twelve years old, is selected as the female tribute. Katniss doesn’t want her little sister to take part so offers herself instead.

Katniss and Peeta leave District 12 for the opulence of The Capitol and undergo weeks of training and interviews, being well fed and looked after, until they enter their final arena. Once the games begin, all twenty four children have to try and outwit, outsmart, outlive their opponents, surviving by finding their own food or hopefully relying on small gifts from their sponsors, but ultimately they have to be last person standing which means that they must play their part in killing the others.

Overall, I loved this story, it is a thought-provoking and compelling read. Although it is a book for the YA market, it is definitely a book that adults, young and old, will enjoy, but probably not one for tweens. If you have seen the film, the book is so much better and feels more real somehow.

In a post-apocalyptic world, America is in ruins and what is left of it is ruled by the rich and powerful Capitol, overseeing 12 poor districts, using them as their worker bees and entertainment. It is a story of oppression and rebellion, rich against poor.

Readers will be riveted, engaged and enthralled with the story of a young girls struggle against a hard life and cruel government. It is a story of violence, friendship, love & war and politics that makes really interesting and exciting reading. A really intense story of survival and rebellion, from hunting in the woods that are out of bounds to defying political will, to the murder and massacre of innocent children for nothing more than television entertainment.

The characters are all great in their own unique ways; Katniss is a strong female lead who takes control of her own problems but subtly changes slightly throughout the book to be a very competent protector of others. She is feisty and very likeable. Peeta is very smart and loyal, Haymitch Abernathy is a fantastic surly drunk and mentor that provides humour to lighten some of the darker themes and Effie is just in a world of her but is efficient and strangely likeable.

The Hunger Games can, at times, be quite a dark, emotional and disturbing story with themes of murder and extreme violence but it is required to show how the authoritarian government has taken complete control over Panem and rule with an iron fist. But it is also very well balanced with love, friendship and romance.

The writing is excellent, and the plot is out of this world. It gives way to some really interesting ideas about freedom, free speech, politics, government, loyalty and sacrifice.

It is hard to sum up just how good this book is in a review without giving too many spoilers and ruining the enjoyment of the story, but if you do pick it up to read you will really enjoy it. It took me a long time to actually pick up this book and start reading it, but once I did, I couldn’t put it down.

A thrilling, riveting and exciting read, packed with action and suspense.

Rating: 5/5

RRP: £7.99 (Paperback / Kindle)

For more information, visit www.suzannecollinsbooks.com . Available to buy from Amazon here .

hunger games book review the guardian

DISCLOSURE: All thoughts and opinions are my own. This review uses an affiliate link which I may receive a small commission from if you purchase through the link.

Related articles more from author, stags by m. a. bennett review, the fall of crazy house by james patterson & gabrielle charbonnet review, crazy house by james patterson & gabrielle charbonnet review, popular posts, 6 ways to read books when on a budget, tips for reading with children, the marlow murder club by robert thorogood review, popular category.

  • Children's Books 165
  • Thrillers 141
  • Educational 33
  • Supernatural 28
  • Non-fiction 25
  • YA Fiction (Young Adult) 24
  • True Crime 13

Privacy Overview

The sunny day squad: the quest for the caringstone review.

The Hunger Games review

Jennifer lawrence hits the bullseye….

hunger games book review the guardian

Why you can trust GamesRadar+ Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about our reviews policy.

Is it the new Twilight ? Is it faithful to the book? How violent is it? What’s up with Woody Harrelson’s hair? No, yes, pretty violent and Lord only knows. Now we’ve got the big questions out the way, a quick catch-up for those wondering if The Hunger Games is ITV’s follow-up to The Biggest Loser . No. It’s the feverishly anticipated adap of the first in Suzanne Collins’ teen-book trilogy, set in a post-apocalyptic US (now called Panem) where the problems of maintaining civil order, keeping the youth in line and what to watch on TV all have the same solution: The Hunger Games, a yearly gladiatorial contest where two dozen randomly selected 12-to-18-year-old ‘Tributes’ are forced to fight to the death until only one remains. And it’s on freeview! Gary Ross’ film kicks in like a futuristic redux of Winter’s Bone , with Jennifer Lawrence again being the glue holding together a fatherless, near-penniless household. Already there’s portent in the air, even before a government hovercraft thunders overhead.

