As someone who spent the majority of her childhood reading more books than humanly possible, I’m often floored by how little I remember about them. Usually, I can recall the barest bones of the plots and vaguely how I felt about the books themselves at age eight, 12, or 15.
Now that I’m older and have moderately better taste in literature, I’ve realized my true calling: revisiting these books and seeing if they stand the test of time, or if nostalgia’s clouded my judgment.
Today, I’m finally revisiting a cultural juggernaut that has had quite the resurgence in the past few years. With all of the hype surrounding the casting for Sunrise on the Reaping, I figured it was officially time for me to reread The Hunger Games.
Suzanne Collins’s original trilogy is a young adult dystopian series set in a futuristic North America known as Panem that emerged from the fallout of nuclear war. The country is run by the Capitol, who exploit the 12 districts for labor and resources. As punishment for a rebellion launched against the Capitol, two children from each of the districts are selected yearly to participate in a fight to the death known as The Hunger Games.
These books follow Katniss Everdeen, a 16-year-old girl from District 12. When her 12-year-old sister, Primrose, is selected to participate in the games, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She’s joined by Peeta Mellark, a boy her age who saved her from starving when they were both younger.
The first chunk of the book follows Katniss’ journey through the media circus leading up to the games, before we’re thrown headfirst into the games alongside her. Without giving too much away, in case you’re still unfamiliar with the books, the sequel, Catching Fire, follows next year’s games and the special rules of that year. The finale, Mockingjay, details the rise of revolution against the Capitol.
Though I hadn’t reread the books in years, I expected to feel like I had a complete knowledge of the storyline from watching the movies. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised by the finer details I relearned through rereading these books.
Collins does a fantastic job of crafting a character voice. The books are written in first person, which puts the reader squarely in Katniss’ head, experiencing the horrors of the Capitol and the games alongside her. Katniss is an incredibly compelling narrator. It was such a pleasure to hear her insights about the other characters in a way that film simply can’t portray.
I also forgot how wonderful the love story is. Katniss and Peeta are the classic slow burn trope; a prime example of “he fell first, she fell harder.” Yet, when I think about The Hunger Games, I typically focus on the fantastic worldbuilding and Collins’ ability to craft a story that grips readers from start to finish.
Despite being a major plot device, the actual romance is often secondary to other conflicts in the books. However, their relationship is such a driving force for both Peeta and Katniss, and the reason so much of the plot can occur. Honestly, watching Katniss slowly fall in love with Peeta, mostly unaware of that happening, was an absolute highlight of this reread.
All in all, these books are fantastic. But honestly? I knew they would be. One of my favorite parts of rereading a series is discovering not just where things hold up or fall flat, but certain instances in which they’re even better than I remember. These books absolutely fall into that latter category.
If you’re looking for something to read (or reread), take this as your sign to pick up The Hunger Games. If you start now, you’ve got a whole year to read the original trilogy and both prequels before the film release of Sunrise on the Reaping. As always, if you have any suggestions for books to reread or other nostalgia-filled book recommendations, feel free to let me know!
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