A Little Slow Reading

Have you ever read a book that you did not want to end, so you read slower and slower, pacing yourself?

This week brought three, count ‘em three books that I savored and did not want to end.

“The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins was the first. While I was dying to see what happened next, I did not want it to end. I seem to be a little late to the party, but man oh man, I loved this book!

The idea of children forced to fight to the death, while repellant, makes for incredibly compelling reading.

In a future as bleak as one can imagine, the United States has been ravaged by natural disasters, drought, famine and war to become Panem, where the Capitol, like the current situation, is rich and clueless to the suffering of the people. Either by blind eye, or ignorance, they are the haves, while the outlying districts are the have-nots. In order to show their strength, the original 13 districts have been reduced to 12, and each district is required to send one boy and one girl to the Hunger Games, a televised extravaganza, every year. One will be the victor and will have many rewards. Prim, a poor girl is selected, and her older sister Katniss steps up to take her place. Peeta, the son of the local baker is the boy selected. Together, they are thrust into a world they could have only dreamed of, with enough to eat and time to rest. The games are vicious, with several competitors dying in the first few moments, and as they progress, alliances are formed, at least for the moment, with the knowledge that there can be only one winner.

I loved the strength of Katniss, and her warrior-like persistence. The gentle Peeta, was the surprise, trying to hold on to his humanity, as the games try to tear it away. This is one terrific read! I loved it and can easily say it is the best book I have read in the last few months. I can hardly wait for “Catching Fire”, the next book in the series.