And there’s a gut-wrench right around the corner, when 16-year-old Katniss’ (Lawrence) baby sis Prim (Willow Shield) is plucked from the hat for the 74th Games. A horrified Katniss volunteers to take her place, and it’s off to the Capitol, flanked by her fellow Tribute, baker boy Peeta (Josh Hutcherson)… It’s a bold, bracing opener, Ross setting out his stall with a sobriety and austerity that may curveball viewers expecting event-movie gloss (or anyone who saw the dipped-in-honey Seabiscuit ). The music’s minimal, the lensing indie-styled (fly-on-the-wall, intimate, herky-jerky), the colours cold. Brighter hues await in the Capitol – decadent seat of the government’s power, where the fashion police hold no sway – but Ross, like his heroine, isn’t seduced by the glitz. Claims that the story’s told entirely from Katniss’ POV prove exaggerated; although, since one of the cutaways involves some fearsome riot action, we’ll let it slide.

Still, the camera does mostly cling to Katniss, requiring a Herculean amount of heavy lifting from Lawrence. She bears the load. Stoical or heart-on-sleeve, afraid or defiant, the starlet hits the mark. Factor in archery skills to make Robin Hood soil his Lincoln greens and you have Katniss as Collins intended. Fidelity to character is one thing; but what about the aggro? Ross has his work cut out honouring the novel’s savagery without alienating the box office. The BBFC slashed seven seconds of spilt blood from the UK version.

There’s still plenty of what the censor calls ‘injury detail’ plus enough clever editing to make you feel the pain. Prime example? The grand, grisly start to the Games themselves, where it’s everyone vs everyone and bodies drop like dominoes. Ross mutes the sound effects and chops the carnage into almost subliminal flashes, avoiding explicitness without losing the horror. Other problem areas for a film adap – from the faux-flames of Katniss’ Capitol dress to the beastly Muttations – are navigated with aplomb.

Lawrence’s shining star is orbited by other casting successes. Elizabeth Banks and Stanley Tucci amuse as media grotesques Effie Trinket and Caesar Flickerman, also tying for Best Worst Wig/Make-Up.

Wes Bentley is smoothly ruthless as gamemaker Seneca Crane, quietly conspiring with Donald Sutherland’s slyly sadistic President Snow. The glory-hungry Career Tributes – ie the cool kids – are a suitably hateful mob, headed by Alexander Ludwig’s sneering Cato.

Lenny Kravitz (Katniss’ sympathetic stylist) probably shouldn’t start clearing space on his awards shelf, but you can’t have everything. What falters most in the journey from page to screen is Collins’ blistering pace. It’s a long movie, and Ross is in no rush. Act 2 grinds us through basic training, Katniss and Peeta wrestling with their weaknesses and finding new strengths.

There’s also a lot of thousand-yard staring, plus the shabbily charismatic Haymitch Abernathy, played by a shabbily charismatic Woody Harrelson. Which sounds like a good thing, except his Games victor-turned-mentor is here less intriguing enigma than Basil Exposition. Things accelerate when we enter the deadly arena, Ross confidently juggling action with emotion. There’s shock, suspense and self-sacrifice. There’s also roaring fireballs, mutant wasps and death by javelin. The most moving scene in the book becomes the moving scene in the film.

Meanwhile, the Katniss/Peeta relationship develops and deepens, firming up the love triangle (with Liam Hemsworth as Gale, our heroine’s best friend back home) that’s captivated readers as much as the violence and social commentary (on class conflict, media manipulation, government control, how we’ll be wearing our hair after the bomb drops).

If the chemistry between Lawrence and the brooding Hutcherson isn’t quite sizzling yet, then there are three more films for it to catch fire. What’s remarkable is the lack of cheese. Tacky effects, corny dialogue and creaky performances are all shown the door. We repeat: not the new Twilight .

