The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, 374 pages

In this dystopian blockbuster of a novel, North America is now Panem, separated into 12 highly controlled districts and the Capital, which controls them. Each year, two teenagers are plucked from each district and forced to fight in the Hunger Games to the death until only one remains. This year, it's Katniss Everdeen, a girl with a rebellious streak, who finds herself in the arena, and the viewers of this year's Hunger Games will see things they've never seen before.

I've read this book several times before, and it seems the cynicism and social commentary get sharper each time. An excellent novel, though not particularly a cheery one.