Hunger Games

I just finished it last night about 12:30. I was so close, I couldn't put it down for today. I loved it. OK, it's got this annoying girl who's totally oblivious to just about everything around her save for small glimpses I thought could have been expanded. But Suzanne Collins does a credible job of making her the epitome teenager in a post apocalyptic world.

I really wanted more about what happened to the world, Panem the country that rose from the ashes of North America. I hope it'll be revealed in books 2 and 3--this is such a rich world, and the glimpses Ms. Collins offers tantalize rather than satisfy.

As for Katniss, sure, the story is told in her POV exclusively, but there are other characters I feel deserve their time in the spotlight. Peeta, Haymitch, Effie, Cinna, even President Snow. What more could they add to the story? What more is there to them that we'll never know. I bet their stories are absolutely fascinating, and I hope Ms. Collins will offer us more of them.

Stephen King gave this book a B and called the writing uneven or childish or some such (I'm a librarian I know the reviews, just not verbatim). I have to agree, the writing was stilted at times, but the story itself was captivating.

I'm going to read the second one, Catching Fire, as soon as the copy returns. I put my name on it like a good library patron and now wonder if I should have grabbed it a week ago and just held onto it.