If not wholly true to Collins’ words (missing in action: the mayor’s daughter, the Avox girl), it gets the spirit bang on; like its source, this is both credible science fiction and a teen tale that doesn’t patronise or pander to its audience.

What’s more, the grit, gravity and empathy on display fuse into something fresh. There’ve been many, many survival-as-sport movies – The Most Dangerous Game , Punishment Park , Battle Royale , Series 7: The Contender - but The Hunger Games finds new ways to play.

A faithful adap, a grown-up teen movie and flaming good entertainment. The big test for the franchise lies ahead with the uneven second and third books. But on this showing, the odds are in its favour.

Sam Claflin is keen to return to The Hunger Games, but he’s not sure he could play Finnick again

Netflix removes the Hunger Games movies, just weeks before the prequel movie is released

Inside Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector, the indie RPG sequel with Mass Effect in its sights

Most Popular

hunger games book review the guardian

  • TV & radio
  • Art & design

The Hunger Games

hunger games book review the guardian

The Hunger Games: the Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes review – handsome but undercooked prequel

hunger games book review the guardian

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes review – back to an empty future

hunger games book review the guardian

Ranked Jennifer Lawrence’s best performances – ranked!

hunger games book review the guardian

Three-finger salute: Hunger Games symbol adopted by Myanmar protesters

hunger games book review the guardian

Ranked Beyond the negroni: Stanley Tucci's 20 best films – ranked!

hunger games book review the guardian

Week in geek Do we really need a Hunger Games prequel movie?

hunger games book review the guardian

Back to the Future – the reboot everybody wants but no one thinks is a good idea

hunger games book review the guardian

Massacre at the movies: why must cinema torture the young?

hunger games book review the guardian

Entertainment One faces shareholder revolt over pay

hunger games book review the guardian

The kids aren't alright: is the YA movie boom over?

hunger games book review the guardian

All-nighter at the Scream house? The worst movie locations for a party

hunger games book review the guardian

From Fortnite to Love Island: how the ‘fight to the death’ defines our times

hunger games book review the guardian

Steve Rose on film From Tomb Raider to A Wrinkle in Time: why Hollywood has daddy issues

hunger games book review the guardian

The Snowman, Yogi Bear and Hollywood's unintentionally funny movie posters

hunger games book review the guardian

Mad Men restaurant and Hunger Games bakery to open in Times Square

hunger games book review the guardian

Film blog From Bruce Lee to Paul Walker: how Hollywood pulled off its biggest resurrection acts

hunger games book review the guardian

Why we need to stop saying 'this is the movie we need right now'

hunger games book review the guardian

From House Of Cards to Moonlight, why Mahershala Ali is having a moment

hunger games book review the guardian

Lions Gate to buy Starz in $4.4bn deal

hunger games book review the guardian

Should pupils watch movies in class? Discuss …

  • Film adaptations
  • Hunger Games
  • Suzanne Collins
  • Science fiction and fantasy films
  • Jason Schwartzman
  • Submission: Reclaiming Earth Day from corporate greenwashing
  • UCSD leaves multiethnic students in the shadows
  • Price Center’s Sunshine Market to be converted to a Just Walk Out HDH location
  • Creating community on campus: Sociologists step up
  • Shores Diner: Open For Business
  • 90s fashion inspirations: style as an art
  • Shohei Ohtani, Jontay Porter, and sports’s gambling problem
  • Tritons concede 18 runs in a loss to cross-town rivals SDSU
  • Caitlin Clark’s bid for national title ends against undefeated South Carolina
  • UC San Diego opens New Labor Research Center in Downtown San Diego

The Student News Site of University of California - San Diego

The UCSD Guardian

The Student News Site of University of California - San Diego

  • Arts & Entertainment

“The Hunger Games” prequel is a villain origin story done right

Byline photo of Bailey Bujnosek

This review contains spoilers for “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes.”

