Example Book Review

"Envisioning Our Future"


SUMMARY:
I read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins over the summer, but over Thanksgiving break, I absolutely had to pick it up again.  The Hunger Games tells the story of sixteen year old Katniss Everdeen and her life living in District 12.  Set in the near future, the United States is nothing like it is for us today.  A tyrannical capitol city exists and it controls all of the outlying twelve districts.  Part of the capitol's ultimate control is it's hosting of the Hunger Games every year.  In order for the districts to stay viable, they must each send two tributes per year to the capitol to fight to the death in the Games.  The narrative of the story really gets going when Katniss's younger sister, Prim, who is only eight years old, is chosen by lotter to be a sacrifice to the games.  Katniss's protective instincts take over and she volunteers herself to go to the games instead.  The narrative tells the story of Katniss's adventure to the capitol, the inner politics of the corrupt government, and the action of the Hunger Games.
        
CRITIQUE:
The Hunger Games is without a doubt one of the best books I've ever read.  What makes it so good is the originality of the characters, complexity of the plot, and imaginative ideas that Collins has crafted.  Katniss is a strong female protagonist - a rare character in much modern fiction.  The plot itself weaves in and out of adventure, romance, mystery, suspense, humor, and back to adventure seamlessly.  This is what makes it such a page-turner.  Lastly, the creation and imagination behind the concept of the Hunger Games is clever and original.  I loved reading and delving into the new world that Collins created using great detail and new ideas that are totally possible to imagine for our future.

RECOMMENDATION:
I would highly recommend this book to each and every one of my students.  As mentioned above, it has a little something for every reader.  Both girls and boys would enjoy reading the story.  I would give this five out of five stars for this action-packed, futuristic read!