If you’re a part of Gen Z, you probably harbor nostalgia for the dystopian craze of the 2010s, not least because of how inescapable the genre was. Author Suzanne Collins’ “The Hunger Games” trilogy and its film counterparts were patient zero of the epidemic, with franchises like “Divergent” and “The Maze Runner” following closely behind. Still, no other adaptation came close to the original Jennifer Lawrence star-maker. With tightly woven plots, compelling characters, and sharp social commentary, the original novel trilogy truly felt like lightning in a bottle. So when it was announced that Collins’ 2020 prequel, “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes,” would be adapted into a film of its own, fans were skeptical that it could measure up. The novel, which acts as a villain origin story for the trilogy’s enigmatic President Snow, was well-received — but prequel films are often unnecessary fan service at best and franchise-damaging at worst. Thankfully, 2023’s “Ballad” rises above the usual prequel pitfalls. It’s a thrilling entry in the “Hunger Games” universe, renewing the excitement of the original films while providing a new perspective on Panem’s fascistic future ruler.

The adaptation’s greatest strengths are its performances. Tom Blyth gives a fittingly complex turn as young Coriolanus Snow, an ambitious student at a prestigious Capitol academy desperate to win the Plinth Prize so he can afford to attend university. At school, he maintains the same pretenses as his wealthier peers, but at home, he lives a meager life with his cousin Tigris (Hunter Schafer) and their grandmother (Fionnula Flanagan). Unfortunately, Coriolanus’s chance at the prize money hinges upon him renewing Capitol audiences’ interest in the vicious Hunger Games, now in its tenth year. To do so, he must mentor a tribute from District 12: the folksy, audacious songstress Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler). With a syrupy pseudo-Appalachian accent, stellar vocals during her many musical performances, and expressions that convincingly shift from wide-eyed terror to unflappable confidence, Zegler is the perfect spirited foil to Blyth’s calculating character. 

Other cast standouts are Viola Davis, playing the deliciously evil Head Gamemaker Dr. Volumnia Gaul, who wears blood-red gloves and forces liars to plunge their hand into a vat of snakes; Peter Dinklage as the academy’s perpetually bitter Dean Casca Highbottom and one of Coriolanus’s earliest enemies; and Jason Schwartzman, who plays the Hunger Games’ first host Lucretius “Lucky” Flickerman with an awkward yet surprisingly endearing charm. Less captivating is Sejanus Plinth, portrayed by Josh Andrés Rivera. Plinth is Snow’s wealthy best friend who speaks against the Capitol’s cruelty toward the districts and gets tangled in the rebel cause. His character’s motivations are understandable, but his performance feels stuck in one mood — righteous frustration — in all of his scenes. There’s not the same degree of complexity or growth that we witness in the film’s other performances.

Besides being pulled in by the characters, audiences are sure to appreciate the film’s world-building. “Ballad” answers fans’ pleas to witness the titular games in their earlier iteration, learn more about Capitol politics, and see more of daily life in District 12. The visuals may be less glittering or epic than those of the original trilogy, but that’s by design. The early Hunger Games are primitive, and the audience understands why the game makers are so desperate to revive interest: for a broadcast full of bloodshed, it borders on boring. Tributes are kept in a zoo until they’re thrown in a small, indoor arena that’s a far cry from the elaborate landscapes Katniss Everdeen must navigate in the original films. Snow has to suggest that the tributes be allowed to showcase their personality in interviews with Flickerman to make Capitol citizens invested in their life-and-death struggle — giving Zegler’s character a chance to win over the public by performing a haunting song.

Once the games begin, the bloodbath in the arena is hampered by the film’s PG-13 rating, which sterilizes injuries that really should have been gorier. Still, the same clever outwitting, maneuvering, and surprising gestures of kindness and rebellion occur, making the tenth Hunger Games as nail-biting as those in the previous films — and perhaps more so, as viewers see Snow’s interventions on the outside. At one point, he rips out some stitches on his back so he can gain a private audience with Dr. Gaul and gather intel that might save Gray. It’s a clever move that demonstrates both his craftiness and his commitment to Gray’s survival in the games — for his own ends and increasingly, for her sake. 

Though they spend a decent chunk of the film apart, the leads’ chemistry in the scenes they share is believable, making the unraveling of their relationship in the latter half of the film all the more compelling. Initially, they bond over the loss of their parents and the struggle to provide for their loved ones. Later, they save each other’s lives, bringing them closer together. In District 12, after the games, Gray shows Snow the beauty of life outside the Capitol, found not in power but in community and song. The audience remains torn between wanting them to work out and understanding why they might not trust each other. At the same time, the knowledge of Snow’s inevitable descent into evil makes rooting for him a struggle. His character is not born a sociopath, but as the pressures of the games swell and his allegiance is pulled in different directions, he ends up making decisions that are less and less forgivable. While several critic and audience reviews lament the film’s rushed third act, suggesting Snow’s shift to complete villainy is abrupt, I personally found the series of choices leading to his transformation to be sufficient. More scenes between him and Gray after the games would help even out the film’s pacing, but with a runtime of over two hours, it’s understandable that certain scenes had to be compressed. 

“Ballad” delivers the high-stakes tension, thoughtful commentary, and intricate storytelling that made the trilogy series a hit to begin with. As an important character’s arc is left ambiguous, the film lays the groundwork for sequels — perhaps even a prequel trilogy? There are still decades between Snow’s story and Katniss Everdeen’s, during which the fires of rebellion are stoked, the Capitol falls into excessive indulgence, and the games evolve from their humble, low-rating beginnings to a must-watch television event. Hopefully, Collins has a few more novels to write. If not, “Ballad” will at least go down in history as an example of a successful prequel, one on par with its predecessor’s best moments.

Director: Francis Lawrence Starring: Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, Viola Davis Release Date: November 17, 2023 (Theatrical)

Rating: PG-13

Image courtesy of IGN

Bailey Bujnosek

  • Movie Review
  • Rachel Zegler
  • The Hunger Games

Your donation will support the student journalists at University of California, San Diego. Your contribution will allow us to purchase equipment, keep printing our papers, and cover our annual website hosting costs.

The Student News Site of University of California - San Diego

Comments (0)

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

IMAGES

  1. Hunger Games Book Review |Favbookshelf

    hunger games book review the guardian

  2. "The Hunger Games" trilogy by Suzanne Collins

    hunger games book review the guardian

  3. The Hunger Games Series Books in Order

    hunger games book review the guardian

  4. The Hunger Games Trilogy eBook by Suzanne Collins

    hunger games book review the guardian

  5. Hunger Games Makes For Excellent Reading Deborah

    hunger games book review the guardian

  6. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

    hunger games book review the guardian

VIDEO

  1. The Hunger Games review by Sonup

  2. How are the Hunger Games books different from the films? We didn’t see a lot of the beauty details!

  3. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins Book Review

  4. My First Thoughts on Hunger Games #books #hungergames

  5. I’ve Never Read The Hunger Games! (Minor Spoilers as I Chat)

  6. The Hunger Games Book Review

COMMENTS

  1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

    The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - review. In a place once known as North America, now known as Panem, is a very rich City surrounded by twelve Districts. Every year because this very rich City ...

  2. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

    BookieCookie. Sat 17 Oct 2015 10.00 EDT. Last modified on Wed 20 Sep 2017 06.25 EDT. The story starts with a sixteen year old girl called Katniss Everdeen who lives in a post-apocalyptic land ...

  3. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

    The Hunger Games' grim, futuristic setting, gritty realism and thrilling plot are a refreshing change from the slightly overplayed genre of fantasy (even though I do love fantasy), imitations of ...

  4. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

    The novel is set in a future dystopian world, in a country called 'Panem' with 12 outlying districts surrounding a technologically advanced Capitol. Our heroine, Katniss, is from District 12, the ...

  5. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

    When I was supposed to go to bed I got a torch and read it underneath my bed covers. When you first read it, you can't imagine that it was set in the future because it's so run down. Suzanne ...

  6. Hunger Games

    The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - review Bookworm Reader: 'This book has incredible cliff-hangers and it is spectacularly described and envisioned' Published: 6 Dec 2015

  7. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

    The Hunger Games is one of the most interesting books and series I've read with a very realistic plot that's easy to imagine actually happening at some point in the future. I would definitely ...

  8. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

    The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - review. 'There is a balance of action and love in this book, a very well-managed balance'. Groovy Dhruv. Tue 2 Oct 2012 10.00 EDT. "Let the Hunger games begin ...

  9. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

    Sun 7 Jun 2015 10.00 EDT. Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is a thrilling start to an amazing series! Katniss Everdeen is 16 years of age. She lives in the ...

  10. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

    Having been referred to as 'the next Harry Potter' and 'the next Twilight', The Hunger Games certainly had a lot to live up to and I can assure you that it did not disappoint. However, this book is not about wizards or vampires, just regular human beings living in what used to be North America, now called Panem, which is divided up into 12 districts and the Capitol.

  11. The Hunger Games

    The Hunger Games reflects a weird kind of post-ironic accommodation: it doesn't read as satire in quite the same way. The vicious use of Warhol's 15 minutes to oppress and cheapen the public is ...

  12. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

    Suzanne Collins, Catching Fire (Hunger Games) Catching Fire is an excellent sequel to The Hunger Games that takes us deeper into the aftermath of surviving the games and the torturous nightmares ...

  13. The Hunger Games Review: A True Dystopian Fiction

    4.2. The Hunger Games review. The Hunger Games is a highly memorable young adult dystopian fiction. It is one of a kind and deals with several important themes that are relevant even in our world. The plot and pace of the novel are praiseworthy. It is commendable in terms of world-building and leaves an impression on the reader in an unsettling ...

  14. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

    This series are great novels created by Suzanne Collins. Mockingjay is an entertaining and suspenseful book that you can read wherever you go. Suzanne Collins has become very famous because of ...

  15. How The Hunger Games staged a revolution

    The Hunger Games isn't the only bubble of rage in blockbuster film - remember the cry of "Apes will rise" in the rebooted Planet of the Apes, or the patriarchal scumbaggery of Mad Max ...

  16. Hunger Games novels join most complained-about titles in US

    The Hunger Games author comes in behind Lauren Myracle's young adult series TTYL, written in text speak, which were the most complained-about books in America in 2011.

  17. The Hunger Games

    The Hunger Games - review. Philip French. Sat 24 Mar 2012 20.05 EDT. The Hunger Games is not, as I thought when I heard the title, a nostalgic docu-drama on the 1948 London Olympics back in the ...

  18. The Hunger Games

    Xan Brooks. Fri 16 Mar 2012 10.36 EDT. E liza Doolittle's transformation has nothing on that of Katniss Everdeen, the hardscrabble heroine of The Hunger Games, who finds herself plucked from ...

  19. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins Review

    The Hunger Games is a much better book than it is a film, and I thought the film was great. The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins, is a sci-fi, dystopian fantasy novel for the YA (Young Adult) market, first published in 2008 and the first in a trilogy. It is a story of oppression, uprising, war, violence and poverty blended with love and ...

  20. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes review

    This is a pointless new iteration of IP content from the Hunger Games franchise, based on Suzanne Collins's original YA bestsellers, which over four movies from 2012 to 2015 confirmed the ...

  21. The Hunger Games review

    A faithful adap, a grown-up teen movie and flaming good entertainment. The big test for the franchise lies ahead with the uneven second and third books. But on this showing, the odds are in its ...

  22. The Hunger Games

    Latest news, sport, business, comment, analysis and reviews from the Guardian, the world's leading liberal voice

  23. "The Hunger Games" prequel is a villain origin story done right

    This review contains spoilers for "The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes." If you're a part of Gen Z, you probably harbor nostalgia for the dystopian craze of the 2010s, not least because of how inescapable the genre was. Author Suzanne Collins' "The Hunger Games" trilogy and its film counterparts were patient zero...